Serm. he Danger of Zeal, without Knowledge. 20 3 II. Place to thew by what Marks and Chara5ters we may know the contrary Zeal, that which is not according to knowledge, which is condemned here in the Text, and very frequently in other Places of Scripture : And tho' this may be fufflciently knownby the contrary Marks and Properties (whiçh I [hall but briefly mention) yet to difcover it more fully, I !hall add One or Two more very grofs and fenfible Signs and Inftances of it. a. It is a zeal without knowledge, that is miftaken in the proper Obje& of it, that calls good evil, and evil good; a Zeal for grofs Errors and Superftitions, plain- ly contrary eitherto the revelationof God's Word, or the light of Reafon, or to common Senfe ; anyor all of thefe cannot be a zeal according to knowledge. A Zeal for the Worthipof Images, for praying to Saints and Angels, contrary to the plain Law and Word of God; a Zeal for the facrilegious depriving of the People of half the Sacrament, contrary to our Saviour's plain Inflitution, and the ac- knowledged Pra&ice of the Catholick Church, for a thoufand years ; a Zeal for that molt abfurdof all Do&rines that ever was taught in any Religion, I mean the Dottrinle of Tranfubflantiation, not only without any fufficient Authority from Scripture (as is acknowledged by feveral of the moft learnedofthe RomanChurch) but contrary to Reafon, and in defiance of the Senfe of all Mankind ; a Zeal for thefe, and many morelikegrofs Errors and Pra&ices, cannot'poflìbly be, a zeal ac- cording to knowledge. 2. That is a zeal without knowledge, the degree whereof is manifeftly difpro- portion'd to the Good or Evil of things about which it is Converfant; when there is in Men a greater and fiercer Zeal for the Externals of Religion; than for the Vi- tal and ElTential Parts of it : for the Traditions ofmen; than for the Command- ments of God : for Bodily Severities.; than for the Mortification of our Lufts : for the Means of Religion than for the End of it : a greater Zeal againft the 0- miffion and Negle& of tome fenfelefs 'and fuperftitious Pra&ices ; than againft the Pra&ice of the groffeft Immoralities : and againft the Denyers of the Do&rines of Tranfubftantiation, and of the Pope's Infallibility, an equal, if not agreater Zeal (Iam fure a more fevereProfecution) than againft thofe who deny our Saviour to be the true .Meffìas, and theSon of God : Thiscertainly is not a zeal according to. knowledge. Nor, That which is profecuted by unlawful and unwarrantable Means. That cannot bea zeal of God according toknowledge, which warrants the doingofEvil, that Good may come; the violating of Truth and Faith, and of the Peace of Hu- mane Society, for the Caufe ofthe Catholick Church; and breakingthe eternal and immutable Laws ofGod, for the advancing of his Glory. Nor, ç. An uncharitable Zeal, which is an Enemy to Peace and Order, and thinks it felf fufficìently warranted to feparate from, the Communion of Chriftians, and to break thePeace of the Church, upon every fcruple, and uponevery fancy and conceit of unlawful Impofitions, tho' in the moft indifferent things; nay upon this finglePoint, becaxsfe a thing which they acknowledge lawful, , and indifferent in it felf, is in the worfhip of God enjoyned by Authority; The moll unreafonable Principle that I think ever was avowed among Chriftians ; not to do a thing, which otherwife they might do, only becaufe it is enjoyned ; and to fancy, that an in- different thing becomes prefently unlawful, becaufe it, is commanded by lawful Authority; and that it is a Sin to do any thing, in the Worfhip of God., which. is not left to their Liberty, whether they will do it or not. This is not only d Zeal without knowledge ; but contrary to common Senfe. Nor, 5. AFurious and Cruel Zeal, which St. games calls a hitter, or d wrathful Zeal, and which tends to confufson and every evil work, which is blindwith its own rage, and makes Men, as St. Paul fays of himfelf, when he perfecuted the Chriftians, exceedingly mad againft all that differ from them, and Rand in the way oftheir fierce and outragousZeal. 6. And lafily, A Zeal for ignorance, is moft certainly not a zeal according to knowledge ; and this is a Zeal peculiar to the Church ofRome, by fuch ftri&Laws to forbid People the ufe of the HolyScriptures in a known Tongue,; nay not fo much as to allow them to underftand what they do in the Service of God ; to re- D d 2 quire
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