The zealous Christian taking heavenThe zealovs Christian taking heaven

7 One that hath this heady violence is most busied with controversials and circumstantials in religion. Thus Saul was violent against the eating of the blood of the sacrifices, yet made no conscience of shedding the blood of fourscore and five of the Priests of the Lord: But an holy violence makes a man conversant in the practicals of Christianity, Tit. 2. 14. The people ¹of God are a people zealous of good works. There was less of the power of religion in those times wherein the Schoolmen most flourished, and the heat of mens spirits was spent in curious and frivolous speculations; while they that should have instructed the people turned disputants, the poor multitude became Atheists. It was an heady violence betwixt the Eastern and Western Churches touching the time of the observation of Easter, when many other truths of God that lay a bleeding were neglected, and they did not contend earnestly for many of the doctrines of faith that was once delivered to the Saints. So many men among us spend all their time about notions and disputes, and this hath proved a very canker ⟨p. 43⟩to eat out the power of godliness. In the City of Megara there was a great contention between two men which of them should stand in the shadow of an ass upon a Sun-shine day. Such was the violence of Paul before his conversion, Gal. 1. 14. He was exceedingly zealous for the traditions ²of his fathers.

7 One that hath this heady violence is most busied with controversials and circumstantials in religion. Thus Saul was violent against the eating of the blood of the sacrifices, yet made no conscience of shedding the blood of fourscore and five of the Priests of the Lord: But an holy violence makes a man conversant in the practicals of Christianity, Tit. 2. 14. The people ¹of God are a people zealous of good workes. There was lesse of the power of religion in those times wherein the Schoolmen most flourished, and the heat of mens spirits was spent in curious and frivolous speculations; while they that should have instructed the people turn'd disputants, the poor multitude became Atheists. It was an heady violence betwixt the Eastern and Western Churches touching the time of the observation of Easter, when many other truths of God that lay a bleeding were neglected, and they did not contend earnestly for many of the doctrines of faith that was once delivered to the Saints. So many men among us spend all their time about notions and disputes, and this hath proved a very canker