A30587:21
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.
The Text opened, and suitableness of it to our Times, showed.
The Text opened, and sutablenesse of it to our Times, shewed.
NO marvel though Israel be charged, ver. 1. to be an empty vine, seeing their heart is divided. Heart-division will cause emptiness of good, both in mens spirits, and in Church and State. The least dividing of the heart, in any one part from another, if it be but by the prick of a pin, is deadly; a great gash in the head is curable. There may be much difference in mens opinions without any great hurt, if this difference gets not to the heart; but if once it gets in there, the danger is great; Now shall they be found faulty, Now shall they be guilty; or as some, Nunc delinquent, Now they will offend; as if Heart-division contracted the greatest guilt, and by it men were the greatest Delinquents of any.1 The word signifies also to perish, to be made desolate, so Arius Montanus, Desolabuntur. Heart-division is a desolating sin, by the judgment of God upon them for it, they shall be convinced in their own consciences, and in the sight of all men, that they were guilty; that by such a sin as this, they had bound themselves over to the justice of God, & those desolating evils that came upon them, ⟨p. 2⟩were the righteous judgments of God upon them for those divisions that were amongst them. Men will not be convinced of their sin, till Gods judgement is upon them for it; and then their consciences will, and others shall see that God is righteous, and they are vile and sinful before him, even in such things that before they pleaded for, or at least could not be brought to own their own guiltiness in. When thunder and rain came upon the men of Israel in their wheat Harvest, and they were afraid they should dye, 1 Sam. 12. 18, 19. then they could say, We have added unto all our sins this evil to ask us a King.