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Page 6
[Sidenote: [Greek: kakoz�lia].]
The second is erroneous or blinde zeale, not according to knowledge,
Rom. 10. I beare many devout Papists witnesse (though I feare the
learnedst of them be selfe-condemned) that they have this zeale,
perswading themselves they doe God best service, when they please
the Divell most in their will-worship. The same witnesse I
beare many _Seperatists_; though I feare most of them be sicke of
selfe-conceitednesse, newfanglenesse, and desire of mastership: for who
would not suspect such zeale, which condemnes all reformed Churches,
and refuseth communion with such as they themselves confesse to bee
Christians, and consequentely such as have communion with Christ? It
would greeve a man indeede, to see zeale misplaced, like mettle in a
blinde horse; to see men take such paines, and yet fall into the pit.
This made _Paul_ to wish himselfe _Anathema_, for the sake of such; and
yet the multitude and common people, reason thus; Is it possible but
these men have the right? But alas, how should it bee otherwise, when a
blinde company will follow a blinde sect-master; This being one property
of blinde zeale, a fond admiration and apish imitation of some person,
for some excellency they see in him, which so dazles their eyes, that
they cannot discerne their errours and infirmities, which they oftner
inherit then their vertues; as appeares in the _Lutherans_ and the
Jewes, that would sacrifice their children to _Molech_, in imitation of
_Abraham_: In these the Divell becomes an Angell of light, and playeth
that Dragon, Revel. 12. powring out flouds of persecution against the
Church, causing devout men and women, to raise tragedies, breath out
threatnings, and persecute without measure; then these the Divell hath
no better soldiers: but when their scales fall from their eyes, and they
come into Gods tents; God hath none like unto them. The cure of this
divinely is forelayd by Christ also, to buy eye-salve of him; Angells
have eyes as well as wings to guide their flight: when the ship is under
saile, and hath the freshest way; it hath most neede to looke to the
sterage, keep the watch, have an eye to the Compasse and land-marks.
The third kinde is turbulent zeale, called by _James_ bitter zeale, a
kinde of wilde-fire transporting men beyond all bounds and compasse of
moderation; proceeding sometime of a weaknesse of nature in men, that
have no stay of their passion, like to Clockes whose springs are broken,
and Cities whose walls are down. Zeale is a good servant, but an ill
master: mettle is dangerous in a head-strong horse. And so the Poets
(which were the Heathens Prophets) shadowed out the cure of this, in
_Minerva's_ golden bridle, wherewith she menaged her winged _Pegasus_.
There is too much of this bitter zeale, of this _Hierapicra_ in all our
bookes of controversies: but especially there hath been too much in our
domesticall warrs; some sonns of _Bichri_ have blowen the trumpet of
contention, trumpets of anger; the Churches of God should have no such
custome: Oh that our Churches understood that saying.
[Sidenote: Rom. 14. 10.]
In quarrells of this nature _Paul_ spends his zeale, not in partaking
but in parting the fray, beating downe the weapons on both sides: Who
art thou that judgest? who art thou that condemnest thy brother? as if
hee should say, The matters are not _Tanti_, wee have made the Divell
too much sport already; who threw in these bones to set us together by
the eares, whilst hee lets in the common Enemy upon us. _Charitie,
Charitie_, is the builder of Churches: Strife about trifles, hath wasted
many famous ones, and placed the temples of _Mahomet_, where the golden
candle-sticke was wont to stand. Wee pitty the former ages, contending
about leavened and unleavened bread, keeping of Easter, fasting on
Sundayes, &c. The future ages, will do the like for us. Oh that the
Lord would put into the hearts both of the governours & parties to these
quarrells, once to make an end of these Midianitish warrs; that wee
might joyntly powre out the vialls of our zeale upon the throne of the
beast.
Thus have you heard the errors and counterfets of zeale, through whose
sides, and upon the backe of which, divers of the malicious world use to
beat those whom it hates, because their workes are better then their
owne; injuriously concluding, that all Zelots are alike. Thus I have
heard our Marchants complaine, that the set up blewes have made
strangers loath the rich oaded blewes, onely in request; this is an olde
sophisme. True judgement would teach us to conclude, that the best
druggs have their adulterates; the most current coins their slipps; and
that vertue which so many hypocrites put on, to grace themselves
withall; is surely some rare and excellent jewell.
_The third part._
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