interests, and carnal passions. Self should have no concern whatever in it, any farther than the advancement of our own spiritual and eternal welfare may be comprehended under that term. In all its actings it must be regulated by a tender regard to the weaknesses and prejudices of men. It is by no means sufficient that we endeavour to approve ourselves zealous for God, unless we approve ourselves at the same time patient and forbearing towards men ; proportioning our exertions for their welfare to their capacity for receiving our instructions ; or, in other words, being content to administer milk alone to those who are not able to digest strong meat ; and, like Moses, to put a veil upon our face, when the lustre of our countenance would be too strong for those who look to us for the words of life. Never should we needlessly cast a stumbling-block in the way of any, or use our own liberty in such a way as to offend our weaker brethren. Our aim should be, to " win souls" to Christ: and for that end we should, as far as we conscientiously can, " become all things to all men, that by all means we may save some."]
3. Tempered with discretion—
[" It is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing :" but there is " a zeal which is not according to know- ledge." To exercise zeal aright, we should consider with care and circumspection the following things : first, Our own office and character; not invading the provinces of others, or assuming to ourselves a character which belongs not to us. It is not every one that has a right to act as Phinehas did, in executing vengeance upon offenders with his own hand : (Phinehas was himself a ruler, and acted under the orders of the supreme magistrate : and he is commended, not so much for punishing the offenders, as for daring to punish them in the face of all Israel, whilst thousands of others were guilty of the same offence.) Nor can I conceive it at all right for persons un- educated, and uncalled, to invade the ministerial office, (as is so common in this day,) when we are expressly told, that " no man should take this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron ; and that even Christ glorified not himself to be made an high-priest, but was called to the office by Him who said to him, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten theeV
Next, we should consider The nature of the thing about which our zeal is exercised. We should distinguish between things essential and non-essential. It would be a sad perversion of zeal to shew the same earnestness about " tithes of mint, anise, and cummin, as about the weightier matters of the law, judg-
b Heb. v. 4, 5. and Jam. iii. 1. in the Greek : BiMtncttkoi, 'teachers.'