Four godly and fruitful sermons two preached at Drayton in Oxford-shire, at a fast,…Foure godlie and fruitful sermons two preached at Draiton in Oxford-shire, at a fast,…

First,¹ therefore touching the matter about which this holy zeal is to be exercised, it must be good: according to the saying of the Apostle: It is good always to ⟨p. 86⟩§1be zealous in [a good matter:] ²and it was before showed, that Gods people must be zealous of [good works:] otherwise,³ if the matter be evil, the more earnest any is, the more sinful: neither is such earnestness worthy the name of zeal, being nothing else but a devilish and fleshly heat, or rather a kind of frenzy and madness. Such was the zeal of Idolaters that would mangle and cut themselves, and that would offer their children in the fire in honour unto their gods. Such was the zeal of the Scribes and Pharisees, ⁴who would compass sea and land to make one a Proselyte: that is, one of their own sect.

First,¹ therefore touching the matter about which this holy zeale is to be exercised, it must be good: according to the saying of the Apostle: It is good alwaies to ⟨p. 86⟩§1be zealous in [a good matter:] ²and it was before shewed, that Gods people must be zealous of [good workes:] otherwise,³ if the matter be euill, the more earnest any is, the more sinfull: neither is such earnestnesse worthy the name of zeale, being nothing else but a diuellish and fleshly heate, or rather a kinde of frenzie and madnesse. Such was the zeale of Idolaters that would mangle and cut themselues, and that would offer their children in the fire in honour vnto their gods. Such was the zeale of the Scribes and Pharises,