raw customers; a bait of fraud, a net to
entrap; with malicious _Doegs_, to make it a stalking horse for revenge
against the Priest, thereby to discharge their gall at Ministers and
other Christians, for the omission and commission of such things, as
themselves care not for; with the _Strumpet_ in the Proverbs, to wipe
their mouthes, and frequent the Sacrifices, that they may be free from
suspicion.
All these evils, have I seene under the sunne-shine of the Gospell: but
by how much, zeale is more glorious then common profession, by so much
is dissembled fervency more detestable then usuall hypocrisie; yea, no
better then divellish villany & double iniquity: such painted walles and
whited sepulchers, the Lord will breake downe. Let all _Timothies_ &
_Nathanaels_ learne to descry them, and discard them: The cure of this
was deepely forelayd by Christ; _I counsell thee to buy gold tried in
the fire_: all is not gold that glistereth, an image of faith breeds but
a shew of zeale; many seemed to trust in Christ, but Christ would not
trust them: but such faith as will abide the fire, brings foorth zeale
that will abide the touch-stone.
[Sidenote: [Greek: kakozelia].]
The second is erroneous or blinde zeale, not according to knowledge,
Rom. 10. I beare many devout Papists witnesse (though I feare the
learnedst of them be selfe-condemned) that they have this zeale,
perswading themselves they doe God best service, when they please
the Divell most in their will-worship. The same witnesse I
beare many _Seperatists_; though I feare most of them be sicke of
selfe-conceitednesse, newfanglenesse, and desire of mastership: for who
would not suspect such zeale, which condemnes all reformed Churches,
and refuseth communion with such as they themselves confesse to bee
Christians, and consequentely such as have communion with Christ? It
would greeve a man indeede, to see zeale misplaced, like mettle in a
blinde horse; to see men take such paines, and yet fall into the pit.
This made _Paul_ to wish himselfe _Anathema_, for the sake of such; and
yet the multitude and common people, reason thus; Is it possible but
these men have the right? But alas, how should it bee otherwise, when a
blinde company will follow a blinde sect-master; This being one property
of blinde zeale, a fond admiration and apish imitation of some person,
for some excellency they see in him, which so dazles their eyes, that
they cannot discerne their errours and infi
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