quenchcoal

plural quenchcoals · alternative quench-coal

1. countableidiomaticobsoleteuncountableA person or thing that undermines religious zeal; hence a heartless, uncaring person with respect to religion.

   You are quenchcoal; no sparkle of grace can kindle upon your cold hearth.

   1642, Daniel Rogers, Naaman the Syrian: His Disease and Cure, page 868

   2 more examples

   Zeal has in this our earthly mold little fuel and much quench-coal; it is hardly fired and soon cooled.

   1615, Samuel Ward, A Coal from the Altar to Kindle the Holy Fire of Zeal

   In 1636 he published two books at once, or immediately after each other. One of them was called The Quench Coal, in answer to that called A Coal from the Altar; against placing the Communion-Table Altarwise.

   1817, “William Prynne”, in Athenae Oxonienses, volume 3, page 847