A30587:280
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 temptation to pride is not less, neither are mens hearts less prone to this. If it prevails, what domineering is there like to be of one over another, yea of some few over many? If they judg in things never so doubtful, all must yield, at least for their profession and practice. This is a great power to be given to men over men in matters of faith and godliness. This is Lording it over Gods inheritance. It is observable, when the Church was in the lowest condition, this power was highest; the power of making Canons in doubtful things to bind under penalties: And when this power was lowest, as in the Primitive times, then the Church was highest.
The temptation to pride is not less, neither are mens hearts lesse prone to this. If it prevails, what domineering is there like to be of one over another, yea of some few over many? If they judg in things never so doubtful, all must yeeld, at least for their profession and practice. This is a great power to be given to men over men in matters of faith and godliness. This is Lording it over Gods inheritance. It is observable, when the Church was in the lowest condition, this power was highest; the power of making Canons in doubtful things to bind under penalties: And when this power was lowest, as in the Primitive times, then the Church was highest.
Seventhly, This will be a means to bring gross ignorance §7upon the face of the Churches & of the world: For, first, if men shall not be suffered to profess or practice otherwise then Governors in Church or State shall determine, they will not take pains to find out the truth themselves, but rather take things implicitly, wch is the easiest way; they will think it to little purpose to take pains in examining things, when after ⟨p. 64⟩all is done, they must be bound up at least in their profession and practice, to what either is or shall be determined by those who have power of rule in their hands.