it is the property of fire that comes from above, to spare the yeelding sheath, and melt the resisting mettall, to passe by the lower roofes, and strike the towred pinacle, as Nathan, David; Elias, Ahab; John, Herod; Jonas, Ninivie; &c. Note also in all their proceeding with others, in steede of wholesome severity (which rightly zealous men never come unto but by compulsion, and not without compassion of the offender, weeping with Moses and Samuel over the people, beeing sory with the Emperour, that they know how to write sentences of condemnation) These delight in cruelty, the brand of the Malignant Church; feede their eyes with Massacres, as the Queene-mother.  No diet so pleasing to these ravening wolves, as the warme blood of the sheepe.  These are they that cry fire and fagot, away with them, not worthy to live, their very mercies are cruelty:  especially in their owne cause, they heat the fornace seaven times hotter then in Gods.

[Sidenote:  7 Variable and inconstant.]

Lastly, these Meteors and Vapours have no constant light, or continued heat (as the fixed starres ever like themselves) but have onely their aguish fits, & lunatick moods; sometimes in adversity they are good under the rod, as Pharaoh, againe in prosperity like the fat kine of Bashan, ingratefull and forgetfull:  sometimes in prosperity when the sunne of peace shineth on them, & the favourable influence of great ones, they shoot foorth their blade with the corne on the house top, running with the streame, & sayling with the winde; sometimes their zeale depends upon the life of Jehoiada; sometimes on the company of the Prophets:  commonly in the beginning they blaze like straw-fire, but in the end goe out in smoake and smother; whereas in their entrance into profession, they galloped into shewes, and made some girds at hand, they tire, give in, and end in the flesh, whereas all naturall motions are swiftest toward their end.

[Sidenote:  Be not over just hath 7. expositions heere 2. or 3. more hereafter.]

The vestall fires were perpetuall, and the fire of the Altar never went out.  Spices and wefts of these evills may bee found in the sincerest Christians:  but they suffer not these dead flies to lie and putrefie in the precious boxes of true zeale; of all these the Preachers caveat may be construed, Be not over just, though it may also admit other interpretations, as after shall appeare.

These are the speciall notes and symptomes of strange fires:  the kinds also are many, and might be distributed into many heads; but I will reduce them into three, which are known by their names. [Greek:  pseudozelos], counterfet Zeale, false fire. [Greek:  tuphlos zelos] blinde Zeale, smoakie fire, or fooles fire, ignis fatuus. [Greek:  pikros zelos], turbulent Zeale, wilde fire.

The first, wanting truth and sincerity, propounds sinister ends.

The second, knowledge and discretion, takes wrong wayes.