A30587:629
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.
First, says he, they perish in the use; that is, there is no good comes of them.
First, sayes he, they perish in the use; that is, there is no good comes of them.
It may be you will say, What hurt is there in them? That is not enough, says the Apostle, to justify them, though there should be no hurt in them, yet seeing they perish in the use, seeing there comes no good by them, you must not do them: But what if they shall be commanded by authority? may we not do them then? No, says the Apostle, that is another argument against them; they are after the commandments and doctrine of men; if it be a mere ordinance of man, and there be no other reason in the thing, but because man enjoins it in the Church, you are not to do it. Yea, in some respect we have not so much liberty in things indifferent, if they be enjoined by men, as we had before. This is thought to be a very strange assertion by some; but consider this one thing, and it will not appear so: Though I might do such a thing before, yet if man shall take upon him this authority to command, merely because ⟨p. 161⟩of his will and pleasure, if I now obey I am in danger to edify him, to strengthen him in his sin; he challenges this authority, and I seem to yield it to him, certainly he is strengthened in it by my subjection, except I do this at least profess against any such authority of man granted by Jesus Christ.
It may be you will say, What hurt is there in them? That is not enough, sayes the Apostle, to justifie them, though there should be no hurt in them, yet seeing they perish in the use, seeing there comes no good by them, you must not doe them: But what if they shall be commanded by authority? may wee not doe them then? No, sayes the Apostle, that is another argument against them; they are after the commandements and doctrine of men; if it be a meere ordinance of man, and there be no other reason in the thing, but because man enjoynes it in the Church, you are not to doe it. Yea, in some respect we have not so much liberty in things indifferent, if they be enjoyned by men, as we had before. This is thought to be a very strange assertion by some; but consider this one thing, and it will not appear so: Though I might doe such a thing before, yet if man shall take upon him this authority to command, meerly because