containing all necessarie rules of Faith d Zelus cum in bono accipitur est quidam feruor animi quo mens relicto humano timore pro defensione veritatis accenditur Alcuinus The office of zeale about this is to preserue the honour thereof vntainted from all blemishes of error staines of heresie indignities of Tyrants and Atheists striuing for the faith of the e Phil. 1.27 Gospell Holding fast f T it 1.9 the faithfull word not quarrelling to separation for euery difference in opinion touching points not fundamentall and vndecided In which case no man must be iudged for his doubting g Rom. 14.1 See the marginall note of our last Translators nor may any doubting man iudge others who h Ibid. ver 3 doubt not The fire of zeale must blaze highest in maintenance of capitall truths i Iude ver 3. Earnestly contending for the faith once deliuered vnto the Saints Wise men will defend that part of a Citie most which may occasion most dammage by suffering a breach And zeale will then especially be as one of the Cherubins with a flaming sword to keepe safe the word of Life when the chiefest mysteries are corrupted or questioned Saint Paul when the honour of his Gospell lay at the stake seemeth vnable to expresse the heate he was in marke his vehemency though we saith he or an Angell from heauen should preach any other Gospell vnto you k Gal. 1.8 then that which we haue preached vnto you let him be accursed A heauie doome most vehemently denounced And yet not satisfying himselfe in shewing so much zeale as he was able to expresse by one single pronouncing this dreadfull anathematisme he doubles his speech as if the fornace of his heart were now heated with zeale seauen times hotter then it was wont l Ibid. ver 9. As we said before so say I now againe if any man preach vnto you another Gospell then that ye haue receiued let him be accursed Thus in cases of like consequence must we be affected But to be all on fire in defence of questionable truths which if they were yeelded vnto vs could adde nothing to that stocke of graces which accompanie saluation is a thing ill beseeming those diuine flames of holy zeale To what profit are those hot disputes and sharpe contentions about the place assigned for that maze of horror vnto vngodly men the Oecumenicall Assise the Equalitie of glorie the Hierarchie of Angels and many more He that putteth himselfe vpon the office of a Superuisor and Controuler of other mens opinions touching points of this nature may breed vaine ianglings but will edifie but a little These things are of the nature of sauce rather then meate dish them out as curiously as Art can deuise and when all is done they nourish not Marke such as are zealous of spirituall gifts if they seeke not to excell to the vse of edifying you shall be sure to finde them excelling in vanitie And more quarrels arise by one such conceited Doctor then many wise men with all their wisedome shall be able to take vp This is that bloudie knife that cutteth asunder the very sinewes of Christian loue This causeth Professors of the same faith to leade huge armies of sectaries like Pigmies and Cranes one against another so wasting their zeale in defence of trifles that they haue none left to make a wall of fire about points of more moment With what heart can we ioyne against a common enemie when euery little difference is prosecuted with such heate as if it were vnlawfull or at least dangerous to vnite our forces for feare of fiering one anothers tents by encamping together He that can be so hote with his brother for a trifle would certainly exceed the proportion of any cause with an enemie destroying more by intemperance then he is able to build by his zeale Witnesse the bickerings betweene some Lutherans Caluinists as they are by some nick-named which haue giuen RELIGION since the last reformation thereof a greater blow then all the thunderbolts of Rome set together Is it not Nuts to our Romish neighbours to see men belch out such bitter raylings and to put out such tart volumes one against another touching the manner of Christ discension into hell the libertie of the Sabbath the power of Witches the possibilitie of Demoniacall possessions the seate of faith the superioritie of preaching reading and praying In all which and many more the diuisions of Reuben are great thoughts of heart Is it now a time to be diuided among our selues when all our forces vnited are little enough to withstand the common aduersarie Oh when will our eyes be opened to see our hearts be mollified to bewaile the breaches of the enemy vpon vs by such vnbrotherly childish contentions among our selues Ere while wee could see nothing in S. Paul but fire when the foundation of the Gospell began to shake by the vndermining of seducers But in an inferiour point which was but as a Pinacle not of so much necessitie as beautie to set out the Pile he layeth his hand off the bellowes and puts out the fire For being consulted touching Virginitie m 1. Cor. 7. and hauing no particular direction therein from the Lord he sparingly and mildly set downe his iudgement and that by way of friendly aduise onely not of command from the Lord. And as if this were not enough to manifest his moderation he will by no means peremptorily determine the question but giueth euery man libertie therein that is of another mind n Ibid. ver 36 to do what he will These two presidents of the Apostle may suffice to declare what temper our zeale must ascend vnto in defence of the Word Maintaine we must with all our might the Principles of faith But of inferiour doubtful truths we may onely gently discourse what seemes most probable not violently hold them to dissention o 2. Tim. 2.23 c. Schisme no though the grounds of such our opinions seeme neuer so solide Herein it is as honourable to yeeld as to conquer since euerie man must follow the things which p Rom. 14.19 make for peace and wherewith one may edifie another 2. The worship of God 2. Another particular which zeale must fortifie is that Worship of God which the Word prescribeth The second Commandement which interdicts Idolatrie and false worship doth as firmely enioyne zeale for preseruation of that true worship which the Lord doth appoint Therfore the Apostle ioynes Zeale and Worship together requiring that worshippers be zealous q Rom. 12.11 in spirit seruing or worshipping the Lord. It is then a good and comely thing to be zealously affected towards and for the worship of God For this our Lord was so zealous that the zeale of the very house of God did euen euen eate him vp by the house no doubt vnderstanding and meaning Synecdochically the whole Worship r Quis comeditur
downe about his eares he answered with mildnesse and prayers I pray you brethren do not so n Gen. 19.7 wickedly Yet the dishonours of God he tooke deepely to heart and feared not to declare how much he was vexed with the filthy conuersation of the wicked For that righteous man dwelling among them in seeing and hearing vexed his righteous soule from day to day with their vnlawfull o 2. Pet. 2.7.8 deeds He that could contemne all iniuries done to himselfe could not digest any that was done to his God When Moses was personally abused in a high degree not onely by the skumme of the Congregation but by his owne Brother p Num. 12. Sister he was not stirred a whit The holy Ghost notes of him euen at that very time that he was very meeke aboue all the men that were vpon the face of the q Ibid. ver 3. earth Howbeit when God was abused he could then send forth great flames of sire Witnesse his zeale in the matter of the r Exod 32.19 Calfe and after in the businesse of Corah Å¿ Num. 16.15 He that before could neglect his honour to retaine his meeknesse now forgets his meeknesse to shew his zeale for the Lord. Let it not seeme tedious that I adde the example of our Lord himselfe Neuer any suffered so many and such contradictions of t Heb. 12.3 sinners yet at priuate wrongs he was neuer troubled When he was reuiled he reuiled not againe when he suffered he threatened u 1. Pet. 2.23 not Nay not so much as opened his * Isai 53.7 mouth Neuerthelesse when he saw the Temple prophaned Gods worship polluted whereby the honour of God was layd in the dust so great a fire was kindled within him that the flame was readie to wast and eate himselfe x Ioh. 2.17 vp And as zeale is not stirred with the apprehension of iniuries offered no more is it blowne vp by the bellowes of profit expected He that was so zealous that no man was in labours so abundant vnder stripes so much in prisons so frequent in deaths so often in iourneyes so painefull in perils of waters of robbers by his owne Country men by the heathens in the Citie in the wildernesse in the sea among false brethren c. in zeale so much exceeding others that when they were but offended he burned y 2 Cor. 11. not counting his life deare vnto himselfe so that he might finish his course with ioy and the Ministrie which he had receiued of the Lord Iesus to testifie the Gospell of the grace of z Acts 20.24 God he I say that aduentured and endured so much vndertooke none of all this for his priuate aduantage To the Ephesians he appealed that he had coueted none of their siluer or gold or apparell but they well knew his owne hands had ministred to his necessities and to them that were with a Ibid. ver 33.34 him To the Corinthians he protesteth that he sought not his owne profit but the profit of many that they might be b 1. Cor. 10.33 saued And when he was so iealous ouer them with godly c 2. Cor. 11.2 iealousie it was not for feare he should loose their exhibition for he preached vnto them the Gospell of God d Ibid. ver 7. freely He sought not theirs but e 2. Cor. 12.14 them All this did abundantly demonstrate his zeale to ayme at the glorie of God Now then Triall if men can see God dishonoured and their brethren abused yet lie still and be as quiet as Lambes till some personall wrongs arouze and enrage them and then play the Bedlams and Tygers vnder a pretence of zeale this is certainly no fire from heauen nor kindled for God The heate of Simeon and Leui was great for the defiling of Dinah their f Gen 34.7 Sister but because it was not the consideration of sinne against God but the apprehension of an indignitie put vpon themselues it was iustly censured and accursed by their owne father for no better then cruell g Gen. 49.7 wrath though ShecheÌ„ could not be excused If men make zeale a meanes to discharge their gaule against such as are faithfull in the Land and to be as Gun-shot to reuenge their priuate quarrells vpon the Seruants of Christ making a man a transgressor for a word picking quarrells for trifles and taking malitious aduantage from the omission of of some small thing for which they care as little as for the dust of their feet yet to make this for want of a better the cudgell to giue him whom they hate the Bastinado If all this I say or any of this may passe for zeale towards God then bloudy Doeg glad of an opportunity to murther the Priests of the Lord h 1. Sam. 22. and the Butcherly Iewes who persecuted to death the Lord of life may be accounted good Zealots Yea the Diuell himselfe would put in for a roome among Zealots as high as the best of them all So also if men shall make zeale their drudging Asse to bring in gaine to themselues make deuotion the cummin to towle customers to their shops and profession a painted cloth to cozen them with a false light when they haue gotten them thither and in all these pretend zeale and the glory of God they exceedingly gull deceiue themselues This is with Ziba to accuse Mephiheshâ—th to Saul in hope of his estate It is like Iezabels Fast for Naboths Vineyard like Iudas his Sermon for the cramming of his bag like Felix his hearing in hope of money from Paul like Demetrius his practise to keepe vp his trade like the zeale of Iehu to obtaine the kingdome and like the preaching of the Diuell to perswade our Sauiour to swallow his baite 3. 3. Rule zeale makes no difference betweene friends and foes True zeale is as violent against sin in the dearest friend as in the greatest enemy It sets against euery one that setteth against God It takes them for enemies that are enemies to God be they father brothers sisters or any others neuer so i Ambros in Psal 119. zeluÌ„ Dei qui habent omnes sibi inimicos putant qui sunt hostes Dei quamuis patrem fratres sorores c. neare Do not I hate them saith a zealous sparke that hate thee and am not I grieued with those that rise vp against thee I hate them with a perfect hatred I count them mine k Psal 139.21.22 enemies In this case and sense our Sauiour speaketh If any man come to me and hate not his father and mother and wife and children and brethren and sisters yea and his owne life also he cannot be my l Luke 14.26 disciple It was Leui his commendation in reuenge of Gods m Exod. 32.27 28. quarrell to know neither father nor mother brethren nor children so as to pittie or spare when God bad kill n Deut
coldly but with sharpnesse and seueritie reproouing such as flatter themselues in their owne deuices not obscurely and in riddles but so plainly as all may vnderstand as Oecolompadius noteth vpon this place Pauls charge to Titus is in effect no lesse when hee biddeth him rebuke with all l Tit. 2.15 authoritie It behoues a Minister to do his dutie not sluggishly and remisly or with any feare but to teach and thunder out reproofes freely when need requireth saith m Theod. in hunc loc Oportet eum no ignauè ac remissè nec cum vlla timiditate hoc facere sed cum libertate docere increpare vbi opus est Theodoret. There are some sins quoth n Chrysost hom 5. in Tit. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysostome which must be expressed euen with a kinde of commanding authoritie The Adulterer the Fornicator the couetous Mammonist must thus bee handled Nor doth the Apostle say simply rebuke with authoritie but with all authority to shew that he would haue Titus to exercise authority ouer these with libertie and freedome To Precepts of this kind we may adde a cloud of witnesses The time would faile me to tell of Phinehas Eliah Michaiah Nehemiah Ieremiah and all the seruants of God of old of whose seruice in this kinde done vpon rebellious sinners himselfe saith * Hos 6.5 I haue hewen them by the Prophets I haue slaine them by the words of my mouth What boldnesse our Lord himself vsed towards the Pharisies and others when need required the holy Euangelists plentifully shew How oft did hee rebuke the Pharisies to their heads charging them with dunsticall blindnesse deepe and cursed hypocrisie denouncing many woes against them calling them hypocrites a generation of Vipers children of hell and of the Diuell Zealous Paule was neuer more mad in persecuting the Church from Christ then after his conuersion hee was bold and fierce in a godly māner against all that would seeke to turne men frō Christ Obserue his carriage towards Elimas the Sorcerer labouring to turne Sergius Paulus Deputie of Paphos from the o Acts 13. faith The Text noteth of Paul that he was filled with the holy Ghost Verse 9. meaning with zeale euen as a vessell filled with strong liquor till it be readie to burst againe that he set his eyes vpon him with so much fiercenesse as if hee meant to run through him And then after this lightning he addeth that terrible thunder Verse 10. O full of all subtiltie and mischiefe thou child of the diuell thou enemie of all righteousnesse wilt thou not ceasse to peruert the right wayes of the Lord Nor was he thus full of the Spirit of the Lord and of iudgement to declare vnto cursed Elimas his transgressions onely but euen to reproue Peter himselfe withstanding him to the face and blaming him before a great multitude of Peters owne Disciples when hee saw and found that he walked not vprightly according to the truth of the p Gal. 2.10 Baronius withstands Paul as stifly as Paul doth Peter and dares maintaine that Peter was not to bee blamed Annal tom 1. Anno Chri. 51 num 39. And in his Index to that Tome it is said of Peter Ab omni culpa redditur immunu in contentione quam habuit cum Paulo Meaning in that discourse in the place before cited Gospell Indeed I confesse that S. Paul did cunningly watch his time to do it when none of the Colledge of Cardinals could be by to resist him But yet for all this it was well for Paul that he died before Baronius liued or else the Cardinall would haue schooled him and taught him better manners although it should haue bene with putting the lie vpon the holy Ghost himselfe for being so bold with their god Peter It was the resolution of an Heathen Diuine q Seneca Audebo peccanti mala sua ostendere vitia eius si non excidero inhibebe I will be so bold to tell an offender his faults if I lop not his vices I will yet inhihite them And shall this bee thought too much for a Christian and a Diuine too to attempt If thou loue the Lord Iesus with all thine heart saith deuout S. Bernard r Sup. Cant. Ser. 44 Etenim si amas Dominum Iesum toto corde nunquid si videris eius iniurias contemptumque ferre vllatenus aequo animo poteru◠c. canst thou possibly beare the iniuries and contempts put vpon him with any patience wilt thou not rather as one rapt with the spirit of reuenge heate and like a mightie man that shouteth by reason of wine bestirre thy selfe and say with Dauid Psal 119.139 My zeale hath consumed me because mine enemies haue forgotten thy word Good Dauid if he espied any that were enemies to God hee would neuer make daintie vpon any politique respects to proclaime himselfe an enemie to them Do not I saith he hate them ô Lord that hate thee Psal 139. and am not I grieued with those that rise vp against thee Yea I hate them with a perfect hatred I count them mine enemies As if hee should say saith ſ Hom. 9. in Ezek. Pensa quantum te diligo qui tuorum hostiū contra me excitare inimicitias non pertimesco c. Gregorie Consider ô Lord how much I loue thee that am not afraid for thy sake to stirre vp all the emnitie of thine enemies against my selfe by hating them for hating thee And is it now the part of a foole to do the like If we more seriously think on this dutie Who or what should hinder any seruant of God from such a boldnesse Good men they will not dislike but praise him for it Wicked men themselues loue to see the whip cling close to other mens backs and can applaud oft times that boldnesse which draweth bloud at euery stroake so themselues bee not touched This conuinceth the world that boldnesse of it selfe is good and would be relished of all if some were not too bad It is onely mens badnesse that maketh boldnesse bad Corrupt stomacks turne the best meate into ill humours The Cooke cannot helpe this but the Physitian As for such as without cause take offence hereat why should they be feared What for their power of hurting Nay God will protect his seruants till they haue done their worke from all the fat bulls of Basan be their necks neuer so strong their rage and furie neuer so great Witnesse his protection of Eliah from Iezabel of Christ and the Apostles from the bloudie Pharisies and so of all his seruants till his counsell was fulfilled and their taske performed Till then there is no way to let in enemies vpon a man but by his owne cowardise If he stand it out he is safe if he yeeld he perisheth That of the Lord to t Ier. 1. Ieremie is a pregnant proofe of this seeming Paradox When the Lord sent