If a good man may be engaged in some division, and dissension; then he may be in the dark: Dividing times, are dark times; and possibly a great division, and dissension, may fall amongst good men. So great and sharp a division fell between Paul, and Barnabas, that they forsook one another. I read of two good men ⟨p. 9⟩(whom Epiphanius makes mention of) that were fellow-Sufferers for the Christian Faith;1 and being condemned, and sent to work in the Metal Mines, there fell so great a difference between them, that they drew a partition wall between them in the Mine, and would not hold communion each with other, in the Service of Christ, for which they both suffered. Cyprian doth impute the great Sufferings, and Persecutions of the Primitive Times, unto the discord,2 and dissension of brethren: Im• vero nec venissent fratribus haec mala si in umon fratern•tas esset animata, saith he.3 Ye have heard of the difference between Chrysostom, and Epiphanius; and of that between Jerome, and Ruffinus; and of that between Ridley, and Hooper. In Luther's time, the Contest was so hot, and great, and violent between him with his Party, and Zuinglius, Oecolampadius, and others, that though they met together with divers Princes for Reconciliation, and they did at that Meeting draw up several Articles of Faith, wherein they did all agree, and whereto they did all subscribe; yet Luther would not call the Calvinists, Brethren. And in these Days of ours, what scuffling is there between Brethren, fighting one with another? Why? but because they are in the dark? If Brethren fight, and scuffle one with another, who will not say they are in the dark?
If a good man may be engaged in some division, and dissention; then he may be in the dark: Dividing times, are dark times; and possibly a great division, and dissention, may fal amongst good men. So great and sharp a division fel between Paul, and Barnabas, that they forsook one another. I read of two good men ⟨p. 9⟩(whom Epiphanius makes mention of) that were fellow-Sufferers for the Christian Faith;1 and being condemned, and sent to work in the Mettal Mines, there fel so great a difference between them, that they drew a partition wal between them in the Mine, and would not hold communion each with other, in the Service of Christ, for which they both suffered. Cyprian doth impute the great Sufferings, and Persecutions of the Primitive Times, unto the discord,2 and dissention of brethren: Im• vero nec venissent fratribus haec mala si in umon fratern•tas esset animata, saith he.3 Ye have heard of the difference between Chrysostom, and Epiphanius; and of that between Jerom, and Ruffinus; and of that between Ridley, and Hooper. In Luthers time, the Contest was so hot, and great, and violent between him with his Party, and Zuinglius, Oecolampadius, and others, that though they met together with divers Princes for Reconciliation, and they did at that Meeting draw up several Articles of Faith, wherein they did all agree, and whereto they did all subscribe; yet Luther would not cal the Calvinists, Brethren. And in these Daies of ours, what scuffling is there between Brethren, fighting one with another? Why? but because they are in the dark? If Brethren fight, and scuffle one with another, who wil not say they are in the dark?
- 1[Greek or Hebrew].〈non-Latin alphabet〉.
- 2Epist. 4. Lib. 4.
- 3Cupio ex hac vita mig•are ut liberater ab imm•nibus et implacabilibus odiis Theologorum. Melanch. St. igellius M•c. Adam. Et vidi mare vitreum mixtum igni. Apoc. 15.2. Quid autem aliud ignis designet, atque ferventes lites et contentiones flagrantes odiis! ignem veni missurus in tertam inquit Christus, &c. Hujusmodi ignis vagatur per totam Reformatam Ecclesiam quae vel abs. mit plurimos vel molesta est reliquis dum restinguere nituntur. Brightm. in Apoc. 15. 404.
