And yet alas How often is it vnawares maintained by such as would bee thought our greatest zealots Many of them being in Argument brought to a Non-plus for their last reply and strongest refuge they flie to this and I know this to be the iudgement of able sound worthy Reuerend Diuines and therefore all the world shall neuer driue me from it while I liue Which is no better then the last Argument of Scaligers foole who thinkes by a wager to maintaine that which by reason he cannot Is not this to set men vp in the Infallible Chaire and to create Popes at home while we defie them abroade yea to hold the faith of our Lord Iesus Christ as we affect and respect the Persons wee choose to follow therein The Apostles rule is to follow men as they follow Christ When they step out of his paths let vs if we can reduce them if wee cannot doe this let them wander without vs. It is more gainefull and safe to trauell alone in the high way of Christ then by following the best company out of the common Rode to be set fast in a slough Sect. 2. Sect. 2. Shewing what Zeale must oppose One Taske of Zeale hath been shewed wherein it must be a Defendant the other followeth wherein it must be an Opponent Zeale must neuer fly on the throate of any thing but what is certainly euill Whiles it is but suspected Zeale must be countermanded from discharging against it least shame sound a retraite to our furious marching and disgrace retort that bullet which was too hastily shot into the Aduerse Campe. The Israelites beyond Iordan thought there had beene great cause of a zealous quarrell at the Alter f Iosh 22.11 12. erected by the Tribes of Reuben Gad and part of Manasseh on this side the Riuer But when better information declared it to be built onely for a Memorial vnto Posterity of their samenesse of bloud and Religion with those within Canaan they saw cause to iustifie what before they condemned g Ibid. ver 31 32. and to blame themselues for blaming their Brethren Saul was a zealous persecutor of Dauid as of a dangerous Traytor to his Crowne h 1 Sam. 20.31 But which of the two was more righteous i Chap. 24.17 Sauls after-confession declared The Iewes wanted no heate against the Doctrine of our Sauiour and the rest of the Apostles But whosoeuer shall reade those stories may from them for euer take warning not to set against that which onely their owne frowardnesse fancies or humors haue made odious to them no sound euidence being found among the sacred Records to condemne it The beleeuing Iewes of the Circâ—mcision thought Peter k Act. 11.2 3 a prophane offender for going to the Gentiles and sharpely rebuked him for it Yet was not as they imagined for after his defence l Ver. 18. they glorified God for that which before with great heat they condemned The like violence haue I knowne in Some against some things in our Church which better vnderstood they admired Yea I am perswaded that ignorance of the originall causes and true vse of diuers things amongst vs doth breed a loâ—thing of that which deserues good acceptance Some stomakes loath vnknowne meats which if they tooke downe would do them no hurt yet out of a peeuish humor chuse rather to cast away their meate then their ignorance of it Many inueigh against Partiality that are themselues the greatest Partialists to their owne Gamaliels It becomes euery sober Christian to doubt rather of the iudgement of few especially of his own then of a Whole Church It is more easy to quarrell then to finde cause to contradict then to disproue Where silly ignorance wilfull preiudice and affected partiality sit as Triumuirate Officers to iudge of the soundnesse lawfulnesse and conueniency of what they do not or will not or cannot vnderstand it will be easy for them to affirme that any thing maintained by others though sound lawfull and fit doth hit againe Scripture It is then our safest course to Submit to euery ordinance of man for the Lords sake m 1. Pet. 2 so farre as they disanull not the Ordinances of God Nor may we take vp an opinion vpon trust from any man liuing against euen humane Ordinances nor go about to oppose them till our owne vnderstandings discrie in them some contrariety to the written word Our libertie must not bee confined to the close prison of another mans n 1. Cor. 10.29 conscience nor his to ours Let vs not therefore iudge one another any more but iudge this rather that no man put a stumbling blocke or an occasion to fall into his brothers o Rom. 14.13 way Cast not scruples into mens minds touching the vnlawfulnesse of that which for the most part such as be most violent and bitter against are least able to infringe On the other side such as to feed other mens humours wil turne Ithacius Who mightily bending himselfe by all meanes against the Heresie of Priscilian the hatred of which one euill was all the vertue he had became so wise in the end that euery man carefull of vertuous conuersation studious of Scripture and giuen to any abstinence in diet was set downe in his Calender of suspected Priscillianists for whom it should be expedient to approue their soundnesse of faith by a more licentious and loose behauiour p M.R. Hooker ex Sulpit. seâ—â— such I say are but base clawbacks that so their owne turnes be serued care not whom they wrong by false accusations nor how much they abuse them whom they flatter by misinformations And here an Item to such as it concerneth to punish the sinnes of the people I speake not now of the lawes constitutions themselues but onely to preuent corruption in such to whom the execution of them is committed by superior Gouernors if they shal for gaine or other respect make the vnwitting or vnwilling omissioÌ„ of an inferior duty to be as bad as a breach of any substantiall part of Gods worship some small indiscretion and weakenesse either of iudgement or conscience with odious whoredome reeling gogle-eyed drunkennes and blasphemous swearing c. winking at these prosecuting the other with extreamest rigour this is vp downe to act a Pharisies part Wo to such q Mat 23.23 tything of Mint Annise and Cumen when the weightiest matters of the Law mercie iudgement and faith are omitted q Mat 23.23 They are but r Ver. 24. Blind guides who straine at gnats and swallow Camels Nor is it onely Pettie-larcenie but euen a capitall crime against zeale it selfe to driue it at the head of things not simply euill or to make vse of the sharpest edge of seuere iustice to hew downe lesser faults whilest greater sinnes be rather stroaked then so much as stricken with her scabberd This brings vp an euil report vpoÌ„ the best zeale and among such as are not
hate the enemies of God with a perfect c Psal 139.22 hatred Thus where euer zeale commeth it setteth the whole heart on fire making men say with those two Disciples Did not our hearts d Luke 14.32 burne within vs Obiectum 2 Secondly the Obiect of zeale to wit the principall and the chiefest White it leuels at is the glorie of God There be I confesse diuerse particulars which zeale shoots at but Gods glorie is the highest comprehends all those vnder it as meanes to aduance it Some make the worship of God to be the principall Obiect of zeale which they nominate in their Definitions but this is too low and too narrow Too low because the glorie of God is aboue it as much as the End is aboue the Meanes Too narrow because there be other things wherein Gods glorie is as deepely interessed as in his worship Therefore besides that which is in this place spoken by way of explication of the Definition I haue purposely intended the next Chapter to declare more particularly and largely the seuerall lesse principall Obiects of zeale which could not be conueniently and artificially couched in the Definition it selfe 3. Finis Thirdly the End of zeale is the end of all our Actions e 1. Cor. 10.31 the preseruation and aduancement of the glorie of God To proue this at large were but to ouerlade the Treatise needlesly and to preuent my selfe of speaking of it more copiously in that place f Viz in Chap. 5. to which according to my method proiect it more properly pertaines Confutation of two errors But before I can go further I must tumble aside two errors laid iust in my way Error 1 The one by some Neotericks who for hast discerned not a simple from a compound supposing vpon their first view of zeale that it was a compounded or mixt affection or Anger and Loue And so without more fixed inspection commended for such vnto others Error 2 The other by more antique Schoolemen who prying more curiously into the nature of this burning heate found it indeed a simple but withall simply confined it to one affection of Loue g Aquin. 1. 2. q. 28. ar 4. Bonau in Prol. sent dub 3. Greg. de val super Aqui. Disp gener 3. q. 2. p. 3. alijque as if zeale had no hearth or tunnell but this Both which blockes I shall endeauour to remooue with one lift Zeale is neither any one Simple or Compounded passion or in any one onely but a fierie temper and disposition in all differing from them as fire from mettell in a fornace And as courage in a valiant man is no compounded thing of his passions and spirits but a braue temper intention of both so also is zeale This truth the Rule of contraries will yet better cleare if we set zeale by the opposite to it luke-warmnesse To be luke-warme is not want of sufficient heate in one affection onely but all Zeale therefore must needs put fire into so many of the affections and passions as luke-warmenesse depriueth thereof Hereupon it is that zealous men feele a burning in all their affections as well as in any as obiects present themselues It is a wonder to see those elder exact Professors pin Zeale to one Passion whereas it cannot bee denied that Zeale in one zealous action shewes it selfe equally in diuerse passions together Moses declared as much heate of indignation against those Calueish Idolaters Exod. 32. as he did Loue for God The like did Phineas in the slaughter of Zimri and Cosbi As one h Driedo l. â— de Reg. script tract 2. cap. 1. Jn zelo Phinees bis zelus ponitur Semel pro vehementia amoru erga deum zelum autem irae habuit contra peccantes Eodem modo Hugo de S. vict in Ioel 2. zelus est feruor animi ad compassionem naturae ad vltionem paenae ad deuotionem gratiae proni c. Ita August Tract 10 in Ioan. Quis comeditur zelo domus qui omnia que ibi videt peruersa satagit emendare cupit corrigere non quiescis si emendare non potest tollerat gemit c. of the faction of Schoolemen hath to his praise long since confessed And in godly Iealousie all one with Zeale doe not Loue and Feare and Anger equally present and bestirre themselues with like feruor Breefly I will no more denie Loue to bee the Master Passion in setting Zeale first on worke then I will grant Zeale to be an effect of Loue it being rather a Consequent then an effect thereof A true Zealot Sacrificing all his Affections to the honour of his God hath this fire of Zeale to kindle them all like that celestiall fire consuming the Sacrifices of Eliah Which Fier was no effect flowing fâ—om the Sacrifice it selfe but onely a meanes by fiering it to make it accepted To conclude Zeale cannot be without Loue Loue cannot liue without Zeale yet is not Zeale any more participant of the nature of Loue though ioyned with it and all the the rest of the Passions to inflame them then that thin water which runnes along with the bloud in the body of man to temper it is of the nature of bloud CHAP. III. The Obiects of Zeale HAuing vncouered this Fire by a Definition my next worke is to discouer more largely the seuerall subordinate Obiects for whose sakes it burneth Zeale hath a double taske the one of a Defendant the other of an Opponent Accordingly it hath a two-fold Obiect Good and Euill maintaining that opposing this It euer defendeth what is truly Good This Chapter hath two Sections It neuer opposeth any thing but what is certainly Euill Sect. 1. Sect. 1. Of the good things which zeale defendeth viz. The first taske of Zeale is on the behalfe of Good to abet it What heauenly wisedome counts worthy our choyce is an honourable cause for Zeale to maintaine Now what will either Grace or Nature desire but good It is not then for the honour of Zeale to take part with any thing else It is good yea comely a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be zealously affected in a good thing alwaies b Gal. 1.18 that is for that thing which is good for euery thing c Ego volo vos in omnibus bonis resplendere Theodor. that is good not onely that good which reflecteth on our selues but all that any way concerneth the honour of him who is the Author of goodnes If the loue of goodnesse prouoke vs to Zeale where euer Zeale findeth goodnesse in distresse it becomes her Champion But though zeale vndertaketh the protection of euery thing that is good yet chiefly it patronizeth that which commeth nearest the chiefest good and wherein the glory of our Highest Soueraigne is more deepely interessed Of this nature is his Word his Worship his Seruants 1. 1. The word of God One particular Obiect of zeale then is the Sacred word of Truth
Zelo domus dei qui omnia quae ibi videt peruersa cupa emendare c. Aug. tract 10. in Iohn of God there to bee performed but by prophane imployments polluted A thing so prouoking his spirit that hee could not expresse indignation enough in rescuing the honour of that place from such abuses This action so well beseemed Christ himselfe that euen by this hee clearely demonstrated to his Disciples the substance of that Type which Dauid once was they then remembring that it was writteÌ„ the Å¿ Ioh. 2.17 ex Psal 69.9 zeale of thine house hath euen eaten me vp And what need wee any further precept any better warrant herein Howbeit as in defence of the Word the rule of worship most Zeale must bee spent for points fundamentall so care must be had in maintaining the Worship it selfe to fortifie the Substantialls most Such was the flame of Elias Zeale t 1 King 18.40 that nothing but the bloud of all Baals Prophets could quench it But marke the obiect of it It was no smalle matter It was for no lesse then Gods Couenant which by their meanes the children of Israel had forsaken u Ibid. ver 10. for his Alters which they had throwne downe and for his Prophets which they had slaine with with the sword Thus when any Substantiall part of Gods Worship is corrupted deteyned remoued or endangered then is a time for Christians to quit themselues like men in vindicating the same But here a Caution touching the former example It is no warrant for our Zeale to breake out so farre as his did it onely shewes vs wherein we must be zealous so farre as the bounds of our Calling admit It had not been lawfull for Eliah to put those Idolaters to the sword if hee had not been able to pleade his speciall Commission from God as he did * Ibid. ver 36. I haue done all these things at thy word The want of which warrant made Peter liable to reproofe of our Lord euen when he fought in defence of our Lord and cut off but an eare of the high Priests seruant For this little Christ applied vnto him that Lawe against Murtherers x Mat. 26.52 Ex Gen. 9 6. All they that take the sword shall perish by the sword Not that this little deserued that iudgement but to giue him notice whereto his Zeale would make him obnoxious if hee proceeded to the taking away of any mans life vpon so slender a ground It is then the duty of Christians if priuate men to pray zealously if Ministers to preach zealously in defence of Gods Worship vseing no Armes but those of Ambrose to Augustus Prayers and Teares y Rogamus Auguste non pugnamus non timemus sed rogamus Hoc Christianos decet vt tranquillitas pacis optetur fidei veritatisque constantia Amb. Epist. 33. ad Marcellinam And againe Orat. in Auxentium coactus repugnare non noui dolere potero potero flere potero gemere aduersus arma milites Gothâ—s quoque lachrymae meae arma sunt c. aliter nec debeo nec possum resistere Hee that being vnder Authority will rather resist then suffer makes the cause suffer by his resistance and so in steed of standing zealously for it he doth in effect raise forces against it It was not the prohibitions and threats of the Iewish Gouernors that could silence Peter and Iohn from preaching Iesus z Act. 4.18.19 20. because their Commission from God must be executed against all iniunctions of Men. But on the other side their Zeale neuer made them resist with hostile force euen in their greatest affronts If they were apprehended they suffered with patience and reioycing if they could they fled Zeale may stand with suffering and flying but not with resistance which is flat Rebellion And no good cause calles Rebellion to aide Christ giues not onely liberty but precept when we are persecuted in one City to fly into another not meaning we should be lesse zealous but spare our selues for better times and occasions If it were contrary to Zeale to fly Christ would neuer haue giuen a Reu. 12.14 wings of a great Eagle to the woman that she might flie into the wildernesse into her place from the face of the Serpent And though our Sauiour makes it the trik of an b Ioh. 10.12 hyreling to leaue the sheepe flee when he seeth the Wolfe comming yet that is when the Wolfe comes to worry and deuoure the flock principally not when many Woules come directly against the shephard himselfe after the best sheepe bee slaine or fledd and the rest ready to ioyne with the Wolues against him Then a Minister may yea must flie if he can when his flock notwithstanding his best care and diligence bee either so scattered that hee cannot draw them together or so ouergrowne with the scab of heresie that it is impossible to cure them and euery man ready to seeke his life to take it away making the quarrell personall against the Shephard rather then generall against the sheepe In this case Eliah fled from c 1 King 17.3 Ahab and that by Gods own direction And after from Iezabl when he thought that d 1 King 19.10 hee onely was left alone though at that time there were seauen thousand that neuer bowed knee vnto Baal yet so scattered that he knew not where to finde them So also Paul fled from Tessalonica to e Act 17.13.15 Athens and from the Gouernor of Damascus desirous to apprehend him f 2 Cor. 11.32.33 being let downe through a window in a basket by the wall and so escaped his hands So did Athanasius often flie from the Arrians Nor is any man debarred this benefit if the case bee alike Herein if in any thing the Prouerbe is true One paire of heeles is worth too paire of hands which any man may vse without disparagement to his Zeale or danger to be branded with the opprobrious Marke of an Hireling But in matter of Circumstance or Ceremonies which are not parts but onely appurtenances of Worship g Non partes cultus sed ad cultum ceremoniae no neede no warrant to be so hot as for defence thereof to incurre such perills In Substantiall duties of Worship hee that is not with God in a zealous defence is against him h Luk. 11.23 And yet in things of lesse moment he that is not against him by an open crossing is with him i Mark 9.40 by holding the maine Zeale therefore must not spit fire at such as are not foes but friends nor be at defiance with those who holding the head doe not putrifie the members I thinke no wise man doubts that euen in the purer times of the Old Church in Israel corruptions grew in Ceremonies as well as in the substance of Gods worship And yet pry into the Scriptures neuer so carefully wee shall not finde any of the most zealous Saints fall
to error fire to tow making him more mad as once the constancie of Christians in the truth made Paul in d Act. 26.11 persecuting them euen to strange Cities Nor is it strange to see men more violent in a wrong way then in the right since in a wrong course they haue wind and tide with them but in a good both against them Their corruptions will easily hoyse saile to their irregular passions and the Diuels suggestions like strong gales of wind will set them a running in a headlong voyage But all these will oppose them when the ship is more carefully steered in a straight course by a true compasse by reason of the naturall enmitie and crosse disposition that is in them against all that is good Violence therefore is dangerous in wayes vnknowne because after entrance into a by-way direction comes for the most part too late Then either shame or choller at their owne mistaking makes men more violent as they that in a iourney hauing lost their way out of very anger post harder in by-paths then they did in the Roade An absolute necessitie of distinct knowledge is therefore layd vpon euery Zealot And this knowledge must be had from the Law and the Testimonies e Isai 8.20 beyond which if zeale go it wanders in the darke without warrant but not without sinne Whatsoeuer is not of faith is f Rom. 14.23 sin And that cannot be of faith which is not cut out by the patterne of the word Faith will not build vpon humane foundations or credit of man but the vnderstanding and iudgement must haue immediate information and satisfaction frō the Diuine word of truth It is then an extreame rashnesse and folly for any man to suffer his zeale to run before and beyond his knowledge relying vpon the iudgement or practise of other good men as if it were warrant enough for him to sweare what a good man will say and to defend what a goo◠man hath done That is zeale ill spent which wasteth it selfe in crying downe other mens opinions not as iudgement but as affection kindles it being able oft times to say no more against them then the chiefe Priests and Officers could alledge against Christ vnto Pilate If he were not an euill doer we would not haue deliuered him vp vnto thee yet seeme to take it ill that their bare clamor without any either euidence or particular accusation should preuaile with him to put an Innocent to death Many good but weake Christians expose themselues and their Zeale to much reproach and disaduantage by standing out in some things which they haue onely receiued by Tradition There are some whom they will rely vpon without all doubt or gainesaying or so much as searching to the bottome of their Opinions And yet these people would thinke much to subscribe to another man whom they loue not so well without requiring many reasons more then enough Is not this one of our iust quarrels against the Papists at this day as it was formerly of Christ himselfe against the old Pharisies for their Traditions Yet when many people are demāded their reasons of diuers opinions which they stand stoutly vnto is not their answer this Because the contrarie is against Gods word Being pressed to shew wherein they reply We are but ignorant people we cannot dispute with you but so we are taught by Reuerend men if you talke with them they will bee able to satisfie you to the full Vpon this ground they stand so firme that none is able to remoue them Their heart they would you should know is as good as yours though they cannot maintaine their Tenents as others can and therefore they are resolued to continue their course If this be not blind zeale I know not what is Let them suppose what they will such good meaning is naught and their zeale too For without knowledge the mind is not good and he that hasteth with his feet g Pro. 15.2 sinneth Such a zealous man is like one that being blind or hood winkt should hastly runne in an vncoth and dangerous way full of blocks rockes ditches brookes quagmires or pits and neuer giue ouer till destruction her selfe put a period to his desperate race This is the reason why men become Sectaries and Schismaticks so fast they suffer themselues to be seduced before they discerne the traps into which they are trained And commonly such as be most zealous in this kinde change Religion as often as yong shoo-makers and taylors do masters running ouer all the Sects that be in the world vnlesse their course be interrupted by authoritie and themselues constrained to informe themselues better But if they may runne on what errour or heresie will they not in time swallow downe like Gulls and Cormorants and digest like Ostriges The best things corrupted proue to bee the worst And zeale that giues luster to all graces if it once exceed the circle of knowledge becomes most pernitious Who derides not the madnesse of those hare brained Ephesians h Acts 19.32 that vpon meere instigation of Demetrius against Paul filled a whole Citie with an vproare some crying one thing and some a nother in great confusion the more part not knowing wherefore they were come together I wish it were breach of charitie to compare the stirs of our Brownists Anabaptists Familists and all the rabble of such schismaticall Sectaries who may truly bee termed Puritanes with this inconsiderate action of those rude Ephesians If there bee any difference it is onely in this that these mad-Martin mar-Prelates professe in their words that they know God but in their workes they denie him What then remaineth but that we all learne to make knowledge and humilitie Vshers to our zeale Beware of Ignorance and Arrogancie they are birds of a feather seldome asunder for who so bold as blind Bayard Put not the raynes of zeale into their hands for they will certainely set all on fire and if it proue not so it shall not be their fault Zealous Dauid thought it a good argument to prooue his heart free from pride that his zeale had bene confined to the Region of his knowledge and capacitie Marke his plea Lord mine heart is not haughtie nor mine eyes loftie neither do I exercise my selfe in great matters nor in things too wonderfull for i Psal 131.1.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 me And it is a ruled case he that will be super wise k Rom. 12 3. busie and earnest beyond sobrietie and the measure of faith dispensed to him and thinketh he doth well setteth an higher price vpon himselfe then euer any man but some foole like himselfe will giue for him This lamentable experience hath in all ages taught to be too dangerous it being ordinary with selfe-conceited Zealots rather to defend schisme heresie blasphemie then by an ingenious retractation of errour which would honour them more to confesse their ignorance and temeritie An euill which the whole Christian
world had once ruefull cause to obserue and bewaile in that Great Wit Arrius This man out of a vaine glorious emulation to excell Alexander Bishop of Alexandria where himselfe was also a l Niceph. lib. 8. cap. 5. Minister diued so farre into curious Questions beyond his reach that at length he went as low as hell it selfe brought vp thence that Heresie which to his euerlasting reproach beareth his name denying the Godhead of Christ After him Nestorius out of Zeale maintaining the rashnesse of his much admired friend Anastasius m Socratt li. 1 cap. 32. Niceph. lib. 14 cap. 31 32 33. fell into as grosse an Heresie The occasion this Anastasius hauing in a Sermon bitterly railed against that Antient Title which hee vnderstood not saith Nicephorus giuen to the Virgine Mary n Maria 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The mother of God Vide Origen tom 3. in Rom. Euseb lib. 3. de vit Constant by the Fathers and that sharpe Censure of his being distasted by them Nestorius would needs vndertake in fauour of his Anastasius to iustifie spending whole Sermons in protesting against that Phrase of speech Afterwards being by that ReuereÌ„d Alexandrian Cyril in sundry letters shewed the lawfulnesse of that which he with much heate had publikely condemned And his shallow braines not able to hold it vp any longer without admitting many grosse absurdities against the Person of Christ and Lastly his proud heart disdaining submission and recantation made choise in maintaining thereof for want of other arguments out of which he had been beaten by disputation to fall into that most execrable Heresie which denieth the Vnion of the two Natures of Christ in one Person It were tedious to particularize the detriments of blind Zeale since this hath been the wall by which the Iuy of Heresie error and schisme hath euer got vp to that vnhappy height which oft they mount vnto Great reason then it is that wee should euer build our Zeale on the sure foundation of a distinct knowledge and rather stand in doubt and suspence touching things vnknowne n Melius est dubitare de occultis quam litigare de incerâ—is August de Trin. li. 8. Cap. 5. then contentiously bicker for things vncertaine or beyond our Ken. Sect. 2. Shewing the other ground of Zeale a lawfull Calling Sect. 2. The other Ground of Zeale no lesse necessary is a Lawfull Calling If Inferiour Magistrates may not execute any part of Iustice without Authority deriued from Superiour Power how much doth it concerne Christians to attend vpon God for a Calling and Commission to warrant their proceedings Once haue a Calling and spare for no Zeale which that Calling will admit It is not for Saul himselfe but for Samuel to offer Sacrifice It is not for euery Person to mount the Magistrates Chaire or the Prophets Pulpit but for such as are called of God as Moses o Exod. 3.10 to the one and p Heb. 5 4 Aaron to the other How often haue the Lords Messengers powred out bitter complaints and heauy woes against such as runne before they were sent Did they onely touch such as in those times vsurped the Propheticall Office as their Successors the Anabaptists doe now Doth not the Gospel also confine men to their proper stations which they may not goe from or beyond It is true that in times of general Eclipses and corruption of Gods Word and Worship Elisha haue been from the Plowe q 1 Kin. 19.19 and Amos from the Heard r Amos 7.14 15. Hooker in his Preface to his Eccl. Polity aduanced to the function of Prophets Caluin left the Profession of Ciuill Law in France to professe Diuinity at Geneua forsaken of her Bishop and impatient of longer bondage in Popery But where the Word and Worship is truly taught by able Professors and when a man is set setled in a lawful Calling already and not forced out of it then to suppose that Zeale for God moueth him to abandon his former function and to become a Preacher vnlesse he be vnable or vnfit for his former Calling and extraordinarily fitted for the function hee would now imbrace is to suppose without ground and against that Rule Å¿ 1 Cor. 7.23 Let euery man abide in the same Calling wherein he was called And againe t Ibid. ver 24. Let euery man wherein hee is called therein abide with God If God in his Prouidence haue set a man in a Calling of vse fitted him for it and giuen him comfortable imployment in it abide in it he must though he imagine he could be more vsefull in another course or else he abides not with God Leaue that and he leaueth God Go beyond that and he goes without God His vtmost tether is u 1 Thes 4.11 Studie to bee quiet and meddle with your owne businesse Euery one must bee a Labourer * 2 Thes 3.11 no Loyterer no Wanderer a Workeman no idle Person watchfull in his owne charge x 1 Pet 4.15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no Bishop in another mans Diocesse It is not for euery man to punish or magisterially reproue sinne in all that commit it No man could haue better cause to draw sword then Peter for Christ if our Lord had giuen him as good a calling as the Iews did occasion but both not coÌ„curring his zeale proued but rashnes y Mat. 26. and incurred his reproofe whose cause he defended Dauid would not fall vpon sinners nor bee speaking of good things in companies knowne to bee desperately wicked accounting it a duty to keepe his mouth close shut whiles the wicked were before him z Psal 39.1 2 3. and saith of himselfe I was dumbe with silence I held my peace euen from good and my sorrow was stirred my heart was hot within me while I was museing the fire burned Here was zeale but no speech And when hee did speake it was not to them but to God and that no doubt in such a tone as they descerned not for otherwise it had been as good to haue spoken vnto them as in their hearing If any doubt whether Dauid did well they may be resolued by comparing this action to the rules of Salomon and Christ the one counselling not to rebuke a scorner the other aduising not to cast Pearles before swine least they turne againe and all to rend you It is then a cleare case that a Christian is not bound to reproue or discourse of Religion to knowne or suspected Scoffers If hee testify in secret vnto his God his dislike of such Varlets auoid needlesse society and vnnecessary Commerce with them and in his soule secretly mourne for their dishonoring of God he hath done his duty To leade the Reader in circuite to the particular bounds of each mans calling were too long a Walke and it would tyre vs both Breefly therefore it may suffice for the present to know that euery mans Zeale must bee principally spent within