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
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
whose Agents they are to strengthen the hand of iniquitie and to leade Princes blind-fold to hell It is a wonder if a flatterers Sermon haue no Treason in it This is as far from the discretion ere while commended as the foulest vice from the fairest vertue as the basest pibble from the choycest iewell It is separated from zeale this is enough to disgrace it to all good men since it can be no other Rom. 8.7 but the wisedome of the world which is emnitie against God Grauely g Ser. 23. in Cant. Virtus discretionis absque charitatis feruore tacet feruor vehemens absque discretionis tempe ramento praecipitat ideoque laudabilis est cui neutrum deest quâ—tenus feruor discretionem erigat discretio feruorem regat Bernard Discretion without the feruor of loue lyeth still without action and vehement heate without the temper of discretion tumbleth Phaethon headlong Therefore he onely deserueth praise that possesseth both to the end his heate may stirre vp discretion and discretion moderate heate But this I confesse is a bird that sits not on euery bush it is rara auis as rare as a Phenix This is it which maketh the world such a Buzzard that it cannot know it when it seeth it but takes all for gold that glisters worldly pollicie for holy discretion which differ as much as hell and heauen But after all this what is that discretion What Discretion is so much admired The same in effect with that which Philosophers and Schoolmen call Prudence And this h 6. Ethic. c. 5 Aristotle describes to be a skill rightly to performe and mannage all actions I cannot discerne wherein Prudence and Discretion differ vnlesse in the extent For whereas two things concurre to the exact performance of a good action viz. a good end first intended an applicatiue knowledge of meanes aptly conducing thereto Prudence doth equally looke at both but Discretion is but the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or that peece of Prudence which respecteth the meanes and method of our actions and maketh vs i Prou. 23.19 wise to guide our heart in the way The want of this cost Moses deare at the waters of Meribah where though he were zealous for God yet his passion stirred vp by the rebels of Israel made him speake vnaduisedly with his k Psal 106.32.33 lips It is the wisdome of a man to vnderstand his l Prou 14.8 way And one of the chiefest praises of a vertuous woman was this She openeth her mouth with m Prou. 31.26 discretion This therefore is that which is chiefly required in zeale to regulate and gouerne that holy fire so oft as it flames The vse of discretion in zeale which is to respect the circumstances of Person Place and Time This Discretion is nothing else but that rule and temper which a Christian in shewing of his zeale must euer obserue It tempereth zeale as leauen the meale and it ruleth zeale as a plumbe line the building Prudence and discretion is a rule that properly hath for it Obiect the circumstances of Action And the circumstances of all voluntarie and deliberate actions are vsually three Person Place and Time All these Discretion considereth and accordingly guideth our zeale The first circumstance which Discretion directeth zeale to regard 1. Circumstance of Persons who are considered Morally and Ciuilly is that of the Persons we meddle with And these Discretion looketh vpon with a twofold respect the one Morall the other Ciuill By the first shee considereth them as Good or Bad and the bad againe as Priuate or Publicke offenders and both these sorts as they offend eâ—ther of infirmitie or resolution and malice By the second she regardeth them as they are ranged in their seuerall and different Rankes some being Publicke and some Priuate some aboue vs some below vs and some equals some rich some poore some elder some yonger and according to all these respects she directeth zeale to handle and vse them The first consideration of Persons is morall 1. Of the morall consideration of Persons that if they be good zeale may wisely defend them if they bee euill zeale may wisely reproue and seeke to reforme them Defending the good Touching the defence of good men I shall not need to speake more then that I haue spoken alreadie in the third Chapter where I haue largely shewed wherein and how farre they must be maintained The principall peece of my Proiect remaining is to shew how Discretion should mannage our zeale in dealing with such as bee bad especially in the point of reproofe for this is most vsefull and most hard to be done In reprouing a vitious Person Reprouing the bad And herein Discretion would teach a Zealot two things First to be sure that the fault hee would reproue is committed by him to whom he directs a reproofe Secondly to make a difference betweene a Priuate and a Publicke offence In the first place Be sure the fault be indeed committed 1. Be sure the fault bee committed before we begin to n Quando tis sâ—is quia peccauit Ansel in 1. Tim. 5. Aegid Carler in Orat. Tria ex parte corripientis debent esse c. prima est certa peccati cognitio c. reprooue Otherwise as we reprooue without ground so without fruite vnlesse this that wee find the arrow sticking in our owne faces A wicked man who deserueth reprofe for many things will yet beate off all if he be charged with any thing vniustly How will he flie in a mans face and crie out you wrong me And as glad of the occasion to be put out of his Patience with incessant clamors how will he stop your mouth that you shall not possibly fasten any reproofe vpon him for other things whereof he cannot deny himselfe to be guiltie How will he insult and raile after he is gone How will he trample vpon the face of all zeale and religious rebukes Nor will it enrage wicked men onely but vexe good men also to bee thus vsed When Iacob priuily stole away by night from Laban vpon which occasion Labans Idols were missing for Rachel had stolen them away Laban had some cause to ghesse that Iacob was priuie to if not guiltie of this horrible sacriledge as Laban esteemed it because hee was the contriuer of the plot and first in the fact of running away in so vnkind and vnnaturall a manner When seruants run away we presently looke vp our things If any thing be missing wee lay it to the runawayes charge Laban did no more in a case which most nearely concerned him as he foolishly thought Iacob confident of his innocencie alloweth Laban a seuerer Inquisition then would haue stood with the safetie of his fairest Iewell if she had not bene more subtill then innocent But when through Rachels cunning the fault obiected could not be proued though done what a heate Iacob was in towards his
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
father in Law the storie declareth Iacob was so wroth that he chode with Laban o Gen. 31.36 himselfe I denie not but we may vpon some strong presumptions charge a fault on him we suspect But then we must be sure that the partie be very ingenious to confesse it if guiltie and not to denie with a lie If they be brasen face sinners or otherwise cunning and do know or suspect that we do but suspect them they will make no bones to adde more sinnes to the first and desperately fault in swearing to sweare out a fault be they guiltie or not And further we must also then be very wary and mild dealing by way of question or supposition compassionate griefe to heare or feare such things by them as we charge them with and applying admonitions counsels in stead of reproofes Let vs seriously think with our selues how we could possibly brooke it from any man liuing that he should be so light of beliefe as by and by to kill vs in his heart vpon the hearing of euery flim-flam tale brought vnto him by some malitious Doeg or backbiting Ziba Would it not enrage our spirits to see our good names hanged vp in chaines in the places where we liue and as malefactors rotting before our eyes when many times the thing obiected and beleeued is either vtterly vntrue in whole or in part or though perhaps true insufficiently proued That then which we would not haue done let vs not do 2. Make a difference betweene offences In the second place Discretion requireth that a difference be put betweene that offence which is priuate and that which is publicke Priuate offences how handled In Priuate offences the Rule is Go and tell thy brother his fault betweene him and thee p Mat. 18.15 alone If thy brother offend hate him not so much as not to reprooue him q Leuit. 19.17 but shew thy selfe a brother in rebuking him plainly and couering his shame He that forbad thee the blazing of thy brothers nakednesse did not leaue to thy choyce the duty of priuate admonition if thou know he hath failed He onely directed thee to the manner and enioyned thee to do it as he bad thee If thou neglect it thou art worse then he if S. Austin r Ser. 16. de verb. Dom Si neglexeris peior es Jlle iniuriam fecit graui se ipsum vulnere percussit tu vulnus fratris tui contemnâ—â— Tu eum vides perire negligis Peior es tacendo quam ille conuitiando can iudge Thy brother by sinning hath wounded himselfe and wilt thou despise to put thy hand to the cure He perisheth before thine eyes and canst thou neglect him If thou canst thou art more in fault by thy silence then hee by that fault which should haue opened thy mouth Reuiling is bad but silence is worse But yet remember the rule it must be as the fault was Secret And as it is done in secret so it must be kept without blazing after it be done A man were as good to reproue publickly as publish a priuate reproofe The same Father Å¿ August ibid brings for instance the dealing of Ioseph with the blessed Virgine Marie his espoused wife He suspected her of vncleannesse because he saw her with child and yet because he onely suspected her at that time hee would not proclaime her shame to the world But was minded priuily to put her t Mat. 1.19 away It is true that Adulterie by the Law of God was death And as true that Ioseph did not thus fauour his wife as seeking to abuse the Law or allow of her supposed transgression for the holy Ghost beares him witnesse that he was a iust man What was it then which moued him to study so secret a course many things his Loue that he would not bee the first that should proclaime her shame whom he had prized at so deare a rate his moderation that he would not put her to the vtmost extremitie though she abused his loue his wisedome that he would not for taking reuenge on her priuate fault be occasion of opening the mouthes of such as would be too apt for her sake to disgrace Religion which they both zealously professed But the chiefe cause as I conceiue was that as yet the fault was not diuulged nor taken notice of abroad and if it did come afterwards to publicke obseruation the discouery should be not from him but from the fault it selfe which would disclose it selfe though he concealed it The reprouing or reuealing of a sinne to or before more then such as are priuie to it as Actors patients or abettors in it is not onely vncharitable but vnsafe For first if thou onely know thy brothers fault and yet shalt seeke to rebuke him before others thou dost not so much reproue his sinne as betray his u fame * Aug. ibid. Si solus nosti eum vis coram alijs arguere non es corrector sed proditor Secondly if he haue onely ciuilitie of nature and no worke of grace to force a pardon from him this is enough to make an irreparable breach betwixt him and thee Vpbraiding and disclosing of secrets are of those things for which euery friend will x Ecclus. 22.22 depart Nothing but grace will fetch them backe againe Thirdly oft times by making a fault knowne the scandall proues greater to the delinquent partie then the wrong to thee and sometimes greater then thy selfe did meane * Aegid Carler Orat. in Concil Basil de punitione peccat publ Si culpa est leuis timetur ne turba grauior sequatur non tenetur corrigere quia peius subsequetur Extat haec oratio tom 4. Concil vlt. Edit Binij it Faults will runne further then repentance in the mouthes of men Euery man will take notice of the offence but few of his satisfaction made Fourthly if the partie bee eminent for a zealous profession of religion then to proclaime his priuate slips and failings would not so much stop his course of sinne as open the mouthes of drunkards vngodly raylers and scoffers to peale vpon all carefull and studious of holy life and so Religion it selfe shall beare the greatest blow Fiftly and Lastly It most vsually happeneth that a Person thus shamed studies defence to impudence y Aug. ibid. Corripe inter te ipsum solum intuens correctioni parcens pudori fortè enim prae verecundia incipit defendere peccatum suum quem vis correctiorem facis petorem and now that he thinkes himselfe irrecouerably wounded in his reputation the onely bounds which keepe many in hee becomes desperate And so he that before was badd by this meanes will bee worse Shame once found is euer lost Fiue Cases wherin faults must be discouered Wee see the Rule of Discretion touching priuate offenses and the reasons on which it is grounded We shall do well to obserue it but
thee canst thou haue the face to runne home with the snare at thy heeles and chide chide chide for halfe an inch of candle that one of thy children thy seruants or thy wife did burne too much and crie out on them Oh! these wastfull spend-thrifts will neuer leaue me till they haue vndone me Thy familie be bad when didst thou teach them better Or if thou didst in anger thunder out their duty once in seuen yeares didst thou not imagine thy thunder would but maze them where was thy good example to driue home thy instruction Canst thou imagine how they should beleeue that they haue better beere at home then any Ale-wife hath when thou drinkest not a drop but in an Ale-house Canst thou blame them for following when thou didst leade the way And if they be vnwilling to stay within when thou art in the house canst thou bee angry that they runne from the Beare Will any beasts be in the Lions den when he approacheth Canst thou blame them if they bee wilde abroad If thou do make thy house a Bridewell or a Bedlam canst thou imagine thy people will not be willing and study to breake thy prison But all this while my purpose is not to pleade for them but against thee to shew the cause of this heauie plague of God vpon thee and thy familie Let them for euer lay their hand vpon their mouth and neuer say The father hath eaten sower grapes and the childrens teeth are set on edge Thy negligence hath caused this iudgement to thy selfe and occasioned that sin in them The cause of this as sinne was in themselues but this occasion did set abroach that cause They had the liquor in them thou didst pull out the tap And so both are deepe in fault that so much gaule is now drawne out vnto thee thou for giuing vent and they for giuing issue of no better liquor If God giue not repentance they shall die for their owne sinnes but thou for both If after all thou aske a remedie accept of this Leaue thy gaming and thy gadding and with them thy madnesse get thee home confesse thy fault reforme thy selfe and then set thy house in better order Be no more as a Bird that forsaketh her nest to let her young ones perish Dwell with thy wife as a man of knowledge Loue her yet at last and be no more bitter now bring vp thy children in the feare and nurture of the Lord though thou hast neglected it doe that which is equall vnto thy seruants shew the loue of a Father as well as the seueritie of a Master Then mayst thou begin to chastise the vnruly if they wil not reforme and because thou didst it so ill before take with thee some Cautions to doe it better now First euer ioyne some good instruction with it or rather let instruction goe before There are two waies saith e Clem. Alex. strom 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clement vnto Reformation instruction and chastisement and he that will reforme another must walke in both these paths Both must be vsed both must be knit in one another By this the peccant party is made to know his fault and better prepared to accept the punishment of his iniquity and taught his duty better for the time to come Secondly to both these hee must add Loue this golden leafe must lap the pill about His fury and his passion must not beare the sway in his corrections but loue must moderate his angry Passions Loue must not take them quite away but guide them in an euen pace and stop them when they would run out too far We know who said let all your things bee done in f 1 Cor. 16.14 Charity These three Instruction Correction and Loue make the best rod to beate a childe or seruant If either of these twiggs be wanting the rod is naught Loue without instruction doth make but Clownes instruction without correction doth make but saucy wantons correction without instruction makes fooles or desperate dullards and instruction without loue doth make but tyred Iades Dauid shewed Loue but added no instruction or correction g 1 King 1.6 Adoniah to requite him vsurpt his Throne Eli shewed loue gaue instruction too h 1 Sam. 2.23 24 25. but vsed no correction therefore his Sons went on till God destroyed them and brake his neck vpon the sudden newes of loosing Gods owne Arke in iudgement for their sinnes which hee by seasonable seuerity preuented not Nabal shewed seuerity too much but neither instruction nor loue at all therfore his whole houshold were in some contention whether they should hate him or despise him most Wherefore in all thy rods let these three spriggs bee found and then lay on the stubborne whether childe or seruant these two must be vnto thee indifferent in chastisements * Galat. 4.1 The childe must not bee beaten and the seruant scape when both are guilty Nor must the seruant suffer for that fault wherein the childe is suffered Allow thy childe thy loue aboue thy seruant but if thou shalt allow him in the smallest fault he will prick thee more with that small thorne then any seruant could with a greater weapon If any difference bee let children feele the rod more often then thy seruants for that will better these besides the good to those Examples of seuerity on them wee loue doe terrify and teach them most who are further off And though the roote doe yeeld more sapp and sweetnes vnto the seuerall branches that doe issue from it then to the stakes or props that stand about it yet these must bee preserued or else the tree and branches too will suffer Seruants are stakes and props to families though sometimes very rotten therfore if of vse they must bee well maintained And though they may not looke for so much inward or outward loue as children haue yet some they must haue or thou dost them wrong Yea I dare to adde in case of reformation as loue should shew it selfe to benefit their soules and bring them vnto heauen where is no difference of Master Seruant Husband childe or wife a Master must expresse as much affection to a hyred Seruant within his roofe and care as to his deerest child Touching those within our Charge Zeale hath his Lesson and longer then I meant it when I did begin it Now if a Zealot will meddle any further he must bee further guided by Discretion how to handle Persons beyond his Gouerment Persōs without our Charge If cause of admonition be administred by any without his Charge and if he will giue it he must obserue two Rules Rule 1 First if any Elder Better Fitter then himself be present Elihu must hold his peace till they haue done or till hee doth perceiue they will doe nothing It was a Wise mans Counsell Speake thou that art Elder for it becommeth thee but with sound iudgement and hinder not the a Ecclus 32.3 musick of
The iniquity of the other made him to shed teares ouer his owne frailty And his owne frailty made him condole his brothers iniquity This affection is of great vse it cannot but wound an ingenious minde and make him ashamed to see another mourne ouer his sin though happily before hee did not bewaile it himselfe Much better is a sweete and brotherly compassion then a sowre and sterne affection of a passionate minde saith c Gilb. sup Cant ser 32. Metior est dâ—â— is fraterna câ—mpassio quam indignantis animi durus immitis affectus Gilbert in his continuation of Bernard vpon Salomons Song Compassion shewes that a man knowes himselfe he that shewes no compassion makes no acknowledgement of his owne sinfull condition but proudly carries himselfe as if sinne and he had neuer beene acquainted where as in truth none commonly is more intimate with that strumpet then himselfe And yet with all let men beware of false compassion There are as some say in the the Sea fishes of so many different shapes as may paralel for outward resemblance all the beasts vpon earth Sure I am there are in the hearts of hypocrites so many counterfeit graces as may match in shew all that are true in the Godly Among other they haue some of them a counterfeit of true Compassion whereby they seeme to condole with others and to extenuate their faults to any that speake of them not out of loue to their brethren whom they seeme to bewaile but out of deere affection to the like sinnes in themselues which hereby they would palliate and defend from blowes When a man falls into discourse of such or such a mans faults and begins to aggrauate them perhaps with a minde bad enough these coÌ„passionate selfe-louers will be ready to say Oh Sir be not too rash and cruell it was but a fruite of humane weaknesse the best may offend and it is not good to iudge too hardly we are all men you shew little compassion c. whereas all this fluttering and crying of the crafty Lap-wing is but to draw you from her owne nest He hath a hellish brood of the same kinde and that you may fauour him and his sin he will stoutly pleade his fellow offendors cause without a Fee Doe you not thinke that if the iudge should bee as pitifull to the theefe at the Barre as another would bee that is guilty of the same offence the Countrey would soone swarme with theeues like Bees in summer and the Hangman might go practise vpon himselfe if hee should stand in neede of vsing his Trade This therfore is of al other the most cunning defence of a mans owne iniquity which while it goes masked vnder the name of Compassion to others doubles his own transgressions Compassion is like to Ieremies figgs whereof some were good and some naught both sorts excelled d Ier. 24.3 the good figgs very good and the euill very euill that they could not bee eaten they were so euill Compassion saith e Hugo de sc vict erud Theol. Libello de 4. volunt in Christo Triplex compassionis modus est Alia ex natura alia ex virtute c. Hugo is of three sorts the one is from Vice the other from Nature and the third from Grace The first is when a man is touched with an euill greefe because he is touched in that wherewith he was formerly held by the bonds of an vnlawfull loue The second is that whereby a man out of naturall piety which is all one with naturall affection to superiors condoleth the miseries of such as are neere him when hee seeth nature afflicted and oppressed with euills beyond the bounds of humane strength and contrary to naturall piety The third is that whereby for Gods sake we sympathize with others in their greefes when wee see righteousnesse oppressed innocency suffer The first of these he pronounceth culpable the second vnblameable and the third commendable He might well haue added that compassioÌ„ which comes from grace extends it selfe to the falls of our brethren into sinne who ought to be restored with bowels of compassion yearning vpon them and forcing vs to giue them the best helpe we can to set them againe on their feet This is more then a common loue it is indeed the Quintessence of it which makes our very hearts to drop at the sinnes of our brethren as marble with raine though it lie in the dry Compassion makes a man to put his brothers soule into his owne body and his owne soule into his brother as f Greg. mor. cap 26. Afflicti in se animum sumit vt prius in se dolentis passionem trauiserat nunc contra dolorem illius ministerium concurrat Gregory speakes in another case and to make it his owne case and so to deale with his brother as with himselfe which if he doe hee will not exceede nor yet omit any thing to recouer the other He that bestowes teares of compassion vpon his neighbour giues him somewhat of himself as well as of his goodnesse and it is impossible that he who hath this should bee wanting in any thing to his power for his neighbours good Then doe we shew compassion indeed when we bewaile his fall as if we had fallen our selues and seeke to wash away his sinne if it were possible by our owne teares This if wee doe though we doe much for him yet more for our selues He that hath such a tender heart for the offences of others shall finde it more tender more ready to mourne when himselfe offendeth Compassion therefore must declare it selfe whensoeuer wee declare our Zeale for God g Hugo de S. Vict. in Ioel. 2 Zelus est feruor animi ad coÌ„passionem natura pronus c. Hugo saith well that Zeale is such a heate as is prone to compassion of nature The Lord when he sharply reprooued and iustly disinherited Adam did yet make him h Gen. 3.21 a coate of skinnes to couer his nakednesse which sin made shamefull When Christ denounced woes vnto Ierusalem hee i Luk 19 41. wept ouer it When Samuel in Zeale departed from Saul and saw him no more all the daies of his life yet he mourned k 1 Sam. 15. for him Saint Paul calls for meeknesse to such as by sudden temptation are ouertaken with a l Gal. 6.1 fault Saint Iude requires vs of some to haue compassion making a m Iude 20. difference And Saint Paul pronouncing a curse on inordinate walkers he did it n Phil. 3 18. weeping The ground of Compassion is loue which being expressed will temper the sharpnes of reproofe and make it more medicinable Reprehension of it selfe is hardly tollerable vnlesse mixed with friendly intreaties euen as the launcing of a wound though it be necessary yet will not be endured by the Patient vnlesse all meanes to mitigate the paine be applyed to o Chrisost in 2 Tim. 4.2 hom 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 him VVhatsoeuer a man doth with a heart rent in peeces by Passion is rather an effect of violence seeking reuenge then a fruite of charity studying reformation He that can reioyce and be glad and take pleasure to torture his brother by turning his finger in his wounds is a cruell tyrant no true Zealot It is impossible that any soule needing instruction should receiue any benefit if hee bee taught in a brawling and a chiding tone although the lesson bee neuer so needfull let him apply himselfe to learne with all his might yet hee will carry away nothing but greefe and sorrow as Chrisostome p Chrisost in 2 Tim. 2.24 hom 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 speakes Howbeit he speaketh this of such as he supposeth to be ingenious and tractable not of obstinate stiff-necked bulls that will not be tamed but by the fiercest Mastiues and vpon whom mildnes will worke no other effect but scorne and contempt of him that is so milde This obserued a man may take all liberty hee can in reproouing as occasion is offered and his calling admitteth And when this course is takeÌ„ such as are reproued must not with Plutarcks Parasite thinke to iest or laugh out any thing that is pressed on them they must not grow angry without a cause or neglect amendment when neede requireth See Caluin vpon Iob 31.1 Serm. 123. Then shall we finde by experience the truth and benefit of that heauenly Prouerbe q Prou. 25.12 As an earering of Gold and as an ornament of fine gold so is a wise reproouer on obedient eares It is good to be zealously affected alwaies in a good thing Gal. 4.18 FINIS Errata PAge 9. reade a sono literae ζ. p. 15. for state read seate p. 21. line 1. for or r. â—f line 4. r. commended it p 59. l. 1. r. yet it was p. 63. l. 17. r. equalize some small p. 27â— l. 19. blot out it is like that p. 309. l. 4 5. blot out and enioyned p. 321. l. 5. r. tongues p. 355. l. 19. r as bad as out p. 361. l. 3. for and r. addes p 395 for Inne r. in p. 430 dele Quere p. 438 for inuitation r. imitation p. 447. for mitted r committed p. 470. l. 19. for doth r. doe p. 480. for shore r. store