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
rancorem qui comitatur vindictam aliud dimittere pâ—nitionem quaÌ„ comitatur zelus iustitiae owne adding withall instructions to their corrections and prayers to all their reproofes as Samuel for Saul euen after he had resolued to see his face no more all the dayes of his u 1. Sam. 15.35 life Thus if they do they shall breake the hearts of their children more with one blow then otherwise with a thousand Then shall men discerne it to bee an holy zeale that makes them so sharpe if notwithstanding their passion of anger they can expresse so much bowels of compassion as to teach them to mourne and to pray for them when their hands are most heauy vpon them CHAP. VI. Of the Qualification of Zeale IN euery created being there is a Substance and there are Accidents among which the chiefe are Qualities Euery thing is accounted excellent or base by these Mans Substance and Faculties of his soule are not so much esteemed of God as good Qualities in those faculties when these were lost God abhorred him though the other remained Thus is it in Zeale the substance * I meane Analogicall whereof I haue shewed in the Definition the Vse in the rest But the Qualification which is the chiefe thing in it without which zeale is worth nothing is yet vntouched And this taske as it is most necessarie so most difficult and therefore will take vp more time and require more labour then all the rest Zeale is like a blade which though it be made of neuer so good mettle yet if the workman want skill to giue it a right temper will neuer be good The Qualification of zeale is therefore our next worke The expression of zeale must be with 1. Boldnesse 2. Discretion 3. Compassion and this is nothing else but the due seasoning and tempering of it with these three things Boldnesse Discretion and Compassion in the manifestation of it Sect. 1. The first thing requisite in the manner of expressing our zeale is Boldnes Of Boldnes free from cowardise and lukewarmnesse If there be fire within there will bee boldnesse without Fire will bee feared but cannot be fearefull It is neuer in iest or disposed to a luke-warme temper but where euer it cometh it burnes vnlesse it be quite extinguished Of Boldnesse I spake somewhat before in the former Chapter but there onely vppon the By and briefly shewing what a true Zealot will do in case of difficulty Here I must treate of it more largely and shew what he must do in all cases and the reasons why This courage and boldnesse of spirit is requisite in All but most eminent in Magistrates and Ministers who being publicke persons haue most vse of zeale and for this cause is boldnesse most necessarie in them Howbeit the Magistrates sword being able enough of it selfe to sharpen and make him as bold as a Lion I will apply my selfe chiefly to the heartening and emboldening of the Minister not excluding others that exclude not themselues Princes when they send forth Ambassadors intend they should deliuer their message to greatest Potentates like Princes not slaues Ministers are Ambassadors for a 2 Cor. 5.20 Christ they therefore must take vpon them all that boldnesse which becomes the seruants of so Great a Lord so oft as they haue audience especially considering that he sends them not to his Superiors or Equals but to his Inferiors yea to his subiects or slaues When God sent Ezekiel to Rebellious Iudah with a sharpe message this was part of his instruction Be not afraid of them neither be afraid of their words though briars and thornes be with thee and thou dwell among Scorpions be not afraid of their words neither be dismayed at their b Ezeck 1.6 lookes Impudent sinners thinke to outface Gods Ambassadors sometimes by their power multitude sometimes by their threats and sometimes with their fierce and furious lookes God armes his Prophet against all making his face strong against their faces and his forehead against their foreheads yea as an Adamant harder then c Ezek 3.8.9 flint God doth not onely charge his seruants to bee stout and bold in his seruice but also workes an holy boldnesse in them when he sendeth them d Greg. Mag. hom 10. in Ezek. Ille enim esse veritatis defensor debet qui quod rectè sentit loqui nec metuit nec erubescit out He onely is meete to bee a Champion of Truth that neither feareth nor blusheth to speake any thing for it which on good ground he iudgeth conuenient To e Erubescere malum sapientiae est bonum fatuitatis idem ibid. blush at sinne is wisedome but to bee shamefac't when we are doing of good is the tricke of a foole and God neuer sent message by the hand of a foole When the Lord sent the Prophet Isaiah to rebuke hypocrites the beginning of his Commission runneth thus Crie aloud spare not lift vp thy voyce like a f Isay 58.1 trumpet He doth not onely bid him speake but crie cry out aloud euen with a full throate as the Hebrew word g 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth And he had need of a wide throate indeed that shall vndertake some men He must go boldly to worke fearing no h Apertè abiecto omni timore Gloss Interlin colours He must crie with all his might He must not spare either himselfe by not straining or them by not reprouing He must bee the shrill and loud voyce of a Trumpet summoning them to battell with terror Hee i Cyril Alex. Com. in Isai lib. 5. tom 3. Non occultè nec in abscon dito loquere aliquibus sed intensa elata voce potius vtere omni libertate redargue delinquentes must not whisper his message or speake it in a corner but hee must deliuer it with great extension and eleuation of voyce with all freedome reproouing transgressors in publicke as speaketh S. Cyril Nor is this meant alone saith k Quanquam non de sola comentione vocis loquitur sed vehementiam verbi seueritatem intelligit ac si Deus fulmina è coelo ciacula retur Cal in hunc locum Caluine of a loud and thundring tone but of the sharpnesse of the matter so vehemently vttered as if God himselfe with his mightie arme should dart thunderbolts from heauen to wound the hairie scalpe of all hypocrites that go on in their iniquitie And this latter he must do that cannot do the former Euery man cannot speake like thunder but euery faithfull Minister must be for the subiect of his discourse a Boanarges to refractary sinners Nor lastly is it any peculiar charge giuen to this Prophet * Quod autem Isaiae hic dicitur sciamus Apostolis Episcopis omnibus ac ministris verbi esse dictum c. alone but it reacheth also to all Apostles Bishops and Ministers of the word who must crie aloud with a full throate not
him to thunder out heauy plagues against a rebellious people that were come to that height of impietie that they durst oppose the Prophets and persecute them for telling them of their sinnes and denouncing iudgements against them God forewarnes and armes him thus Verse 17. Thou therefore gird vp thy loines and arise and speake vnto them all that I command thee be not dismayed at their faces lest I confound thee before them Verse 18. For behold I haue made thee this day a defenced Citie and an iron pillar and brazen walls against the whole land against the Kings of Iudah against the Princes thereof against the Priests thereof and against the people of the land And they shall fight against thee Verse 19. but they shall not preuaile against thee for I am with thee saith the Lord to deliuer thee It is a certaine truth that neuer faileth all the malice of men can neuer stop the mouth of any seruant of God till God himselfe conclude him and till the euent make it appeare that God biddeth him leaue worke Then Act. 18.9.10 malice may remoue him when God hath discharged him but yet then also God rewardeth his seruice out of the very malice of his enemies Their malice shall bee made his stirrope by which he getteth vp to a greater good then they tooke away from him Should the Lords seruant refraine from boldnesse to please men Nay if he once seeke to please men farewell the seruice of Christ And it is a most foolish part to go about to please them who please not u Greg. ibid. vt supra val de est stultum si illis placere quaerimus quos non placere domino scimus God Nor doth he pay so deare commonly for any indiscretion as for his affecting and studie to please men by blanching their faults and soothing them vp Is a man afraid of purchasing their ill opinion and displeasure It is indeed an vndeniable truth that Truth begets hatred but if we therefore refraine reprouing because wee feare the rising of mens passions and hatred to scoffe and deride vs we seeke onely our selues not God x Greg. moral lib. 2â— Si ab increpatione idcirco reticemus quia contra nos insurgere derisionis odia formidamus non iam lucra dei sed nostra quaerimus Such toyes as these are no more able to moue a true Zealot then the barking of euery curre the Lion-like Mastiue as hee passeth the street It was one speciall Inditement of Ierusalem that they bent their tongues like bowes for lies but they were not valiant for the truth y Ier. 9.3 And well it might Men commend boldnesse in a Souldier mettle in a horse eagernesse in doggs spirit in any thing and shall they themselues be coÌ„mended for Cowards Cowards for the truth Cowards for Gods truth O damnable sheepishnesse Such dull Asses z Exod. 13.13 deserue rather to haue their necks broken then to bee consecrated as holy to the Lord. Fearefulnesse Bashfulnesse and Luke-warmnesse the opposites to true boldnesse are all most odious to God How hath hee forbidden and threatned fearefulnesse in his cause euen in case of life it selfe a Luk. 12.4 and vowed to turne such white-liuer'd Christians out among doggs and b Reu. 21 8. helhounds Bashfulnesse is condemned as a detestable offence for which the Sauiour of the world will then bee ashamed of such as are now ashamed of him when they expect greatest Grace and c Luk 9.26 honour from him And more ouer this such Vespertilian Professors in the meane time commonly susteyne most shame on all sides and such night-birds do more prouoke others to wonder at and chatter against and prey vpon them None receiue more discouragements from others then they that are most timorous themselues None in more danger none more liable to what they feare then they who step back and giue ground to their feares And as for Lukewarme Gospellers let Laodicea speak for all what entertainment they are like to find at the hands of Christ they are sure to be d Reu 3 15.16 spewed out of his mouth as too loathsome a morsell for his stomacke to beare I know that it is hard for a man truely bold not to bee censured for a peeuish cholerique harsh intollerable fellow scarce well in his wits But if this may deterre him Christ should haue left work when the Pharisees thought he stood in need of an exorcist or Diuel-Catcher accounting him mad and that he spake in his fury he knew not what and were so confident in their mad opinion that they thought they dealt wisely in appealing to himselfe Say wee not well that thou art a Samaritane c Ioh. 8. â—8 and hast a Diuell For Good men to bee called mad and their doctrine madnesse among mad men is no strange thing He that is giddy thinkes euery thing runs round And they that haue changed piety for pollicy God for gould can easily giue sentence that a zealous reprouer is out of his wits least the world conclude them guilty of what they are as loath to be known as they are vnwilling to forgoe It becomes Gods Seruants not to thinke what wicked men will say if they be bold as what God will say if they be cold Mad mens tongues are no slander With mee it is a small matter to bee iudged of you or of mans iudgement saith one that was accused of this disgraced f 1 Cor. 4.3 Grace To such let vs answer with the Apostle g 2 Cor. 5.13 14. whether we be beside our selues it is to God or whether we be sober it is for your cause for the loue of Christ constreyneth vs. A true zealot is neuer in his perfect temper till mad men and fooles Omnes mali stulti Omnes stulti insaniunt that is all wicked men say of him he is mad If any thinke sharpnesse naught because it makes bad men worse I answer that indeed it sometimes falls out that the Anuile-like hearts of hypocrites and desperate sinners grow harder by the blowes of reproofe so that wee may say of them in this respect as the Lord of his people Esay 1.5 why should yee bee smitten any more yee will reuolt more and more But yet in the meane time others are kept in awe while these are soundly whipt before their eyes and the mischiefe of taking heart from a lewd example preuented Seuere executions are as much for terror to beholders as for smart to the Malefactors on whom they are done And there is a necessity of thundring against such sinners as are outragiously wicked and aptest by their contagious breath to infect more h 1 Tim. 5.20 that others may feare The feare of making a young theefe a compleate rogue deterres not the Magistrate from sending him to the Goale nor from whipping or burning him before the face of the country when hee is there And shall that which