5 The nature of true zeal is set down, Heb. 10. where the Apostle heavily threateneth them, that willingly give over themselves to sin; there is named in the proper tongue the zeal of fire. For as fire is not without heat, so zeal is hot, & cannot long be holden in. It is set down by the contrary, Reu. 3. when after the Church of Laodicea for her lukewarmness, is threatened to be spued out of the Lord his mouth, it is added, be zealous and amend: where we see zeal to be opposed to lukewarmness, which is too temperate an heat for the profession of the Gospel. Again, I. Cor. 14. 1. that which in our common translation we read, Follow after love, & covet spiritual gifts, &c. the natural text hath, Be zealous after the more excellent gifts. And Rom. 12. Be fervent in spirit. i. let God his spirit kindle in you a fire which may flame out of you. Now there are divers kinds of zeal, as the zeal of the world, of the flesh, of false religion, according to the world. And every man is eaten, spent, & consumed with some kind of zeal, which must shame us if we have not the true zeal, for that this zeal leaveth in us some advantage and recompense, which the world, and carnal men1 have not. For when they have spent & set on tilt all the strength of their bodies, & powers of their minds, they have no gain but torment of conscience, whereas the godly being spent in a good cause, have that repaired in the inner man, which is consumed in the outward. Now2 to know what that true zeal is, as near as by properties we may describe it, we must first understand, that it is grounded on knowledge. For if our zeal be not according to knowledge,3 much like to the zeal of them spoken of, Rom. 11. we may come to persecute the Trueth, and think we do very well. Our zeal must begin where the word begins: & end where the word ends, that in all things it be proportionable to the word. Our Saviour Christ4 rebuketh the Pharisees, for straining out a gnat, & swallowing up a Camel: for tithing cummin▪seed and mint, and for pretermitting the weightier matters of the Law, wherein they bewrayed a rotten zeal, in that they were careful in the less, and careless in the greater points. So now a days many rather desiring to be counted zealous then to be zealous; for a ceremony5 will be as hot as may be, and yet in more principal points of religion they are as cold as can be:
5 The nature of true zeale is set downe, Heb. 10. where the Apostle heauily threatneth them, that willingly giue ouer thēselues to sinne; there is named in the proper tongue the zeale of fire. For as fire is not without heate, so zeale is hot, & cannot long be holden in. It is set downe by the contrary, Reu. 3. when after the Church of Laodicea for her lukewarmnes, is threatned to be spued out of the Lord his mouth, it is added, be zealous and amend: where we see zeale to be opposed to lukewarmnes, which is too temperate an heate for the profession of the Gospell. Againe, I. Cor. 14. 1. that which in our common translation we reade, Follow after loue, & couet spirituall gifts, &c. the naturall text hath, Be zealous after the more excellent gifts. And Rom. 12. Be feruent in spirit. i. let God his spirite kindle in you a fire which may flame out of you. Now there are diuers kinds of zeale, as the zeale of the world, of the flesh, of false religion, according to the world. And euery man is eaten, spent, & consumed with some kind of zeale, which must shame vs if we haue not the true zeale, for that this zeale leaueth in vs some aduantage and recompēce, which the world, and carnall men1 haue not. For when they haue spent & set on tilt all the strength of their bodies, & powers of their minds, they haue no gaine but torment of consciēce, wheras the godly being spent in a good cause, haue that repaired in the inner mā, which is cōsumed in the outward. Now2 to know what that true zeale is, as neere as by properties we may describe it, wee must first vnderstand, that it is grounded on knowledge. For if our zeale be not according to knowledge,3 much like to the zeale of them spoken of, Rom. 11. wee may come to persecute the Trueth, and thinke we do very welll. Our zeale must begin where the word begins: & end where the word ends, that in all things it be proportionable to the word. Our Sauior Christ4 rebuketh the Pharisies, for straining out a gnat, & swallowing vp a Camel: for tithing cummin▪seed and mint, and for pretermitting the weightier matters of the Law, wherein they bewrayed a rotten zeale, in that they were carefull in the lesse, and carelesse in the greater points. So now a dayes many rather desiring to be counted zealous then to be zealous; for a ceremonie
- 1Note.
- 2Properties of true zeal.Properties of true zeale.
- 31
- 42
- 5Zealous in a ceremony, in principal points as cold as ice.Zealous in a ceremonie, in principall points as cold as ice.
