Directions for weak distempered Christians, to grow up to a confirmed state of grace…

2. But the weak Christian either hearkeneth too much to carnal wisdom, which suppresseth his zeal, and maketh him too heavy and dull and indifferent in many of his duties, and the concernments of his soul; permitting the world to take up too much of the vigour of his spirit; Or else he is confident in his mistakes, and verily thinks that he understandeth better than many wiser men, these things which he never understood at all. He chooseth his party by the Zeal that he findeth in them without any judicious trial of the truth of what they hold and teach: He is very earnest for many a supposed truth and duty, which proveth at last to be no truth or duty at all: And he censureth many a wiser Christian than himself, for many a supposed sin which is no sin, but perhaps a duty. For he is always injudicious, and his heat is greater than his light (or else his light is too flashy without heat:) Peremptorily he doth set down some among the number of the most wise and excellent men, for keeping him company in his mistakes: And he boldly numbereth the best and wisest of his Teachers with the transgressors, for being of a sounder understanding than himself, and doing those duties which he calleth sins: And hence it is that he is a person apt to be mislead, by appearances of Zeal; and the Passions of his Teachers prevail more with him than the Evidence of Truth. He that Prayeth and Preacheth most fervently is the man that carrieth him away, though none of his Arguments be truly cogent. If he hear any hard name against any opinion or manner of worship, he receiveth that prejudice which turneth ⟨p. 126⟩him more against it, than reason could have done: so the bug-bear name of Heresy, Lutheranism and Calvinism frightneth many a well-meaning Papist both from the Truth and almost from his wits: And the names of Popery, Arminianism, Prelacy, Presbyterianism, Independency, &c. do turn away the hearts of many, from things which they never tried or understood: If a zealous Preacher do but call any opinion or practice Antichristian, or Idolatrous, it is a more effectual terror than the clearest proof. Big and terrible words do move the passions, while the understanding is abased, or a stranger to the cause; And Passion is much of their Religion. And hence, alas, is much of the calamity of the Church: Rom. 14.1, 2, 3, 4, &c. 1 Cor. 3.1, 2, 3, 4