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A17270
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The fire of the sanctuarie newly vncouered, or, A compleat tract of zeale. By C. Burges
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Burges, Cornelius, 1589?-1665.
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1625
(1625)
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STC 4111; ESTC S115748
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142,700
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534
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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
in our selues pull moates out of other mens eyes and neuer complaine of beames in our owne take liberty from others and giue it to our selues q Gal. 2.4 force others to circumcision whiles we breake the Law r Gal. 6.13 be in a rage at that man that eateth our sheepe but neuer take offence at the sheepe that eates vp the man Depopulators executing Lawes against sheep stealers let vs blush to say wee ayme at Gods Glory be we neuer so hot against other mens sinnes If the Apostle espy such fire breaking out hee will soone suppresse it with that cold water Thou that teachest another teachest thou not thy selfe Thou that preachest a man should not steale dost thou steale Thou that saiest a man should not commit adultery dost thou commit adultery Å¿ Rom. 2.21 22. Thou that abhorrest Idols dost thou commit Sacriledge Canst thou lash another mans back and not thinke to be lashed thy self when thou layest thy back open vnto him and puttest a whip in his hand Either bee sure to bee more righteous then Iudah or else forbeare to sit in iudgement on Tamar least shee though bad enough be the better of the two thine owne conscience drag thee to the Barre lift her to the Bench and thou proue the Felon she the Iudge 7. True Zeale is constant 7. Rule Zeale is constant No estate persons places or time can either put it out or abate it True Zeale will not onely shew it self in a zealous beginning either to preach or professe the Gospell while Ministers want Liuings and the People somewhat that a zealous profession may bring them in but also when they are at the topp of preferment and the greatest glut of outward prosperity Looke vpon Dauid and you shall finde him no lesse zealous with the Crowne on his head then when God humbled and kept him low by the Persecution of Saul no lesse frequent and feruent in religious duties at Court then any where else Good old Samuel as free from Bribes and neglect of duty when hee was Primate of all Israel as when he was but an inferiour Minister at Ierusalem Behold Daniel a Fauorite in an Idolaters Court when al the Grandees of Babilon had vowed and plotted his ruine for obseruing the Law of his God yet euen then and there when Daniel knew that the writing was signed which would cost him his life he went into his house and his windowes being open in his chamber towards Ierusalem he kneeled vpon his knees three times a day and prayed t Dan. 6.10 and gauâ— thankes before God as hee did afore time Yea true Zeale the higher it is listed the more it will flame the brighter it shines and the further it will be discerned No fire is seene so farre as that of the Beacon If then wee can be religigious Triall and zealous when wee are young or poore and thinke Zeale a cumber when we are growne wealthy and great if we can be good only during the life and gouerment of some Iehoiadah Kindle a great fire when a Minister commeth and put it out in whole or in part so soone as hee is gone reproue a swearer when hee that abhorres it is present sweare like Deuills our selues when he is away If a cramm'd belly will allay our heate for God and like those cursed Priests wee can cry Peace so long as men giue vs whereon to gnawe u Mic. 3.5 And if some preferment can stop our mouthes and we can be content to bee silent out of Pollicy to keepe that and hope to get more If we can tune our fidles to the Base of the Time and iust like Fidlers who are said to haue Psalmes for Puritans obscene Songs for Good fellowes resolue to play nothing but what the company call for Bee Protestants in the Morning and Papists at Euen-Songe If wee carry this candle in a darke Lanthorne so as with the turne of a hand it may bee quite shut in if any approach to whom wee would not bee knowne by our light or are loath to be obserued to haue any such about vs All this is but horrible Parasiticall basenesse that holds a candle to the Time no fire to kindle a Sacrifice for God The fire of the Sanctuary neuer went out that therfore which the most haue in their Censers is no better then that of Nadab and Abihu who offering strange fire before the Lord by a fire that went out from the Lord x Leuit. 10.1 2. were deuoured Sect. 2. Sect. 2. Shewing the subordinate end of Zeale Reformation Thus farre the Principall end of Zeale the aduancement of Gods Glory and the Rules to try if our Leuell bee right I come now to point at the other which is subordinate the Reformation of what is amisse To be on fire at disorder is a commendable temper if our aime be as right as our passion is strong It is not our heate but our end that commendeth the Action When the God of Israel and his Worship were forsaken and the flames of Idolatry horribly breaking out in all parts of the Church some bringing fire some fewell others laying it on and all the rest repairing thither to warme themselues at it vnlesse some that could not Go for halting betweene two opinions whether God or Baal were the better y 1 King 18 Eliah then bestirred himselfe and bestowed the fire balls of Zeale vpon such as had been Principall Actors in this disorder But that which iustified his action was his end the remouing of Idolatry and re-establishing the truth and true worship of God This appeares by his owne words vnto God himselfe I haue beene very iealous for the Lord God of Hosts for the children of Israel haue forsaken thy couenant throwne downe thine Alters z 1 Kin. 19.10 and slaine thy Prophets with the sword When Nehemiah saw the Iewes that had taken wiues of Ashdod Ammon and Moab and their children speake halfe in the speech of Ashdod and could not speake in the Iewes Language but according to the Language of each people A hodg-potch of both he contended with them and cursed them and smote certaine of them and pluckt of their haire and made them sweare by God saying yee shall not giue your daughters to their sonnes a Neh. 13.23 24 25. nor take their daughters for your sonnes or your selues A strong and strange heate yet no other then Seraphicall for Zeale was his Line a lawfull calling his circumference and reformation his Center Paul was not afraid sometimes to vse the dreadful Axe of Excommunication to cut off scandalous sinners from the Visible body of Christ for a time but hee neuer durst medle with that edge-toole but for Reformation Writing to the Church of Corinth he coniured them in the name of the Lord Iesus to deliuer vnto Satan the Incestuous Malefactor Hee meant by a solemne Excommunication publikely denounced in the face of the whole