raise not, confirm not, prepoffeffions against it. Be fearless; yet give no needless offence : be ftrenuous, yet be mild: be ftedfast, yet be meek: be carneft, yet be prudent. Finally, let your zeal direct itself to suitable objects; and proportion its exertion to their relative importance. While it overlooks not any fcriptural truth; let it mainly labour for the establishment, and the practical energy, of the grand peculiarities of the Gofpel. Be your zeal Christian zeal: zeal for the honour of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghoft; for the great mystery of Godliness, God manifefted in the flesh; for the falvation of fallen man exclusively through the atoning blood of an incarnate Redeemer; for juftification exclusively through faith in that blood; for habitual holiness and univerfal obedience as the indifpenfable evidences of faith, and as services well-pleafing to God in those who poffefs it; for the renewal of the heart unto faith and holiness and obedience exclufively by the fanctifying operation of the Holy Spirit. Discriminate between that which is circumftantial and that which is effential. Be careful for the one; be anxious and ardent for the other. Be thus zealous for God be thus zealous for man. Remember

:

that without zeal you cannot truly love, you cannot truly please God. But remember also, that no zeal is acceptable to God, except that which by habitual fruits of love to God and man proves itself to be genuine Zeal for the Lord.

SERMON IX.

On the Parable of the Tares.

MATTH. xiii. 36.

His difciples came unto him faying; Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field.

CLOUDS and darkness are round about the Almighty yet righteousness and judgement are the habitation of his throne (a). Of the counfels of Infinite Wisdom fome remain infcrutable to man. Hence faith is awakened, exercifed, ftrengthened. From others of the divine difpenfations the veil is partially withdrawn. Hence arise augmented admiration, livelier gratitude, warmer love. If the ancient prophets fully understood not the import of their own predictions; if there were mysteries in the plan of re

demption into which the angels earnestly defired to obtain a more penetrating infight (b) fhall man complain, if, for his own efpecial benefit, knowledge is in fome instances withheld? If, in others, exifting obfcurities are diffipated; fhall he not eagerly welcome the illuminating beam, and gratefully govern his steps by its light?

It was not seldom through the medium of parabolic representation that our Lord communicated the most important truths. Whether doctrines were to be developed, or moral precepts to be enforced; the parable, fententious in its construction and interefting by its narrative, feized the memory, the judgement, and the heart. The parable before us has for its object to unfold fome mysterious parts of the proceedings of God with respect to men, especially under the dispensation of the Gospel. The inftruction which it conveys is in every point momentous, and worthy of the doctrine of the Son of God.

The kingdom of heaven, faid our Saviour, is likened unto a man, which fowed good feed in his field. But while men flept, his enemy

(b)

Pet. i. 10-12.

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came

and

come and fowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. But when the blade was Sprung up and brought forth fruit; then appeared the tares alfo. So the fervants of the householder came, and faid unto him; Sir, didst thou not fow good feed in thy field? From whence then hath it tares? He faid unto them, An enemy hath done this. The fervants faid, Wilt thou then that we go gather them up? But he faid, Nay: left, while ye gather up the tares, ye root up alfo the wheat with them. Let both grow together unto the harvest: and in the time of harveft I will fay to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into barn.

my

If, in confidering the meaning of this parable, you pay due attention to the guidance of Scripture, it will be impoffible to fall into error. For our Lord himself, in compliance with the request of his dif ciples, has delivered a distinct and complete interpretation.

Jefus anfwered: He that foweth the good feed is the Son of man. The field is the world. The good feed are the children of the kingdom. The tares are the children of the wicked one. The enemy that fowed them is

the