The Fire of the Sanctuary Newly Uncovered, Title page 1 – Preface
ΓΝΩΣΩΘΕΩ
THE FIRE OF THE SANCTVARY newly vncouered, or A Complete Tract of Zeale. by C: Burges.
It is good to be Zealously affected alwayes in a good thinge. Galath: 4. 18.
THE FIRE OF THE SANCTVARIE newly vncouered, OR, A Compleat Tract of ZEALE.
By C. BVRGUS.
GALAT. 4.18.
It is good to bee zealouſly affected alwaies in a good thing.
LONDON, Printed by George Miller, and Richard Badger. 1625.
TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE WILLIAM, Earle of Pembroke, &c. Knight of the moſt Noble Order of the Garter; Lord Steward of his Maieſties Royall Houſhould and one of his moſt Honorable Priuy Councell.
MOst Noble Lord, if ſhaddowes could amaze the Wiſe, my Title-Page might giuegive offence. It ſpeakes of Fire: but ſuch as was made onelyonly to warme, not to burne any thing, vnles ſtubble. No man ſhall neede to call for Buckets to put it out, or Hookes to pull downe any liuing-houſe on whom it kindleth.
Here is no ground for an Vtopian Spirit to mould a new Common-Wealth: no warrant for Sedition to touch the Lords Annointed, ſo much as with her Tongue: no occaſion adminiſtred to Iſhmael to ſcoffe at Iſaack: no Salamanders lodge themſelues here.
But here is a Flame that will lick vp all angry Waſpes, and inflamed Tongues that preſumptuouſly and without feare, ſpeake euill of Dignities, and of things they vnderstand not; rayling on all not ſo free as themſelues to foame at the mouth, and to caſt their froth on all that are neere, without difference.
If any thinke I thought your Lordſhip a cold, becauſe I humbly offer you the cheefe place at my Fire, he ſhall doe mee much wrong; and your Lordſhip, much more. Men that are in greateſt vigour of bloud and ſpirits, count it no ſhame to creepe to a Fire at Winter; not becauſe Nature is defectiue; but oft-times their Imployments deny opportunity of getting heate, & keeping themſelues warme, by naturall agitation.
I bring not this as a Tutor; but as a Pupil, for Protection to preſerue this Fire from Quench-coale. Shall you vouchſafe me the honour of your Armes vponupon mine Alter, I ſhall bee confident that no man will dare to approach theſe harmeleſſe Flames with Spouts and Pailes.
It were a fault piacular to put your wiſedome (as the manner is) reade Your Selfe; I meane, to …ntertaine you with your owne Praiſes. It is enough to your Lordſhip, that you merit all that Nobleneſſe, Loyalty, Religion, and vntainted Honour can attend you with; although no Eccho do preſent her ſelf.
And let it bee enough to mee, that in the Generall, (for if I ſhould doe more, I ſhould bee thought by Some, rather to boaſt of fauours, then to acknowledge them,) I make bold to proclaime that the Honours you hauehave done, and ſtill doe to mee, muſt for euer oblige,
Your Lordſhips moſt humble and thankfull Seruitor C. BVRGES.
To Iudicious and vnpreiudiced Readers.
I HaueHave a Suite: Before you run through this Holy Fire, or giuegive my Booke the Peepers Cenſure, let me beſeech you to take this Apologetick Preface in your way that neither I nor you bee wronged or miſtaken by occaſion of ſome paſſages in this Treatiſe.
I confeſſe I hauehave entred vponupon a difficult Prouince in vndertaking this ſubiect, and aduentured almoſt beyond Hercules Pillar in proſecution of it. Others hauehave landed at the ſhore of this Terra del Fuego, and look't into it; but I hauehave Coasted it and made a rude Deſcription of eueryevery Part. If any pleaſe to make a new Suruey, and more exact diſcouery; It will be (as the Prouerbe ſaith) the better for vsus all.
I looked when Gray-hair'd Penſil ſhould hauehave drawne this Picture. But if other mens better Colours bee frozen, I hauehave now brought a Fire to thaw them, in hope that wee may once ſee ſome exquiſite Peece, from ſome Curious Limmer.
This Worke is intended to ſuppreſſe turbulencie and all extremities; and yet to preſſe vntounto Duty too.
Wonder not to finde me ſomewhat hot: I worke at the Fire. To write of Courage like a Coward, and of Fire as if one were frozen, deſerues the Baſtinado, and the Fire to boote. My ſpouting of Fire among the rude multitude, is but to make way for their betters.
He that will part afray, muſt not thinke to doe it with his Cap in his hand, but with a ſowre Club. And you know, if fire bee gotten vp into a Chymny; doe but ſhoote a Musket after it, and this will fetch it downe with a Powder.
My ſharpneſſe againſt ſome Democraticall Anti-Ceremonians, is not meant to weake Conſciences ioyned with pious, ſober, peaceable courſes. In ſome caſes, (if I may bee bold to ſpeake after the Apoſtle,) I know, that God would hauehave no man to bee iudged for hisaforeign. Rom. 14.1. doubting; ſo it bee onelyonly in ſmaller matters of opinion, wherein the Learned differ without blame, or ſchiſme.
But I ſpeake to ſuch as keepe a frantick Coyle about Ceremonies, and thinke they neuer take their leuell right, but when, with eueryevery bolt they ſhoot, they ſtrike a Biſhops Cap ſheere off his head; and yet are more fantaſticall, ignorant, proud, ſelfe-will'd, negligent and deceitfull in their particular Callings then many whom they deſpiſe and condemne to Hell for Carnall men, forſooth; as any obſeruing eye may eaſily diſcerne.
If any condemne mee of indiſcretion for writing ſo much of Diſcretion, and thinke me arrogant in this Attempt: know, that I am not yet ſo neere madneſſe as to take the height of Diſcretion by the Inſtrument of mine owne Braine. I …aue onelyonly collected ſuch ſcat…ered Rules as in the ſacred Scriptures, Venerable Antiquity, and mine owne obſeruation, I hauehave met withall, and put them vponupon one File together.
Touching the carriage of Zeale towards Princes, my Conſcience witneſſeth with mee in the ſight of God, that I hauehave ſpoken nothing but what in my iudgement, is the truth, without ſiniſter or baſe intents.
Nor doe I touch on that, preſuming to teach my Betters; but rather (as men vſe to doe when they go for Orders, or a Benifice,) to giuegive account. And yet I would teach withall; I meane the boyſterous Multitude who euer preferre the rough Channell before the temperate ſhore, and thinke no man preaches well in a Prince his Court, but he that is ſo fiery and rude, (plaine, they call it) as with his thunder ſhakes the very Houſe. And if hee caſt no Squibs in a Princes face, or preach not like a Priuy Councellor, they ſay hee hath no Holy Fire in him.
If men diſlike a Booke in this Age, their Cenſure is vſually this; It hath no Salt in it. A Diſcourſe of this Nature, ſhould hauehave Salt good ſtore, for all Sacrifices muſt be ſeaſoned with dMar. 9.49.Salt: ſo is this; but intended to Seaſon onelyonly, not to fret any vnleſſe by accident.
If any Graine chance to fall into a Chapt ſinger, the beſt way is, not to cry out; but to waſh it out, and ſay nothing: and no harme done.
A fire of this nature is at no time vnſeaſonable. With moſt men it is winter within doores, when it is Summer in the fields. Some are ſo hard frozen that they had need be ſet neere a good fire to thawe them; and when they are thawed, to heate them.
If any man therefore approach theſe flames, and complaines, they are too hot for the ſeaſon, the remedie againſt ſcorching of his ſhinnes is eaſy. Hee neede not put the fire out; but onelyonly ſit, or ſtand further off, and all will be well.
Thus hauehave you my Apology (if it bee one) as a ſmall skreene to hold betweene you and the fire if you thinke it too bigg, or too neere, and that it would heate you too much.
Valete, Calete.