A30587:174
Irenicum, to the lovers of truth and peace heart-divisions opened in the causes and…
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.
Suppose a man differs from his brethren in point of Church-Discipline, must not this man have a place in an Army therefore? Though he sees not the reason of such a Discipline in the Church, yet God hath endued him with a spirit of valour, and he understands what Military Discipline means; must he not have a place in a College to teach youth Logic and Philosophy? may be not preach Jesus Christ to poor ignorant creatures? if you fear he will divulge his opinions, ⟨p. 39⟩surely some other course may be taken whereby he may suffer as much as such a fault comes to; but therefore to deprive Church and State of what abilities God has given him, which might be very useful to them, and that before any such fault is committed, for fear it may be committed; the softest word I have to express my self against this, is, It is very hard dealing with your Brethren.
Suppose a man differs from his brethren in point of Church-Discipline, must not this man have a place in an Army therefore? Though he sees not the reason of such a Discipline in the Church, yet God hath endued him with a spirit of volour, and he understands what Military Discipline means; must he not have a place in a Colledg to teach youth Logick and Philosophy? may be not preach Jesus Christ to poor ignorant creatures? if you feare he will divulge his opinions, ⟨p. 39⟩surely some other course may be taken whereby he may suffer as much as such a fault comes to; but therefore to deprive Church and State of what abilities God has given him, which might be very usefull to them, and that before any such fault is committed, for fear it may be committed; the softest word I have to expresse my self against this, is, It is very hard dealing with your Brethren.
I have now gone to the uttermost line I can in showing what is to be done to a man that pleads his conscience in things which we conceive are not right: I would now speak a word or two to men who have to deal with their brethren's consciences, and then to those who plead their consciences for their freedom.