Exposition of Romans 8-11, Chapter 10 · Verse 2
VERSE 2. For I beare them record, that they hauehave a zeale of God, but not according to knowledge.
THis verſe hath not a reaſon of Pauls louelove from the procreant cauſe of it: for the zeale of the Iewes did not make Paul louelove them: for in this zeale they crucified Chriſt, perſecuted the Goſpell: and Saint Paul cals this zeale in himſelfe, blaſphemie, and therefore Paul would neuer commend it. Indeede if I ſee a Papiſt zealous in his way, I pitie him, and wiſh his zeale were wel directed, but I commend not his zeale. When I read the Story of Alexander, Cicero, &c. I louelove their remembrance for ſome moralities in them, as Chriſt loued that Y…ng man in the Goſpell: but this zeale of the Iewes was no moralitie, being conſidered in the manner in which they were zealous. And therefore though Paul grant it, yet as Chryſoſtome obſerues, he reproues it vehemently and takes away all Apology from them.
Here then (I take it) the Apoſtle comes directly to point, to ſhew that Iuſtification by Faith aboliſheth not the Law, though their zeale bee caſt away; becauſe it was not according to knowledge: Paul here notably in the firſt place, beating downe (as was fit) the admiration and opinion they had of their zealous obſeruations.
In this verſe there are two things. Firſt, a Conceſſion. Paul grants that they hauehave the zeale of God. Secondly, an Accuſation or Reproofe of their zeale: But not according to knowledge.
The zeale of God. The earneſt ſtudy of the Iewes about the worſhip of the true God, and ſtanding for Moſes Law, Paul calls zeale, Heb. 10.27.which is a vehement affection, as a very hote fire is called the zeale of fire, and may thus be deſcribed: that it is an exceeding vehement affection or louelove to a thing, with an indignation againſt whatſoeuer doth hurt the thing beloued, and an endeuor to redeeme it from all iniuries and wrongs.
Zeale of God. Not as approued of God; but ſo called, becauſe God was the end or obiect of it, though they failed in the right way: ſo as this is to be vnderſtood comparatiuely, in reſpect of the Heathen who are zealous for falſe gods. So if we compare the Turkes, and Papiſts; The Turkes are zealous for Mahomet. The Papiſts in compariſon for Chriſt.
Not according to knowledge. It was according to their owne conceiued knowledge; but not according to the knowledge they ſhould hauehave had by the Goſpel: and for this doth Paul reproue it. The more of ſuch zeale, the worſe.
doctrine Zeale, if it be not according to knowledge, is not acceptable to God: The Iewes are a plaine example hereof. See alſo Eccleſ. 7.18.
Q. Can a man hauehave too much zeale?
A. Not of true, but of ſelfe-conceited: A little of this is too much. For whatſoeuer is without Faith, is ſinne: Faith preſuppoſeth knowledge: Errour in knowledge, breeds errour in zeale.
Ʋſe 1.A good meaning will not iuſtifie our actions, (if otherwiſe euill) as appeares in the Iewes, who many of them meant well in perſecuting the Goſpell; but they are to this day plagued for ſuch zealous meanings. Let vsus meane neuer ſo well; if that which we doe, be not according to Gods meaning, hee regards it not, who hath giuen his Law, not our meanings to be a rule of our obedience.
If a Wife play the Harlot, and ſay ſhe meant no harme, will this ſatisfie her Husband? And ſhall wee thinke, to worſhip Images, pray to Saints, ſtay at home on the Sabbath day, when we may conueniently reſort to the Church, vnderunder the ſhadow of a good meaning? No. God will not accept of ſuch bald excuſes.
And if good meaning will not excuſe ill doing; What ſhall we ſay to them which doe ill, and meane ill too? What ſhall become of Drunkards, Blaſphemers, Vncleane perſons, &c. What good meaning can be in them?
Vſe 2.Here we hauehave a rule for the ordering of our zeale, that it may be acceptable to God. For it is ſuch a thing, which if it be well ordered, is moſt beautifull in a Chriſtian; but if not, a thing of exceeding danger: as Fire in moderation is moſt comfortable, in extremitie moſt fearefull.
This Rule is ſound knowledge out of Gods Word.
This knowledge muſt be three-fold. Firſt, of the thing of the which we are zealous, that it be in the Right. For if wee be in the wrong, the more zeale, the worſe; as in a wrong way, the more haſte the worſe ſpeed. Exod. 40.36,37.Therefore Saint Paul tels the Galathians, that it is good to be zealous alwaies in a good thing.
2. Of the wrong which is done to the thing we are zealous of: that in deed, there be a wrong done, not going vponupon heareſay and aduenture, but vponupon certainty, being able out of the Word, ſoundly to conuince the ſame. For here is the indignation; and if there be not ſound knowledge, we may become ſlanderers of our brethren; and (as they ſay) beat them with the ſword, who deſerue not to be touched with the ſcabberd.
3. That wee hauehave ſome competent knowledge and abilitie, thereby to iudge of the proportion of the wrong, for the which we hauehave indignation in our zeale, that ſo our zeale may hauehave a good temper. For all ſinnes, offences, & wrongs are not of the ſame quantitie, and qualitie. As there is a difference in offences, ſo muſt there bee in our zeale; in greater things to be more zealous, in leſſer things, leſſe zealous: wee muſt remember it is of the Nature of fire: There is not the like fire, for the roaſting of an Egge, and for the roaſting of an Oxe: but it is moderated, according to the neceſſities of the houſhold.
By this three-fold knowledge muſt our zeale be directed, where the Word begins, there muſt our zeale beginne, and where the Word ends, there muſt our zeale end, whatſoeuer our opinion be. For as he that trauelleth ouer the Waſhes, or in ſome dangerous paſſage, without a guide, many times periſheth: So is the man that is zealous, not according to knowledge. As therefore in the wilderneſſe when the cloud aſcended, the children of Iſrael ſet forward in their iourneyes: and when that ſtood ſtill, ſo did they: And if the cloud aſcended not, then they iourneyed not till it aſcended. Exod. 40.36,37So is our zeale alwaies to follow our knowledge, and to be directed therby.
There are two forts of men, hereby to be apprehended. 1. They which hauehave a deſect not of zeale, but of knowledge, for the ground of their zeale. 2. They which hauehave a defect not of knowledge, but of zeale anſwerable to their knowledge. Of the 1. of theſe may be verified the Prouerbe. They ſet the Cart before the Horſe. The ſecond may bee likened to Pharaohs Chariots, when the wheeles were off: ſo ſlowly doe they expreſſe their knowledge in their liues. The firſt are like a little ſhip without ballaſt & fraught, but with a great many ſailes; which is ſoone either daſht againſt the Rockes, or toppled ouer; The ſecond, are like a goodly great Ship well ballaſted, and richly fraughted, but without any ſayles, which quickly falleth into the hands of Pyrats, becauſe it can make no ſpeed; ſooner making a prey for them, then a good Voyage for the Merchant.
Separate zeale and knowledge, and they become both vnprofitable: but wiſely ioyne them, and they perfect a Chriſtian, being like a precious Diamond in a ring of Gold. Let not zeale outrunne knowledge or lagge behinde it; but let it ad aequale agree, going hand in hand with the ſame. For euen as in an Inſtrument of Muſike there is a proportion of ſound, wherein is the harmony, beyond which, if any ſtring be ſtrained, it makes a ſqueaking noyſe; and if it bee not ſtrained enough, it yeelds a clagging, dull and vnpleaſant ſound. So is it in our zeale, if it bee either more or leſſe then our knowledge.
Among the firſt ſort of theſe men which hauehave zeale, not according to knowledge, are to be placed the Iewes, and wee may iuſtly put the Papiſts, whoſe zeale for their many groundleſſe deuices, hath made them bloudy perſecutors of the Goſpell: Likewiſe the Browniſts, whoſe immoderate zeale without warrant, hath made them moſt vncharitable Cenſurers of all the famous Churches in Chriſtendome.
Among the other ſort which hauehave knowledge vvithout zeale, are our Dullerds in Religion, who are like a reſty horſe, that hath metall and ſtrength, but will not goe forward. Bee zealous and amend; the example of Laodicea were enough to prouoke vsus. Apoc. 3.19.It is the end of thy Redemption: and a very pitifull thing, to be a man in knowledge, and a beaſt in life. Zeale without knowledge, profits not; ſo knowledge without zeale condemnes. How farre art thou from the zeale of Phinees, Dauid, Elias, &c? Thou canſt be zealous and hote in thine owne cauſes: thou canſt follow thy pleaſures with Eſau, till thou faint. Thou wilt ſpend twenty pound, but thou wilt hauehave thy wil of thy neighbour. Alas, what wilt thou anſwere to God? When notwithſtanding all thy knowledge, thou neither haſt indignation againſt ſinne: Nor art any way carefull to honour God, according to his Word.