zeal that is highly criminal. Such was that of Simeon and Levi, who slew the Shechemites, because by the prince of that city their sister had been defiled^. They had just ground for displeasure ; but their mode of manifesting their displeasure was cruel in the extreme, and brought upon them God's merited indignation s. Not that the mere circumstance of slaying their fellow creatures when they were incapable of resistance was wrong, provided they had received a divine commission to do so : for Joshua did right in extirpating the Canaanites ; as did the tribe of Levi also, when they went through the camp of Israel, every one of them slaying even his nearest relatives, if he found them worshipping the golden calf''. The word of God is that by which every act must be regulated. It is not sufficient that we tJiink to please God : for James and John thought to please their divine Master by calling fire from heaven to consume a Samaritan village ; and Paul also thought he was serving God aright, when he haled men and women to prison and to death for their attachment to Christ. They (James and John) were told by their Lord, that " they knew not what spirit they were of^:" and he (Paul) condemns him- self afterwards as an injurious and blaspheming persecutor^. If we are able to shew a command for what we do, then our zeal in doing it is good.]
3. When it is tempered with discretion —
[There are conflicting duties, which, as far as possible, should be made to harmonize ; and neither of them should be violated without necessity. ' To obey the civil magistrate is the duty of all: but when his injunctions militate against the paramount authority of God, they must be disregarded, what- ever be the dangers to which our disobedience may subject us. The appeal, " Whether it be right to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge yeV' carried its own evidence along with it. Of course, there is need of much discrimination in this matter. The Pharisees acted well in shewing a regard for the Sabbath, and a zeal for the due observance of it : but they erred grievously, when they accused our blessed Lord as violating it by working miracles on that day: for they should have known, that " God preferred mercy before sacri- fice," and, consequently, that acts of mercy and necessity super- seded the obligation of a merely positive command™. Even where a duty is plain, it is proper for us to consider whether we are the persons to perform it. To preach the Gospel is a
f Gen. xxxiv. 25 — 31. s Gen. xlix. 5 — 7.
^ Exod. xxxii. 25—29. Deut. xxxiii. 8—11.
' Luke ix. 5.3—55. k Acts viii. 3. and xxvi. 9. 1 Tim. i. 13.
1 Acts iv. 19, '« Matt. xii. 2 — 7.