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
first and second Rules pag. 441. third Rule pag. 444. fourth Rule Ibid. fifth Rule pag. 450. Discretions Rules touching the Circumstance of Time 3. The Circumstance of Time pag. 459. 1. Rule hereabout pag. 460. the second Rule 462. wherein a man may somewhat yeelde to the times and yet not be a Temporizer pag. 467. How farre euill men may in some cases be tollerated pag. 469. some indiscretion to bee pardoned to some men pag. 478. CHAP. VIII Of Compassion the last thing with which Zeale must be qualified page 479. False Compassion page 482. Three sorts of Compassion page 485. The fruitlesnesse of Zeale without Compassion page 490. THE FIRE of the SANCTVARIE Vncouered OR A TRACT OF ZEALE CHAP. I. EXCELLENT and Admirable is the Nature Vse of the holy Fire of Zeale No acceptable Sacrifice can be offered without it a Nullum omnipotenti Deo est tale Sacrificium quale est Zelus animaruâ— Greg. hom 12. in Ezek. no oblation it selfe so pleasing to God yet no one Grace so much in disgrace what by ignorance of and emnity against this arch enimy to sin b Irae sua stimulum iustitiae ZeluÌ„ putant cuÌ„ vitium virtus putatur culpa sine metu cumulatur Greg de past cura lib. 3. cap. 1. admâ—n 17. Some take the heate which their fiery disposition blowes vp to be Zeale for Religion and let vice once bee thought a virtue What a mountaine of euils will soone be cast vp without feare of ill-doing Others truly zealous are often at a losse when they set vpon the chace which prophane men espying thinke that warrant enough to pull downe the whole Fabricke of Zeale because indiscreete Zeale hath sparkled two farre And laying themselues in ballance with such zealots suppose that of the two themselues though the worst be the wisest men Thus is the pretious fire of Zeale blasphemed because mistaken And when more then now How few Ieremies feele that fire in their bones c Ier. 20.9 which will not be kept in How many ready to cut in whole riuers vpon that little sparke which is in those few How few Dauids that are eaten d Psal 69.9 vp with the zeale of Gods house How many zealous to e Psal 83.12 take to themselues the houses of God in possession and eate them vp The generall coldnesse of these last and therfore worst daies benuÌ„ming our spirits reqâ—ires a fire to warme them And the malice of the world puts a danger vpon Zeale vnlesse we haue wisedome so to guide this fire as to auoid the Snares which malice will set before vs and endeauour to hunt vs into The more disgrace to be zealous the more need to shew zeale accompanied with discretion to rule this heauenly flame Fire-workes proue dangerous to the vnskilfull Better quench that fire which is already kindled then to kindle that which we cannot gouerne It cannot then but bee a needfull and gratefull worke to shew the Nature and Qualities of a Fire so vsefull that he can be no good Christian who is without it so vnknowne that hardly the best know the properties of it and how to vse it How little hath beene written on this Theame a more able and exquisite Lynceus hath made report and powred out a zealous complaint against the great iniustice offered to zeale for that no man hath done her the right of a iust Treatise This I thinke is one maine cause that makes the world so strange to her and her to the world The Antients f Amb. in Psal 119. Greg Naz in LaudeÌ„ Heronis alibi August tract 10. in Iohn nec nâ—â— in Psal 69. Chrisost hom 62. ad Sopul Greg. Mag. Hom. 12. in Ezek. Bern. Ser. 23 24. 49. super Cant. alibi who taught it rather by Practise then Pen spent more lines in the praise then in the description of it After them the Schoole-men their translators either spake lesse or lesse to the purpose For by that time a thing nick-named Discretion had rak't out this fire Hee now was the onely man that could chop Diuinitie into smallest shreds and driue it nearest together placing Religion rather in Contemplation then Action No maruaile therefore if Zeale got no more rome in their Voluminous Writings and that as if she had deserued no better then Iezabel there is scarce so much left her as the skull and the feete and the palmes of her hands to know her by Long after the rode of Zeale had been vntrauelled and the High way growne ouer with the Mosse of Key-coldnesse New Zelographers arose who like Caleb Ioshua in coasting of Canaan began to trauell and discouer that Region anew setting vp way-markes and encouraging others to go vp and possesse it Of which first discouery I hope it will offend no good man to say that it deserues more honour then the latter more elaborate Descriptions of Others who taking direction from those first Spyes haue made the paths more plaine and the way more direct Those first Searchers of late time gaue a good ghesse at the Nature and Bounds of Zeale but drew it not in so large a Map as could bee wished Their meditations and labours in this kind are herein like the Obseruations of seuerall Trauellers into Forraine Countries some obseruing one thing and some another but none all that deserues to be noted It will not then bee amisse out of the seuerall Trauells of Others and mine owne Suruey to compile a Compleate Treatise of Zeale In persuite of which proiect my cheefe aime is to set forth to life the Nature the Obiects the Grounds the Ends and the Qualification of this Sanctuary Fire CHAP. II. Of the Nature of Zeale This Chapter hath 3. Sections THE first thing to bee knowne is the Nature of Zeale To attaine this wee must first search out the precize signification of the word then the seuerall acceptations of it as by vse of speech it is applied and thirdly ariue at some Definition of it Sect. 1. Sect. 1. Of the signification of the word Zeale The word it selfe is Greeke which is therefore retained in the best later Languages because the most Learned could neuer finde another word fully to expresse it as he a Ioan. Driedo de Râ—gul dogm S. Script lib. 3. tract 2. Cap. 1. Augustinus autem quibusdam in locu Suidaâ— alij vtriusque linguae periti qui non habentes latinum vocabulum quo vim verbi Zeli sufficienter explicarent c. inquit ille that hath done best in explication thereof hath obserued Zeale b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 à 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ferueo bullio Eustathius annotat vero per onomatopaeian esse factum hoc verbum à sono literae is a branch of that Roote say Gramarians which signifieth a hyssing noise made by burning hot mettle cast into water Zeale then in strict acception of the word is a fiery hissing heat fighting
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
with some contrary Hence is it translated to expresse that fierie heate in the seuerall passions of the soule vehemently extended to their seuerall obiects and proiects Such was that burning fire c Ier. 20.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the bones of Ieremie Such that feruencie of spirit d Rom. 12 11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Saint Paul exhorted the Romanes vnto And such those coales that Timothie was to blow vp e 2 Tim. 1.6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Opposite hereto was that Luke-warme f Reuel 3.16 temper in distempered Laodicea of which she was zealously warned to repent to grow more hot Sect. 2. Sect. 2. Of the vse of the word in Scripture We see the nature of the word behold how it is vsed The Scripture attributes it to God to man First to God to signifie sometimes his iust indignation and direfull vengeance smoaking against sinners and burning g Deut. 32.23 vnto the lowest hell Sometimes the extreame heate of his loue expressed in protecting his Church afflicted Thus himselfe setteth it out by the Prophet Zacharie h Zach. 8.2 I was iealous for Sion with great iealousie and I was iealous for her with great furie that is with a zealous affection for her defence Secondly the Scripture attributes zeale to man and so either in a bad i Aug. de Ciuit. dei lib. 20. cap. 12. sense to denote some euill in him or in a good to signifie some vertue Zeale taken in the bad part is vsed in a fourefold sense First sometimes for enuie and spleene at anothers well-doing or being the disease of those pining and selfe-macerating Priests and Saduces at the Apostles of our Lord. k Act. 5.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And in this sence that cankred enuy of the Patriarckes which moued them to that tyrannicall sale of their naturall brother Ioseph in this only faulty because more loued is stiled Zeale 2. l Act 7 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sometimes for Iealousy m Pro. 6.34 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of some person suspected of doing wrong to a man in something neere vnto him and intimately loued by him 3. Sometimes for a quarrelous contentious disposition n Iam. 3.16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. that vpon euery trifling occasion breaks out against all that are neere 4. Lastly for counterfeit iealousie o Gal. 4.17 which some seeme to haue of others they pretend great loue vnto and care of for feare they should doe amisse whereas this faire shew is but a shew to hold the others the faster in their nets for the better compassing of their owne sinister ends and to make them more willing to stoop at their Lure Zeale taken in the good sense as it is attributed to Man importeth three things viz. First an emulation to ouertake outgo others in goodnesse without enuying those a man striues to outstrip Such was the zeale of many in Macedonia p 2. Cor. 9.2 vnto liberalitie prouoked thereto by those of Achaya and particularly of Corinth the Metropolitan Citie Secondly Godly iealousie ouer some we loue for feare they should sinne against Christ their husband The affection of Saint Paul for his beloued Corinthians and termed by himselfe in opposition to the bad q 2. Cor. 11.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 godly iealousie Thirdly an extreame heate of all the affections for and towards one we esteeme burning in our loue to him our desire of him our ioy in him our indignation against all that speake or do any thing against the honour and good liking of him thinking nothing too good too deare too much to bestow vpon him whether we make man r 2. Cor. 7.7 Gal. 4.15 Num. 11.28.29 or God ſ Psal 69 9. Ioh. 2.17 himselfe the obiect hereof Sect. 3. Sect. 3. Of the acceptation of zeale in this Treatise These being the chiefe acceptations of zeale that the Scriptures mention among them all I pitch on the last and the definition thereof I thus expresse Zeale Zeale defined is a spirituall fire inflaming all the affections of a Christian for preseruation and aduancement of the glorie of God Zeale considered according to the rules of Art is a Qualitie and such a qualitie as Logicians call an Habite which must be defined by the generall nature Obiect and Endes of it All these are expressed in this definition Spirituall fire is in roome of the Genus and declares the generall nature of it to which I adde by the way for plainnesse sake the subiect and state in which it is viz. all the affections of a Christian Gods glorie is the principall Obiect * Obiectum cui it lookes at the aduancement and preseruation whereof is the highest End it tends vnto First for the Genus or generall nature of it 1. The generall nature of it I tearme it a fire a spirituall fire A fire not a heate onely which is in some degrees found euen in Luke-warmenesse wherein yet coldnesse is the predominant qualitie and this makes it faulty Zeale hath heate as hot as fire therefore so is it called by Ieremie in Analogie to Elementarie or materiall fire And in this respect is it spirituall which in this definition is put in not as intending a specificall difference betweene this and culinarie fires but to shew the subalternate generall nature of it as the word spirituall comprehends all analogicall fires in mans passions which are diuers some lawfull others irregular and vnlawfull some holy others impure There is the fire of lust t Rom. 1.27 and the fire of the tongue u Iam. 3.6 as well the fire of zeale Adde hereunto that zeale is kindled by the Spirit and therefore is it spirituall also Howbeit the spiritualitie of it can be no specificall note to distinguish it from other graces they being all in this respect spirituall This spirituall fire hath for it hearth to burne in Subiectum in quo all the affections and passions of a Christian as they serue or may be of vse for aduancement of the glorie of God Nor doth zeale onely inhabite the affections and worke in them but vpon them too they are not onely the hearth to burne in but fewell to kindle on Thus zeale set all Dauids affections on fire which in his holy poeticall raptures we may see blazing In his loue * Psal 119.97 we may find him transported beyond expression In his desire extreamely thirsting and panting x Psal 42.1 and this heate by an Antiperistasis droping downe teares in such plentie as if he were to make them his meate z Psal 42.3 Yea his griefe proues a Moses rod to smite the rocke of his heart that riuers of water gush out at his eyes a Psal 119.136 And as for his anger that so burned that it consumed him vp b Ibid. ver 139. Nay his zeale did not omit to inflame his very hatred making him
is thought wisedome in the Magistrate be counted madnesse in the Minister when in his way and kind he takes the same course Our account shall be heauy if we shall forbeare to apply Causticks to a soare that needs it till some foolish Patient of himself call for them And woe to that forbearance and remissnesse whereby others are tainted by the bad examples of him whom wee feare to reproue Touching vs that are men saith Saint Austin i De Correp Grae. cap. vlt. viâ—e Locum who cannot distinguish betweene Elect and Reprobates wee ought to desire the saluation of each person alike And least any should perish or cause others to perish a sharpe reprehension must be applied to all offendors promiscuously leauing the issue to God who can make it proprofitable to his owne And k Si enim aliquando timore non corripimus ne aliquis inde pe reat cur non etiam timore non corripimus ne aliquis inde plus pereat Idem Ibid. if sometimes through feare we reproue not lest some one become worse why should wee not much more feare not to reproue least another should by his example more fearefully perish And yet least any should thinke that any kinde of boldnesse may hence bee thought warrantable 2. Cautions touching Boldnesse I must bound this poynt with two limits or Cautions The first is this 1. Caution Boldnesse must not spring from a spirit of ostentation and popularity to bee obserued and praysed by men for a very boldman and that they may point after him and say this is hee Iehu was troubled much with this itch l 2 King 10.16 so also the Pharisees they did all their workes to be seene m Mat. 23.5 of men and therefore this is all they haue for their workes The End commendeth or condemneth our boldnesse If our end bee the Glory of God not our owne praise then not more bold then welcome He that said Let your light so shine among men that they may see your good n Mat. 5.16 workes allowes the publique performance of good duties and so to doe them that men may see them if they will but he condemnes the doing of them for this end that they may see them o Mat. 5.16 Videri ab hominibus non est nefas sed ideo agere vt ab hominibus videaris August de Ser. Dom. lib 2 cap. 16. 2. Caution as the trick of an hypocriticall Pharisie The other Caution is that Boldnesse bee free from distempered choller and raueing passion A Bishop must not be selfe willed not soone p Tit. 1.7 angry Hee must not bee so suddenly ouercome of his passions as to neglect due eare of all circumstances perteyning to the successe of that good action he is labouring in Wee count those motions of the mind most safe and vsefull which are disposed at our pleasure and not as q Senec. de tra lib. 2. cap. 35. they list When a man is tossed like a Pinnace in a tempest by his passion if he performe any more then to saue himselfe we may write it downe for a miracle Such Anger euer dwells at the Signe of the Foole and a good zealot must refrain that Ordinary But as Fiery dispositions must not mistake cholerike passions for zeale so on the other side a holy and iust indignation against sinne must not be censured and condemned as an vnseemely passion Moses though a meeke man could yet be angry and very wroth when Israell had sinned r Exod. 32.19 Num. 16.15 Saint Paul ye will thinke was moued indeed when he called the vniust hypocriticall high Priest a painted Å¿ Act. 23.3 Vide Caluin in hunc locum wall Yea Christ himselfe was angry at the Iewes when he saw the t Mar. 3.5 hardnesse of their hearts And such anger at wrong done vnto God wel becommeth zealous boldnesse either in speaking or preaching Hee that gaue Titus an Item against hastie anger doth yet in the same Chapter not onely allow but strictly charge him to rebuke some persons u Tit. 2.13 sharpely A man may loue when he seemes to be angry as well as hate when he seemeth to loue And x August de vâ—rb dom ser 16 Vsque adeo non omnis qui irascitur oâ—it vt aliquando magis odisse conuincatur qui non irascitur Idem Epist 48. vincentio Non omnis qui partit amicus est nec omnis qui verberat inimicus so farre should we be from iudging anger in some men to be hatred that wee should rather conuince them of hatred if they should not be angry The Austerity of Phinehas saith a Father * Hierom. ad Ripar aduersus Vigilantium the fiery temper of Eliah the Seuerity of Peter against Ananias and Saphira the fury of Paul against Elimas is not to bee thought cruelty but piety for God When that worthy Nazianzene pressing to moderation in disputatioÌ„ had cast some water vpon the tumultuous feruor of some contentious spirits he withal solemnely protested that he was neuer of that number y Greg. Naz. Orat. de moderat in dispâ—â—t Seruand◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which account vigor of spirit and and sharpnesse a fault for as much as no man without this can easily vndertake any action with any great praise or virtue He therefore condeÌ„ned only such fiery teÌ„pers as with the shew of a generous spirit had also temerity and imprudence the mother of impudence ioyned with it And now because rash Passion and holy fury are so like one another in the face it is a very difficult and peremptory taske for any beholder to distinguish them by that and therefore very vncharitable it were to bee hasty in censuring such as are bold and stout and in some degree passionate in the Seruice of God to bee cholerick men hauing no other shew of ground to coÌ„demn them * In istis quae vtrum bono an malo animo fiant scire non possumus melius est vt ad partem dextram nostrum animum declinemus quia tollerabilius est nos in hoc praefiniri eos qui mali sunt bonos esse credamus quam ex constâ—tudine in dicandi etiam de bonis quod malum est suspicemur Aug. Ser. de Temp 202. Calian in Iob. 32.2 conc â— 119. Quid primuÌ„ nobis ex hoc loco discenduÌ„ est Primum non omnem iram condeÌ„nandam esse Quum vide mus aliquem irasci excaÌ„descere id non semper vitio imputandum esse vt videas contemptores dei qui dicant Numquid vero sic tumu tu anâ—uÌ„ Numquid sic irascenâ—uÌ„ est nonne placida quicta ratione agi potest c. vide locum If their outward heat proceed from any false fire God and their owne hearts onely are priuy to that and they stand or fall to their owne Master In this case it is safest to iudge nothing before the
as Paul appointed the Church of Colosse to doe in stirring vp q Col 4 17. â—ult ipsum Paulâ—â— totius Ecclâ—siae cohortatione animaâ—i in meliuâ— Caluin Archippus Which place doth not allow euery siery spirit and humorous darer to fly vpon the Minister how and when and where they please They may speake vnto him not saucily traduce him or shake him vp as if he were their seruant or their fellow Vnreuerently to reproue him or dispraise him is vnlawfull as r Aquin. in Col. 4 Irreuerenter arguere vitiâ—perare prohibitum est sed monere charitatiue potest Aquinas noteth Israel no doubt was bad enough and somewhat the worse for this that they presumed to Å¿ Hos 4.4 rebuke the Priest Which the Lord obserues in them not without a kinde of holy sarcasme at such intollerable pride He meanes it I confesse of such as rebuked good Ministers for doing of their duty But what is euery Talking Basketmaker or Butcher or mincing Shee a sit iudge of his Doctrine and meete to reprooue and confute him for it Is that Zeale which catches at peeces of Sentences and then runnes away and giues out that hee preaches false Doctrine contradictions or inuectiues to shame him to his flock Saucy Pride pluck off thy Vizar looke in the glasse of true Discretion and be ashamed Is this to try the spirits is this to shew thy Zeale Hath cursed Cham no sport to make no tales to tell but that of Noah's nakednesse was he cursed for speaking but the truth of his drunken Father to none but to his owne sonnes who presently did the duty of good children by couering him going backward And shall they be blessed who maliciously traduce and load with lies their spirituall Fathers and that to those that vpon the newse wil make them naked though they were not so and seeke their vtmost disgrace Saint Ambrose would haue disdained that such vpstarting Mushromes should dare to censure him in matters of his office And so would these busy spirits themselues to see a Minister offer to controule or direct them in their Mechanick Trades That Father made this a matter worthy hooting at euen in his writing to an t Epist 31. ad Valenti nian Quando audisti ClemeÌ„tissime Imperator in causa fidei Laicos de Episâ—â—po iudicasse c. Si docendus est Episcopus a Laiâ—o quid sequatur Laicus disputet Episcopus auâ—iat Episcopus dâ—scata Laico c. Ibid. Emperour Nor is he abashed to appeale vnto him whether euer he heard Laicks to iudge of Bishops in the point of Faith And if Bishops must once be taught of them what must follow next Why the Lay-man must dispute and the Bishop sit by and heare The Lay-man should be the Master anâ— the Bishop the boy to goe to schoole I neither enuy nor disparage abilities in priuate men I know there bee some whose knowledge and wisedome ioyned with it deserueth admiration And all good Ministers will loue them and blesse God for them and so doe I. Such as these will neuer smite a Minister to breake his head their very blowes are healing Plaisters to u Psal 141.5 him But I write this to clip the wings of those Batts Reremice that are ready to fly in the Ministers face vpon all occasions with false accusations saucy reproofes and proud censures of his Ministry desiring to bee teachers of the Law vnderstanding neither what they say nor whereof they x 1 Tim. 1.7 affirme Wherefore to draw this point to a Period let all those that vndertake this office take that aduice of a Learned y Aegid Carler Orat. habit in Concil Basil de punitione pecc man which hee once deliuered to the Councell of Basil touching this very case A Minister may be told of his fayling by an Inferior but alwaies remember that it be a brotherly admonition with all due circumstances obserued in it as namely that hee is a Publique Person a Brother a Father and a Superior all in one Because hee is a Publique Person and a Superior an Inferior owes him reuerence and honour because a Father owes him Loue and because a Brother he owes him a helping hand and in case of any fayling his admonition too which must so be giuen that his honour may bee preserued as well as his fault amended The z Alex. de Hales p. 3. q. 33. mem 4. ar 5 Malo Praelato quà diu ab Ecclesia tolleratur debetur honor c. Personall failings of such a Person is no warrant for Inferiors to despise him so long as the Church allowes him the people must doe him honour for his Place and Calling Thus farre the Rules to be obserued by our Zeale in dealing with Publique Persons I am now come to the other maine company which in the Ciuill consideration of men Discretion accounteth Priuate Persons and teacheth Zeale accordingly to vse them In dealing with a Priuate Person Discretion doth first require the Zealot to consider what he is himselfe whether a Priuate Person or a Minister If a Priuate Person then he must consider whether the Party he would deale withall bee one vnder his speciall Charge as he is a Father a Master of a Family or hath otherwise some speciall interest in the Party as a friend or Tutor or not vnder his Charge Those vnder his Charge hee must diuide into three rankes Elders Equalls Inferiors First if they bee Elders Elders by age onely as old Persons indefinitely or with some further addition of naturall relation as Parents or other kinred towards these he must reuerently and humbly behaue himselfe a Aegid Carler Orat. ante cit Ex parto increpantis distinguendum est Aut enim increpates sunt iuuenes aut senes Si iuuenes debent corripere aut monere humiliter and speake with Prayers It is the Apostles rule to Timothy himselfe Rebuke not an Elder but intreate him as a b 1 Tim. 5.1 Father by an Elder meaning an aged Person not a Minister as c Non dicit hic sacerdotem sed cum qui cosenuit hoc enim ea signâ—ficant quae subiunâ—untur lutâ—â—nes fratres c. Theodoret obserues And this Elder hee must euen beseech d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or speake comfortably to him and as it were with a holy flattery seeke to win him from his errors as Saint e Tract 10. in Ioh. quibus potes blandire Austin and f Pastor curli 3. blanda deprecatione Gregory doe well aduise Age is crabbed and must be flattered rather then struggled with The Gray-haire will and well may looke for honour though he be poore that weares it yea though his folly make it neuer so dishonorable Reproofe is grieuous and harsh to any that haue nothing but nature in them especially to Age and then most of all when youth doth vndertake it g Chrysost hom 13. in 1 Tim. 5. 〈◊〉