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

When men have got a little knowledge, they think it a fine thing to be arguing and disputing in matters of Religion: unnecessary disputes are their necessary practice, for otherwise they shall be accounted as no body, if they have not something to object against almost every thing, but in this way of theirs, they shall be accounted knowing men, men who have an insight into things, who understand more then ordinary men do: hence they turn all their Religion into disputes, and by them they grow giddy. Wine is good when it goes to the heart to cheer it, but when it fumes all up into the head, it makes it giddy. Knowledge is good when the strength of it gets to the heart to comfort it, there to breed good spirits, for the strengthening it in the ways of holiness; but when it flies up all into the head, it fills it with thousands of fancies; it causes pride and giddiness. Disputes draw the best spirits from the heart, by which it weakens it. It is a very ill sign in a man to have a contradicting spirit, to get into a vein of disputing against any thing, though it be good. I have read of Gregory Nazianzen, that he told his friends that Julian would prove to be a notorious wicked man, he gave this reason, Because be took such delight in disputing against that which was good▪ Disputes are seldom without much heart-distemper; if they ⟨p. 149⟩continue long, they cause snarling one at another; and no marvel though those who snarl so often, do bite at last. A man shows most parts in the matter of truth, but most grace in the manner of handling it with reverence, holiness and modesty. Rom. 14. 1. Receive not the weak in faith to doubtful disputations. Here is a direct injunction against those disputes I am speaking of. Let no man say every truth is precious, the least truth is more worth then our lives, we must contend for every truth.

WHen men have got a little knowledge, they thinke it a fine thing to be arguing and disputing in matters of Religion: unnecessary disputes are their necessary practice, for otherwise they shall be accounted as no body, if they have not something to object against almost every thing, but in this way of theirs, they shall bee accounted knowing men, men who have an insight into things, who understand more then ordinary men doe: hence they turne all their Religion into disputes, and by them they grow giddie. Wine is good when it goes to the heart to cheere it, but when it fumes all up into the head, it makes it giddy. Knowledge is good when the strength of it gets to the heart to comfort it, there to breed good spirits, for the strengthning it in the waies of holinesse; but when it flies up all into the head, it fills it with thousands of phansies; it causes pride and giddinesse. Disputes draw the best spirits from the heart, by which it weakens it. It is a very ill signe in a man to have a contradicting spirit, to get into a veine of disputing against any thing, though it be good. I have read of Gregory Nazianzen, that he told his friends that Julian would prove to be a notorious wicked man, he gave this reason, Because be tooke such delight in disputing against that which was good Disputes are seldome without much heart-distemper; if they