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
sometimes to be so zealous in Holy Dauid by this Rule was a sound Zealot indeed Hee often burned in spirit when he suppressed the flame from the view of man God onely discerned the vent hee gaue it 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 musing the fire burned Then spake I with my tongue Lord make mee to know mine end c. His heart was first on fire before the flame was in his tongue and when hee opened the tunnel it did after the nature of fire ascend and shewed it selfe first vnto God This Zeale of his did not make him fiery onely in a point or two for he saith of himselfe e Psal 119 128. I esteeme all thy precepts concerning all things to be right and I hate euery false way On the other side we may see the Zeale of the Pharises discouered for counterfeit They tooke great paines to set out a glorious outside and a painted face of Profession but within were no better then painted Sepulchers or the Sumpters of f See Speeds Chron. Cardinal Wolsey If you looke vpon their outward carriage it is with as much austerity and rigour as may be Behold their very pots and platters Math. 23. you shall see them bright without but looke not within least the filthinesse annoy you they being filled to the brim with extortion excesse Outwardly they appeare righteous vnto men but within they are full of hypocrisie and iniquity To this must bee added that euen in their outward Actions their Zeale is not vniuersall They are more carefull for Mint and Annis and Cummin then for the weightier matters of the Law iudgement mercy and faith For these haultings our Sauiour brands them with the Hypocrites marke ouer and ouer three times together Hypocrites in graine If then a Minister set himself in great heat against some sins and not against all The Triall If he presse many duties on his flock and performe few or none himselfe denounce terrors with a thundring tone but not comfort the broken spirit inueigh against Conformers on the one side or Puritans on the other and yet liue like an Atheist let his pretence bee what it will his End is not Gods glory for then his Zeale would be Vniuersall I do not say that he should at the same time do all things at once There is a time to launce and cut as well as to bind vp and heale All Texts afford not al points al sorts of applicatioÌ„ All Anditories require them not But I speake this onely to this end that a constaÌ„t zealous temper must bee shewed in performance of euery particular duty throughout so oft as opportunity and occasion are offered and that as well in life as in Preaching or any other Ministeriall Seruice If he be not thus proportionable in all he is not truly zealous in any So for a Magistrate to be very sharpe against some outrages committed by meane and contemptible persons but letting alone such as offend as highly in other kinds perhaps in the same kinds too if they be persons of Qualitie or otherwise can make him by friends To bee hot against strangers but cold enough in punishing such as are vnder his owne roofe to seeme zealous for God and the King onely to prosecute with more violence such as they beare a secret grudge vnto to boast of impartialitie and yet giue no countenance to Religious men but rather for this very cause that they labour to liue strictly in the sense of the Apostle g Ephe. 5.15 although they bee euery way conformable to the Lawes of God the Church and Common-wealth to haue a preiudicate opinion of them and a secret heart-burning against them this is not zeale but furious passion blazing onely that way which the wind driues it and flaming as the base affectation of windie popularitie which God abhorreth shall happen to blow it vp Iehu was so sicke of this disease that he was not ashamed to be his owne Herald to proclaime it vnder the name of zeale fathering his bastard furie vpon zeale for the h 2. King 10.16 Lord when none but the base ambition of his owne false heart begat it He must needs call Iehonadab to witnesse his zeale when Gods Spirit discouered it to be but an hypocriticall ladder to ascend the Throne Could that be zeale to grub vp Ahabs stocke by the roots for his sinne against God that could yet suffer those monuments of Idolatry in Dan and Bethel to remaine as quiet as much esteemed as much adored as euer before in Ahabs life and that by Iehu himselfe How is it that the Lord complaines Iehu tooke no heed to walke in the Law of the Lord God of Israel with all his heart i Ibid. ver 31 c Here is euidence enough to proue his zeale to be counterfeit and to giue all men notice how little the Lord cares for such flashes of lightning in stead of a solid fire of heauenly zeale Such also who being in inferiour offices take occasion then to crie quit with some that heretofore did offend them and present a few poore snakes letâ—ing more escape vnobserued that deserue punishment more cannot so bleare the eyes of the world as to be taken for zealous They will be discouered by the most blincking drunkards to be malitious reuengers of their owne priuate passions and that it is not conscience of an Oath but other respects that make them so busie Finally by this all ciuill Professors and formall hypocrâ—tes may find themselues empty of zeale for Gods glorie in the best actions they performe What shall the zealous fastings k Isai 58.3.4 and sacrifices l Cap. 66.3 of hollow hearted Christians who want zeale to kindle them gaine at Gods hand but reproofe and loathing That is not zeale that brings men to Church on the Lords day and yet suffereth them to liue like Diuels all the weeke after that will make a man pray in the Church or in his familie in the morning and yet neuer put him in mind to any purpose of God all the day after vnlesse to blaspheme his terrible Name that will make men seeme deuout in the duties of the first Table and yet suffer them to be very deceitfull couetous and corrupt in their dealings with men that will carrie them with violence against an oath but not against iugling and lying for their owne aduantage 2. Rule zeale is moued by sinne not by priuate iniuries or profits 2. True zeale is set on worke by the consideration of sinne against God and not by iniuries or profits of our owne Zealous Lot doubtles suffered much and long vnder the vncleane vnnaturall barbarous Sodomites Yet we heare of no fretting or impatience at their vnneighborly dealing Nay when he was in perill of his life they readie to offer violence vnto him and to pull his house
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
wise man and some man holdeth his tongue and is wise because hee doth it till he see an opportunitie of place as well as of time To a soole all places and companies are alike and there is nothing that discouereth an indiscreete Zealot more then this indiscretion This thing alone may well make all wise men to yeeld him the gay coate for his hire The heart of a foole is in his mouth but the mouth of the wise is in his heart In reprouing and admonishing our ayme must be reformation as before hath beene said which cannot be hoped but much hindered when the partie reproued is put to any needlesse shame and disgrace The Spirit of Wisedome giues this for a rule Debate thy cause with thy neighbour himselfe and discouer not a secret to another lest hee that heare it put thee to shame and thine infamie turne not b Prou. 25 9.10 away Neuer do that before a multitude which would as well bee done without any witnesse An vpbraider is like a dashing horse that casteth some spots on his neighbour but most dirt on himselfe and his rider And although fooles may take him for a wise man because hee hath tongue at will yet all wise men will account him a perfidious foole because his tongue is so free If his neighbour had bene wisely dealt withall in a place conuenient happly hee had bene gained but now by occasion of his publicke disgrace it is a thousand to one but that his faults alreadie made be defended and more mitted The nature of man is such that being despised it growes obstinate and studies defences of that for which it is trampled vpon and proceeds to worse euen vnto contention and heresie as c Lib. 6. cap. 25. eccl hist Zozomen obserues in the case of Apollinarius the Hereticke who in all likelihood had neuer runne out so farre had not he beene so shamefully and scornefully entreated by one George an Arrian Bishop onely for companying with Athanasius the mirrour of his time Whether it bee to friend or foe talke not of other mens liues and if thou canst without offence reueale them not for he heard and obserued thee and when time commeth hee will hate d Ecclus 19.8.9 thee Rebuking in Publicke by priuate persons is counted but railing and such vnfaithfulnesse a greater offence then the greatest in him that is thus ripped vp If any obiect that of Paul to Timothie Them that sinne rebuke before all that they also may e 1. Tim. 5.20 feare the answer is easie if wee vnderstand the place The meaning is that persons publickly offending should be publickly rebuked by publicke persons in places appointed for publicke reproofes To make it appeare that this place makes not for publicke reproofes giuen by priuate persons will not be difficult if wee consider to what person the Apostle giues this Commission It was to Timothy a Minister not to a priuate man Timothie was to reproue publickly by vertue of his office so were none else if priuate persons The Apostle herein instructeth him as a Minister not as a priuate Christian in common with others and it is direction peculiar to the Ministerie not common to all professing Christianitie I know no example in Scripture of any priuate mans publicke reproofe which is warranted and commended by the Spirit of God God saith indeed Rebuke thy brother f Leuit. 19.17 plainly but take with you Christs exposition let it first be done betweene him and thee g Mat. 18. alone then if he will not heare thee call witnesses otherwise not No discretion therefore can warrant that zeale in a priuate person that chooseth or vseth such a place to giue a reproofe to his brother especially at first so as others may heare and obserue it This is well termed a Pastorall necessitie h De correp gra cap. 13. as is also the power of excommunicating scandalous and obstinate sinners Rule 5 5. All places are not fit for publicke reproofes when offenders deserue them and persons in authoritie ready at hand to reproue If the sinner be taken in his sinne the place of his sinne should bee the place of his shame and they who either tooke him in the manner or beare a share in the wrong should be witnesses of it And thiâ— is to be done when a man is particularly singled out in case of some speciall offence In common sinnes a man yea a Minister is not so bound to reproue as that he should openly rebuke any man at a table so oft as he sweareth or otherwise offendeth Let him shew what dislike he can ciuilitie obserued so he keepe his lips together If he should not testifie his dislike he were guiltie of the other mans sin if hee should expresse it at an vnseasonable time by a sharpe reproofe he wanteth discretion vnlesse his power and command bee such as may not onely giue countenance to the action but also gaine good acceptance from the whole companie present If a man will rebuke to do good and not hurt hee must obserue the wise mans rule Rebuke not thy neighbour at the wine and despise him not in his i Ecclus 31.31 mirth Nor is a Minister tyed to runne vp and downe the streets to rebuke wheresoeuer he may in likelihood meete with offenders The Church is his proper place to reproue in where it is granted to all to censure mens actions as in a Court saith k De serendis reprehens conuers Pauli Chrysostome that is to reproue all sorts of sinnes indefinitely without pointing men out by personall description as is before shewed And yet in this case it cannot be denied that the Discipline of old euen for ordinarie offences was first l Math. 18.15.16.17 an admonition in priuate then the same was repeated before witnesses at length if the partie persisted he was reproued by name in the Church by the Minister and after all excommunicated if the Glosse m Glass interlin Ordin in Math. 18. deceiue not Thus Theodotus Bishop of n Zozom lib. 6. hist eccl cap. 25. Laodicea first publickly reprehended the two Apollinarij the father and the sonne for the onely hearing of an Hymne which Epiphanius a Sophister had curiously composed in the honour of Bacchus and then afterwards excommunicated them both for the same offence To this custome Saint Hierome o Epist ad Demetriad de virginit seruanda Quos Ecclesia ipsa reprehenâ—it quos interdum abiecit in quos nonnumquaÌ„ Episcoporum Presbyterorum censurae desaeuiit hath reference speaking of some loose Monkes that had bene too bold with wanton Virgins and saying whom the Church her selfe reprehends whom sometimes she excludeth meaning by suspension and whom now and then the censure of the Bishops Priests hath bene sharpe against c. By this it appeares that notorious offenders were first shamed in the Congregation before the Bishops and others in authoritie exercised their power in