THE NATURE OF ENTHUSIASM.
Acts xxvi. 24.
And Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, Thou art beside thyself.
1. And so say all the world, the men who
know not God, of all that are of Paul's
religion; of every one who is so a follower of
him, as he was of Christ. It is true, there is a
sort of religion, nay and it is called Christianity
too, which may be practised without any such
imputation, which is generally allowed to be consistent
with common sense. That is, a religion
of form, a round of outward duties, performed
in a decent, regular manner. You may add orthodoxy
thereto, a system of right opinions, yea,
and some quantity of Heathen morality. And
yet not many will pronounce, that much religion
hath made you mad. But if you aim at the religion
of the heart, if you talk of righteousness
and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost, then it
will not be long before your sentence is past,
Thou art beside thyself.
