A30587:1022
Irenicum, to the lovers of truth and peace heart-divisions opened in the causes and evils of them : with cautions that we may not be hurt by them, and endeavours to heal them / by Jeremiah Burroughs.Irenicum, to the lovers of truth and peace heart-divisions opened in the causes and evils of them : with cautions that we may not be hurt by them, and endeavours to heal them / by Jeremiah Burroughes.
London: printed for Robert Dawlman, 1653
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
There must be a due consideration of all these, and we must indulge something to them all. This would allay much strife: as we read Numb. 31. 23. Every thing that may abide the fire, ye shall make it go thorough the fire, and all that abideth not the fire ye shall make go thorough the water. We must deal with every man according to his temper. Some men are by their complexions of a more harsh and rugged temper then others. Consider what is the best way of dealing with such: in the main they are faithful and useful, they will join with you there, and spend their lives for you: if the harshness of their natures cause some excrescencies, unpleasing carriages, consider their tempers, though no evil in them is to be justified, yet deal tenderly with them, indulge them what lawfully you may. Some mens spirits, though upright to God and you, yet they have a fervour in them that is not qualified with that wisdom, meekness, ⟨p. 274⟩humility, as they ought, do not presently take these advantages against them, that they in their heat may perhaps give you; do not fly upon them as if those unjustifiable expressions that come from them, came from a spirit of malignity: You know the man and the manner of his communication, pass by weaknesses, accept of uprightness. Some mens temptation are very strong; it may be their hearts are pressed with disappointments, it may be they are pricked with the want of many comforts you have; they have family-temptations, and personal temptations that you are freed from: you do not know what you might do if you were under the like temptations. Bless God that you are delivered from them; but do not add to your brethren's affliction, by taking advantages against them, but according to the rule of the Apostle, Gal. 6. 1. If a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual restore such a one in the spirit of meekness, considering thy self lest thou also be tempted. Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. Consider their education. Some men have been brought up altogether amongst Prelatical men, perhaps among Papists; some all their days have lived in wicked families, they never were acquainted with the society of the Saints, with that way of godliness that hath the most strictness and power in it.
THere must be a due consideration of all these, and we must indulge something to them all. This would allay much strife: as we read Numb. 31. 23. Every thing that may abide the fire, ye shall make it goe thorough the fire, and all that abideth not the fire ye shall make goe thorough the water. We must deal with every man according to his temper. Some men are by their complexions of a more harsh and rugged temper then others. Consider what is the best way of dealing with such: in the main they are faithfull and usefull, they will joyn with you there, and spend their lives for you: if the harshness of their natures cause some excrescencies, unpleasing carriages, consider their tempers, though no evill in them is to be justified, yet deal tenderly with them, indulge them what lawfully you may. Some mens spirits, though upright to God and you, yet they have a fervor in them that is not qualified with that wisdome, meekness, ⟨p. 274⟩humility, as they ought, do not presently take these advantages against them, that they in their heat may perhaps give you; do not fly upon them as if those unjustifiable expressions that com from them, came from a spirit of malignity: You know the man and the manner of his communication, pass by weaknesses, accept of uprightnesse. Some mens temptation are very strong; it may be their hearts are pressed with disappointments, it may be they are pricked with the want of many comforts you have; they have family-temptations, and personall temptations that you are freed from: you do not know what you might doe if you were under the like temptations. Blesse God that you are delivered from them; but do not adde to your brethrens affliction, by taking advantages against them, but according to the rule of the Apostle, Gal. 6. 1. If a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spirituall restore such a one in the spirit of meekness, considering thy selfe lest thou also be tempted. Beare ye one anothers burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. Consider their education. Some men have been brought up altogether amongst Prelaticall men, perhaps among Papists; some all their dayes have lived in wicked families, they never were acquainted with the society of the Saints, with that way of godlinesse that hath the most strictnesse and power in it.
You must not deal with them for all things you see amiss in them, in the same way you would deal with such who have had godly education, who have had acquaintance with the most strict and powerful ways of godliness, but now manifest a spirit against them.
You must not deale with them for all things you see amisse in them, in the same way you would deale with such who have had godly education, who have had acquaintance with the most strict and powerfull wayes of godlinesse, but now manifest a spirit against them.
Consider mens years: old age looks for respect, and justly: especially such as have gone through the brunt and suffered much for your good: though some infirmities should break forth that are incident to old age, we must cover and pass by what we can, not forgetting that reverent respect that is due to the hoary head found in the way of godliness. Consider mens gifts: it may be they are not able to rise to your height, to understand what you do; thank God for your strength, but be not angry with your brother because he is weaker. This was one of the arguments for peace that Constantine in that forementioned Letter of his to Alexander and Arius, used, we are not in all things like minded, neither have we all the same nature and gift engrafted in us.
Consider mens yeares: old age looks for respect, and justly: especially such as have gone through the brunt and suffered much for your good: though some infirmities should break forth that are incident to old age, we must cover and passe by what we can, not forgetting that reverent respect that is due to the hoary head found in the way of godlinesse. Consider mens gifts: it may be they are not able to rise to your height, to understand what you do; thank God for your strength, but be not angry with your brother because he is weaker. This was one of the arguments for peace that Constantine in that forementioned Letter of his to Alexander and Arius, used, we are not in all things like minded, neither have we all the same nature and gift engrafted in us.
A Merchant thinks it an ill venture, if when he casts up his accounts he finds the charge of his voyage rises to more then his incomes. If thou hast so much command of thy spirit, if thou canst so far overcome thy passions as to get a time in cool blood to cast up thy accounts truly, what good thou hast done, or what thou hast got by such and such contentions; and on the other side cast up what the hurt thou hast done, what sin hath been committed, what evil hath got into thy spirit, I fear you will have little cause to boast of,1 or rejoice in your gains. To be freed from that expense that comes in by strife, is not a little gain, says Ambrose. In strife you will find there is a very great expense of time, of gifts, and parts. Many men in regard of the good gifts God hath given them, might have proved shining Lights in the Church, but by reason of their contentious spirits, they prove no other then smoking firebrands. It may be by all the stir you keep you shall never get your mind; if you do, it will not quit cost; the charge you have been at for it, comes to much more then it is worth. God deliver me from having my mind at such a dear rate.
A Merchant thinks it an ill venture, if when he casts up his accounts he finds the charge of his voyage rises to more then his incomes. If thou hast so much command of thy spirit, if thou canst so farre overcome thy passions as to get a time in coole bloud to cast up thy accounts truly, what good thou hast done, or what thou hast got by such and such contentions; and on the other side cast up what the hurt thou hast done, what sin hath been committed, what evill hath got into thy spirit, I fear you will have little cause to boast of,1 or rejoyce in your gains. To be freed from that expence that comes in by strife, is not a little gain, says Ambrose. In strife you will finde there is a very great expence of time, of gifts, and parts. Many men in regard of the good gifts God hath given them, might have proved shining Lights in the Church, but by reason of their contentious spirits, they prove no other then smoaking firebrands. It may be by all the stirre you keep you shall never get your minde; if you do, it will not quit cost; the charge you have been at for it, comes to much more then it is worth. God deliver me from having my minde at such a dear rate.
Let not the hand say, it hath no need of the foot; nor the eye, it hath no need of the hand; God hath so tempered the body, that every member hath need of every member.
LEt not the hand say, it hath no need of the foot; nor the eye, it hath no need of the hand; God hath so tempred the body, that every member hath need of every member.
It was a sweet spirit in Peter, that great Apostle, writing to the scattered Christians, he begins his Epistle thus: Simon Peter a servant and an Apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us. Little nails may be useful, where great wedges can do no good. Little chips may help to set great logs on fire.
It was a sweet spirit in Peter, that great Apostle, writing to the scattered Christians, he begins his Epistle thus: Simon Peter a servant and an Apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us. Little nayles may be usefull, where great wedges can do no good. Little chips may help to set great logs on fire.
When men provoke us we are ready to fly upon them, looking no further then the men with whom we are displeased. But if you look a little further, perhaps you may see the Devil is on the other side of the hedge, and hath been the chief agent in this business. Augustine presseth this by a most excellent similitude. When a Fowler, saith he, hath set his net to catch Birds, he sets it at a distance from the hedge, and when he has done he takes stones and throws at the hedge, upon this the Birds fly out, and flutter about. The Fowler does not intend any hurt to the hedge, neither does he think to hit any Birds with his stones, but that which is in his eye is the net on the other side of the hedge, he hopes to drive the Birds in there. So says he, the Devil prepares his net to catch men in, he raises up contentions, and causes much trouble to be in Churches, and among brethren, you think all the evil is in the trouble of your present contentions. Oh no: the Devil is behind, he intends to bring some of you into some great sin by these; he hath set his net for you, when you are troubled and vexed by such contentions, the Devil sees you fit for a temptation, now I hope I shall get him to do such and such things, which otherwise I could never have got him to. Oh that we had hearts when we find contentions stirring to consider, But is there not a temptation in them?
WHen men provoke us we are ready to flye upon them, looking no further then the men with whom we are displeased. But if you look a little further, perhaps you may see the Devill is on the other side of the hedge, and hath been the chief agent in this business. Augustine presseth this by a most excellent similitude. When a Fowler, saith he, hath set his net to catch Birds, he sets it at a distance from the hedge, and when he has done he takes stones and throwes at the hedge, upon this the Birds flye out, and flutter about. The Fowler does not intend any hurt to the hedge, neither does he think to hit any Birds with his stones, but that which is in his eye is the net on the other side of the hedge, he hopes to drive the Birds in there. So sayes he, the Devill prepares his net to catch men in, he raises up contentions, and causes much trouble to be in Churches, and among brethren, you think all the evill is in the trouble of your present contentions. Oh no: the Devill is behinde, he intends to bring some of you into some great sin by these; he hath set his net for you, when you are troubled and vexed by such contentions, the Devill sees you fit for a temptation, now I hope I shall get him to do such and such things, which otherwise I could never have got him to. Oh that we had hearts when we find contentions stirring to consider, But is there not a temptation in them?
