The Fire of the Sanctuary Newly Uncovered, Chapter 6
CHAP. VI. Of the Qualification of Zeale.
IN eueryevery created being there is a Subſtance, and there are Accidents: among which, the chiefe are, Qualities: EueryEvery 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 hauehave 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 giuegive 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, onelyonly 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 hauehave 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 a2 Cor. 5.20.Chriſt: they therefore muſt take vponupon them all that boldneſſe which becomes the ſeruants of ſo Great a Lord, ſo oft as they hauehave 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 bEzeck. 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 cEzek 3.8.9flint.
God doth not onelyonly charge his ſeruants to bee ſtout and bold in his ſeruice, but alſo workes an holy boldneſſe in them when he ſendeth themdGreg. Mag. hom. 10. in Ezek. Ille enim eſſe veritatis defenſor debet, qui quod rectè ſentit, loqui nec metuit, nec erubeſcit. out. He onelyonly 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. ToeErubeſcere 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 fIſay 58.1.trumpet.
He doth not onelyonly bid him ſpeake, but crie, cry out aloud, euen with a full throate, as the Hebrew wordgforeign. ſignifieth; (And he had need of a wide throate indeed, that ſhall vndertake ſome men:) He muſt go boldly to worke, fearing nohApertè 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. HeeiCyril. 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, ſaithkQuanquam 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. EueryEvery man cannot ſpeake like thunder; but eueryevery 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 coldly, but with ſharpneſſe and ſeueritie, reproouing ſuch as flatter themſelues in their owne deuices; not obſcurely, and in riddles, but ſo plainly as all may vnderſtand: as Oecolompadius noteth vponupon this place.
Pauls charge to Titus is in effect no leſſe, when hee biddeth him rebuke with all lTit. 2.15.authoritie. It behoues a Miniſter to do his dutie, not ſluggiſhly and remiſly, or with any feare; but to teach, and thunder out reproofes freely, when need requireth, ſaithmTheod. in hunc loc Oportet eum no ignauè ac remiſsè nec cum vlla timiditate hoc facere; ſed cum libertate docere & increpare vbi opus eſt. Theodoret.
There are ſome ſins quothnChryſoſt. hom. 5. in Tit. foreign, &c. foreign. Chryſoſtome, which muſt be expreſſed, euen with a kinde of commanding authoritie? The Adulterer, the Fornicator, the couetous Mammoniſt muſt thus bee handled. Nor doth the Apoſtle ſay ſimply, rebuke with authoritie, but, with all authority: to ſhew that he would hauehave Titus to exerciſe authority ouer theſe, with libertie and freedome.
To Precepts of this kind, we may adde a cloud of witneſſes. The time would faile me to tell of Phinehas, Eliah, Michaiah, Nehemiah, Ieremiah, and all the ſeruants of God of old, of whoſe ſeruice in this kinde done vponupon rebellious ſinners, himſelfe ſaith,*Hoſ. 6.5. I hauehave hewen them by the Prophets: I hauehave ſlaine them by the words of my mouth.
What boldneſſe our Lord himſelf vſed towards the Phariſies and others, when need required, the holy Euangeliſts plentifully ſhew. How oft did hee rebuke the Phariſies to their heads, charging them with dunſticall blindneſſe, deepe and curſed hypocriſie; denouncing many woes againſt them; calling them, hypocrites, a generation of Vipers, children of hell, and of the Diuell.
Zealous Paule was neuer more mad in perſecuting the Church from Chriſt, then after his conuerſion, hee was bold and fierce in a godly māner, againſt all that would ſeeke to turne men frō Chriſt. Obſerue his carriage towards Elimas the Sorcerer, labouring to turne Sergius Paulus, Deputie of Paphos, from the oActs 13.faith.
The Text noteth of Paul that he was filled with the holy Ghoſt; Verſe 9.(meaning with zeale, euen as a veſſell filled with ſtrong liquor, till it be readie to burſt againe:) that he ſet his eyes vponupon him, with ſo much fierceneſſe, (as if hee meant to run through him.) And then after this lightning he addeth that terrible thunder;Verſe 10. O full of all ſubtiltie and miſchiefe, thou child of the diuell, thou enemie of all righteouſneſſe, wilt thou not ceaſſe to peruert the right wayes of the Lord?
Nor was he thus full of the Spirit of the Lord, and of iudgement, to declare vntounto curſed Elimas his tranſgreſſions onelyonly, but euen to reproue Peter himſelfe; withſtanding him to the face, and blaming him before a great multitude of Peters owne Diſciples, when hee ſaw and found that he walked not vprightly according to the truth of the pGal. 2.10. Baronius withſtands Paul as ſtifly, as Paul doth Peter: and dares maintaine that Peter was not to bee blamed. Annal. tom. 1. Anno Chri. 51 num 39. And in his Index to that Tome, it is ſaid of Peter, Ab omni culpa redditur immunu in contentione quam habuit cum Paulo. Meaning in that diſcourſe in the place before cited.Goſpell.
Indeed I confeſſe that S. Paul did cunningly watch his time to do it, when none of the Colledge of Cardinals could be by to reſiſt him. But yet for all this, it was well for Paul that he died before Baronius liued; or elſe the Cardinall would hauehave ſchooled him, and taught him better manners; although it ſhould hauehave bene with putting the lie vponupon the holy Ghoſt himſelfe, for being ſo bold with their god Peter.
It was the reſolution of an Heathen Diuine;qSeneca. Audebo peccanti mala ſua oſtendere; vitia eius, ſi non excidero, inhibebe. I will be ſo bold to tell an offender his faults; if I lop not his vices, I will yet inhihite them. And ſhall this bee thought too much for a Chriſtian, and a Diuine too, to attempt?
If thou louelove the Lord Ieſus with all thine heart, ſaith deuout S. Bernard rSup. Cant. Ser. 44 Etenim ſi amas Dominum Ieſum toto corde, nunquid ſi videris eius iniurias contemptum que ferre vllatenus aequo animo poteru… &c.; canſt thou poſſibly beare the iniuries and contempts put vponupon him with any patience? wilt thou not rather, as one rapt with the ſpirit of reuenge & heate, and like a mightie man that ſhouteth by reaſon of wine, beſtirre thy ſelfe, and ſay with Dauid; Pſal. 119.139My zeale hath conſumed me, becauſe mine enemies hauehave forgotten thy word.
Good Dauid, if he eſpied any that were enemies to God, hee would neuer make daintie vponupon any politique reſpects to proclaime himſelfe an enemie to them. Do not I, ſaith he, hate them, ô Lord, that hate thee, Pſal. 139.and am not I grieued with thoſe that riſe vp againſt thee? Yea I hate them with a perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies.
As if hee ſhould ſay, ſaithſHom. 9. in Ezek. Penſa quantum te diligo, qui tuorum hoſtiū contra me excitare inimicitias non pertimeſco, &c. Gregorie; Conſider ô Lord how much I louelove thee, that am not afraid for thy ſake to ſtirre vp all the emnitie of thine enemies againſt my ſelfe, by hating them for hating thee. And is it now the part of a foole to do the like?
If we more ſeriouſly think on this dutie, Who, or what ſhould hinder any ſeruant of God from ſuch a boldneſſe? Good men, they will not diſlike, but praiſe him for it. Wicked men themſelues louelove to ſee the whip cling cloſe to other mens backs: and can applaud, oft times, that boldneſſe which draweth bloud at eueryevery ſtroake, ſo themſelues bee not touched.
This conuinceth the world that boldneſſe of it ſelfe is good, and would be reliſhed of all, if ſome were not too bad. It is onelyonly mens badneſſe that maketh boldneſſe bad. Corrupt ſtomacks turne the beſt meate into ill humours. The Cooke cannot helpe this, but the Phyſitian.
As for ſuch as without cauſe take offence hereat, why ſhould they be feared? What, for their power of hurting? Nay: God will protect his ſeruants, till they hauehave done their worke, from all the fat bulls of Baſan, be their necks neuer ſo ſtrong; their rage and furie, neuer ſo great. Witneſſe his protection of Eliah from Iezabel; of Chriſt, and the Apoſtles, from the bloudie Phariſies, and ſo of all his ſeruants, till his counſell was fulfilled, and their taske performed.
Till then, there is no way to let in enemies vponupon a man, but by his owne cowardiſe. If he ſtand it out, he is ſafe; if he yeeld, he periſheth. That of the Lord totIer. 1. Ieremie is a pregnant proofe of this ſeeming Paradox.
When the Lord ſent 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 vntounto them all that I command thee: be not diſmayed at their faces, leſt I confound thee before them.
Verſe 18.For behold I hauehave 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 notuGreg. 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 vsus, we ſeeke onelyonly our ſelues, not God.xGreg. moral. lib. 2…. 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 eueryevery 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; yIer. 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 cōmended for Cowards? Cowards for the truth? Cowards for Gods truth? O damnable ſheepiſhneſſe! Such dull Aſſes zExod. 13.13.deſerue rather to hauehave 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,aLuk. 12.4. and vowed to turne ſuch white-liuer'd Chriſtians out among doggs andbReu. 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 andcLuk 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 vponupon 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 giuegive 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 bedReu 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 hauehave 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, cIoh. 8.…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 eueryevery thing runs round. And they that hauehave changed piety for pollicy, God for gould, can eaſily giuegive 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 diſgracedf1 Cor. 4.3. Grace.
To ſuch let vsus anſwer with the Apoſtle,g2 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 louelove of Chriſt conſtreyneth vsus. 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,h1 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 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 vsus that are men, ſaith Saint Auſtin, iDe Correp. & Grae. cap. vlt. vi…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. AndkSi 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:l2 King. 10.16. ſo alſo the Phariſees: they did all their workes to be ſeene mMat. 23.5.of men, and therefore this is all they hauehave 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 nMat. 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 themoMat. 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 pTit. 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 asqSenec. 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.rExod. 32.19. Num. 16.15 Saint Paul, ye will thinke, was moued indeed, when he called the vniuſt hypocriticall high Prieſt, a painted ſAct. 23.3. Vide Caluin in hunc locum.wall. Yea Chriſt himſelfe was angry at the Iewes, when he ſaw thetMar. 3.5. hardneſſe of their hearts. And ſuch anger at wrong done vntounto 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 onelyonly allow, but ſtrictly charge him to rebuke ſome perſonsuTit. 2.13. ſharpely.
A man may louelove when he ſeemes to be angry; as well as hate when he ſeemeth to louelove. AndxAuguſt. de v…rb. dom. ſer, 16 Vſque adeo non omnis qui iraſcitur o…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 diſputatiō, had caſt ſome water vponupon the tumultuous feruor of ſome contentious ſpirits, he withal ſolemnely proteſted, that he was neuer of that numberyGreg. Naz. Orat. de moderat. in diſp…t. Seruand…. foreign. 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 condēned only ſuch fiery tēpers 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 cōdemn 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 conſt…tudine in dicandi etiam de bonis quod malum est ſuſpicemur. Aug. Ser. de Temp 202. Calian in Iob. 32.2. conc. … 119. Quid primū nobis ex hoc loco diſcendū eſt? Primum non omnem iram condē nandam eſſe: Quum vide mus aliquem iraſci▪ & excādeſcere, id non ſemper vitio imputandum eſſe; vt videas contemptores dei qui dicant, Numquid vero ſic tumu tu an…ū? Numquid ſic iraſcen…ū eſt? nonne placida & quicta ratione agi poteſt? &c. vide locum.
If their outward heat proceed from any falſe fire, God and their owne hearts onelyonly are priuy to that; and they ſtand or fall to their owne Maſter. In this caſe it is ſafeſt to iudge nothing before the time, If wee obſerue in ſuch men a conſtancy of temper againſt all ſinne, as well as againſt any, eſpecialy in themſelues, as well as in others: it were breach of iuſtice to deny them the praiſe of true zealous men.
To conclu…e this caution, and this point. We may bee angry, ſo we ſinne not. And if our anger bee onelyonly againſt ſinne, we ſinne not to be angry. The rule of Gregory zGreg. Mag. moral 6. In correctione vitiorum ſubeſſe debet tracundia nō praeſſe, vt executionem iustitiae do minando non praeueniat, ſed ſtimulan do ſubſequatur.in this caſe is excellent. In the puniſhment of ſinne, anger muſt not rule, but ſerue; that it may not run before Iuſtice as a furious Lord to preuent it; but come behinde as an humble Seruant to excite and ſtirre it vp to a due execution.