Eirenopolis

I am no Anabaptist, nor Libertine, to deny the Magistracy, or lawfulness ⟨p. 105⟩of authority, and our just appeal thereto. Rather then every man should be his own Judge, I would appease uproars with the Town-clerk of Ephesus; The Law is open, ¹and there are Deputies, let them implead one another. Saint Paul himself took this course, appealing to the Judgment seat of Caesar. ²Our Saviours practise is a clear Comment and declaration of his Law: he that bade us rather turn out other check to the smiter, then revenge our selves; did ⟨p. 106⟩himself sweetly reprove him that smote him.³ If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil: but if well, why smitest thou me? So Paul to Ananias, Sittest thou to judge me after the Law, ⁴& commandest me to be smitten contrary to the Law? The Lord himself hath appointed Tribunals: and no law, no love. I know there is a Christianly seeking of Justice, when injurious persons grow worse by forbearance, and ground their insolence upon others patience. As Christians may ⟨p. 107⟩war in love, so they may jar in love: when the party cast in the suit, may be bettered, if not in his money, yet in his manners; and Satan only conquered. Ut qui vincitur, simul vincat, & unus tantummodo vincatur diabolus. Sed reprimā me, I will hold me where I was. I have laboured to bring men into peace, I must show them no way out again. The Fathers sometimes in confuting an Heresy much spread; if they did run a little within the brinks of a contrary error, not ⟨p. 108⟩then questioned, nor so dangerous; were never censured for that to have erred Dogmaticè. So if to convince that Heresy in manners, (It is lawful to go to law for every thing;) I should a little lean to and favour that other opinion, (It is lawful to go to law for nothing;) either excuse me, or at least suspend your judgements, till I come on purpose to handle that point. If men would promise not to go to Law till then, I would promise, when they did go to Law, to