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

We read in Scripture of the Manna that God gave his people; such was the nature of it that the heat of the Sun melted it. You will say, How could it then endure the heat of the oven? for they baked it in the oven; yet so it was, of a strange kind of nature, that it could bear the heat of the oven, and not the heat of the sun. Even of such a temper are our hearts; the heat of the sun of prosperity dissolves us, causes us to run one from another, but the heat of the fire of affliction bakes us, brings us, and settles us together; it makes us to be one, it takes away our rawness, it consumes many of our ill humours, and so composes our spirits into one.

We read in Scripture of the Mannah that God gave his people; such was the nature of it that the heat of the Sun melted it. You wil say, How could it then endure the heat of the oven? for they baked it in the oven; yet so it was, of a strange kind of nature, that it could bear the heat of the oven, and not the heat of the sun. Even of such a temper are our hearts; the heat of the sunne of prosperity dissolves us, causes us to runn one from another, but the heate of the fire of affliction bakes us, brings us, and settles us together; it makes us to be one, it takes away our rawnesse, it consumes many of our ill humors, and so composes our spirits into one.

The stupidness of our hearts is such, as we do not make our brethren's case, who suffer the rage of these wars, our own; But we for the present having some more liberty then formerly, we are lifted up, and in the pride of our hearts push at our brethren, and smite our fellow-servants: If the dogs be at a little distance from us, though we even hear the cries of our brethren who are worried by them, yet we foolishly bless our selves in our present ease, enjoyments, and hopes, as if our ⟨p. 111⟩flesh must be spared, our estates, our liberties and enjoyments must be continued, yea raised, whatsoever becomes of others. Oh sinful vain spirits, befooled and hardened with their pride!

The stupidness of our hearts is such, as we do not make our brethrens case, who suffer the rage of these wars, our owne; But we for the present having some more liberty then formerly, we are lifted up, and in the pride of our hearts push at our brethren, and smite our fellow-servants: If the dogges be at a little distance from us, though we even heare the cryes of our brethren who are worried by them, yet we foolishly blesse our selves in our present ease, enjoyments, and hopes, as if our