A30587:272
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.
Thus in respect of things good or evil, there are some things apparently evil, they are rather thistles and briers, then tares, we may freely pluck up them; but other things, though perhaps they may prove evil, yet they have some likeness to good, so as you can hardly discern whether they be good or evil. Now saith Christ, take heed what you do then, do not out of eagerness oppose all evil, to get out every tare, pluck out some wheat too; what if that you oppose with violence as evil, prove to be good? you had better let forty tares stand, then pluck up one wheat.
Thus in respect of things good or evill, there are some things apparently evill, they are rather thistles and bryers, then tares, we may freely pluck up them; but other things, though perhaps they may prove evil, yet they have some likeness to good, so as you can hardly discern whether they be good or evill. Now saith Christ, take heed what you do then, do not out of eagerness oppose all evill, to get out every tare, pluck out some wheat too; what if that you oppose with violence as evill, prove to be good? you had better let forty tares stand, then pluck up one wheat.
Fourthly, If men take this power upon them, to compel §4men to do whatsoever they conceive good, and to deny or forbear whatsoever they conceive evil, they take more power upon them then ever the Apostles took. The government of the Saints under the Apostles, was a great deal more mild, sweet, gentle then this. The rule the Apostles went by, Phil. 3. 15. was, Let therefore as many as be perfect be thus minded; and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you; nevertheless, whereunto we have already attained, let us walk. If any should be otherwise minded then I or the other Apostles, God will reveal it in due time, we will not force him,1 only let us walk up to what we have attained. This rule, Zanchy, saith Augustine, would repeat a thousand time; and Chrysostom hath a good note upon this place, he does not say, God will bring them to it, if they be otherwise minded, but God will reveal it, noting the love and goodness of God to those who are otherwise minded, excusing them that it was not through wickedness, but for want of knowledge