Irenicum, to the lovers of truth and peace heart-divisions opened in the causes and…

One step I think may be gone farther. Suppose a man be not §14wanton, but serious, and neglect no means to inform his conscience, and yet he cannot yield, what shall be done to such a man?

One step I think may be gone farther. Suppose a man be not §14wanton, but serious, and neglect no meanes to informe his conscience, and yet hee cannot yeeld, what shall bee done to such a man?

Though such a man should be dealt with in much tenderness and love,¹ yet in such things as by his weakness he makes himself less serviceable to the Common-wealth, or Church, then other men, who have more strength; he may be denied some privileges and benefits that are granted to others. I instance in that opinion of some Anabaptists, who deny the lawfulness of War; suppose their consciences after much seriousness in the use of means, cannot be satisfied; yet seeing by this error of theirs they are made less useful in the State then others, they should not think it much though they be denied many privileges and accommodations that are granted to others, who venture their lives for the preservation of the State. If a mans body be weak, he cannot help it, yet by it he is not so useful as others, why should he think much that he hath not whatsoever others by strength are able to attain to? Suppose a man should have such a principle in his conscience, that the K. hath an absolute arbitrary power; though it be his conscience, yet by it he is disabled from ⟨p. 38⟩employment and preferment in places of trust. So for the Church, suppose the government of it by Prelates had been lawful, (which now we know was not) there had been no evil in denying to those who in conscience could not submit to it, their preferments of Deanries and Prebends, and the like.