A30587:724
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.
This embitters the spirits of men one against another, it is true, grant one false thing, and a thousand may follow, but I must not judge of a man that holds that one false opinion, as if he had the malignity of those thousand evil things in his spirit. I find our Divines who have been of peaceable spirits have condemned very much this fastening of dangerous consequences of mens opinions, upon those who hold the opinions, and yet whose hearts are as much against such consequences, as possibly may be deduced from them, as any: In their giving rules for peace, they advise to take heed of this, as a thing which makes Brethren, who are different in their opinions unlikely ever to become one.1 Davenant says, It is abhorrent to charity and right reason, that any because of consequences from what he holds, neither understood nor granted by him, should be thought to deny or reject a fundamental Article, which he firmly believes, expressly asserts, and if he were called to it, would seal the truth of it with his blood: Truer, and more gentle, says he, is the judgment of that great and peace-making Divine, Bucer, who says, It is our part not to look at what may follow from an opinion, but at what follows in the consciences of those who hold it.
THis imbitters the spirits of men one against another, it is true, grant one false thing, and a thousand may follow, but I must not judge of a man that holds that one false opinion, as if he had the malignity of those thousand evill things in his spirit. I finde our Divines who have been of peaceable spirits have condemned very much this fastening of dangerous consequences of mens opinions, upon those who hold the opinions, and yet whose hearts are as much against such consequences, as possibly may be deduced from them, as any: In their giving rules for peace, they advise to take heed of this, as a thing which makes Brethren, who are different in their opinions unlikely ever to become one.1 Davenant sayes, It is abhorrent to charity and right reason, that any because of consequences from what he holds, neither understood nor granted by him, should be thought to deny or reject a fundamentall Article, which he firmly beleeves, expresly asserts, and if he were called to it, whould seale the truth of it with his bloud: Truer, and more gentle, sayes he, is the judgment of that great and peace-making Divine, Bucer, who sayes, It is our part not to look at what may follow from an opinion, but at what followes in the consciences of those who hold it.
When such as profess godliness shall make much of wicked men, shall commend them, join with them, embrace them; yea, be well pleased with the bitterness, boisterousness, boldness of their daring spirits, because there may be use made of them against those men and ways they differ from, this is an evil which brings guilt upon themselves, and makes the division between them and their Brethren very great: If your hearts be right, and your cause be good, you need not make use of any thing that is evil, to comfort your hearts, or to maintain your cause: The Lord will not be beholding to the evil, the bitterness of mens spirits, for the furtherance of his cause; and why should you? God will not take the wicked by the hand, neither shouldest thou: Are not your spirits strengthened against your adversaries, when you see them calling in Papists, and all manner of the refuse of men wicked and treacherous: Can you think that these are the most likely to maintain the Protestant Religion, and the liberty of the Subject? Why do you seek to strengthen your selves by stirring up vile men to join with you, such as heretofore your hearts were opposite to? How comes it to pass, you can close so lovingly now? You can smile one upon another, and shake hands together: How comes it to pass, you do rejoice the hearts of evil men; they encourage you, and you encourage them? Those unsavoury bitter expressions that come from them, you can smile at, and be well pleased with, because they are against such as differ from you; blow up that sparkle of ingenuity that heretofore hath been in you; lay your hands upon your hearts, bethink your selves, is it the Spirit of Jesus Christ, that acts us in such a way wherein we are? Surely, this is not the way of peace, but of division and confusion.
WHen such as professe godlinesse shall make much of wicked men, shall commend them, joyne with them, embrace them; yea, be well pleased with the bitternesse, boisterousnesse, boldnesse of their daring spirits, because there may be use made of them against those men and wayes they differ from, this is an evill which brings guilt upon themselves, and makes the division between them and their Brethren very great: If your hearts be right, and your cause be good, you need not make use of any thing that is evill, to comfort your hearts, or to maintaine your cause: The Lord will not be beholding to the evill, the bitternesse of mens spirits, for the furtherance of his cause; and why should you? God will not take the wicked by the hand, neither shouldest thou: Are not your spirits strengthned against your adversaries, when you see them calling in Papists, and all manner of the refuse of men wicked and treacherous: Can you thinke that these are the most likely to maintaine the Protestant Religion, and the liberty of the Subject? Why doe you seek to strengthen your selves by stirring up vile men to joyne with you, such as heretofore your hearts were opposite to? How comes it to passe, you can close so lovingly now? You can smile one upon another, and shake hands together: How comes it to passe, you doe rejoyce the hearts of evill men; they encourage you, and you encourage them? Those unsavoury bitter expressions that come from them, you can smile at, and be well pleased with, because they are against such as differ from you; blow up that sparkle of ingenuity that heretofore hath been in you; lay your hands upon your hearts, bethinke your selves, is it the Spirit of Jesus Christ, that acts us in such a way wherein we are? Surely, this is not the way of peace, but of division and confusion.
When any provoke you, you say you will be even with him, there is a way whereby you may be, not even with him, but above him; that is, forgive him.
WHen any provoke you, you say you will be even with him, there is a way whereby you may be, not even with him, but above him; that is, forgive him.
Practising revenge is the way to continue divisions to the end of the world; such offend me, therefore I will offend them; and therefore they offend me again, me again, and I them, and so it may run in infinitum; they deny me a kindness, therefore I will deny them, and therefore they will deny me; so these unkindnesses run on endlessly; divisions will have a line of succession, where will it, where can it stop, if this be the way of men?
Practising revenge is the way to continue divisions to the end of the world; such offend me, therefore I will offend them; and therefore they offend me againe, mee againe, and I them, and so it may run in infinitum; they deny mee a kindnesse, therefore I will deny them, and therefore they will deny mee; so these unkindnesses run on endlesly; divisions will have a line of succession, where will it, where can it stop, if this be the way of men?
Paulus Fagius in his Notes upon Leviticus, cap. 19. v. 18. says,1 If Reuben should say to Simeon, Lend me thy Axe, and he should answer, I will not; the next day Simeon hath need of an Axe, and he comes to Reuben, and says, I pray lend me your Axe, and Reuben answers, No, you would not lend me yours yesterday; the Jews accounted this to be Revenge: There is much more malignity in our revengeful practices one upon another then this.
Paulus Fagius in his Notes upon Leviticus, cap. 19. v. 18. sayes,1 If Reuben should say to Simeon, Lend me thy Axe, and he should answer, I will not; the next day Simeon hath need of an Axe, and he comes to Reuben, and sayes, I pray lend me your Axe, and Reuben answers, No, you would not lend me yours yesterday; the Jewes accounted this to be Revenge: There is much more malignity in our revengefull practices one upon another then this.
Basil inveighing against requiting evil for evil,1 in his tenth Sermon, speaks thus to a revengeful heart; Do not make your Adversary your Master, do not imitate him whom you hate; be not you his looking-glass, to present his form and fashion in your self.
Basil invelghing against requiting evill for evill,1 in his tenth Sermon, speakes thus to a revengefull heart; Doe not make your Adversary your Master, doe not imitate him whom you hate; be not you his looking-glasse, to present his forme and fashion in your selfe.
Revenge God challengeth to himself as his, presume not to encroach upon Gods propriety, to get up into Gods seat, and do his work, thou hast enough to do of thine own. And it is very observable, how God stands upon his challenge of revenge as his own; as that which he by no means will suffer others to meddle with: in those Scriptures where this is mentioned, the challenge is doubled, yea, sometimes treble•, as Psal. 94. 1. O Lord God to whom vengeance belongeth, O God to whom vengeance belongeth: So Nahum. 1. 2. The Lord revengeth, ⟨p. 188⟩the Lord revengeth, the Lord will take vengeance on his Adversaries, Heb. 10. 30. Vengeance belongeth to me, I will recompense saith the Lord; and again, the Lord will judge his people: You must not think revenge to be so light a matter.
Revenge God challengeth to himselfe as his, presume not to encroach upon Gods proprietie, to get up into Gods seate, and doe his worke, thou hast enough to doe of thine owne. And it is very observable, how God stands upon his challenge of revenge as his owne; as that which he by no meanes will suffer others to meddle with: in those Scriptures where this is mentioned, the challenge is doubled, yea, sometimes treble•, as Psal. 94. 1. O Lord God to whom vengeance belongeth, O God to whom vengeance belongeth: So Nahum. 1. 2. The Lord revengeth, ⟨p. 188⟩the Lord revengeth, the Lord will take vengeance on his Adversaries, Heb. 10. 30. Vengeance belongeth to me, I will recompence saith the Lord; and againe, the Lord will judge his people: You must not think revenge to be so light a matter.
How unbeseeming are revengeful practices to Christian profession!1 Many of the Heathens were above such things. Plutarch reports of Phocion, That when he had done notable service for the Athenians, yet was put to death by them; but being asked a little before his death whether he had any thing to say to his son; Yes, says he, that I have, I require of thee my son, that thou never wishest ill to the Athenians for this they do to me.
How unbeseeming are revengefull practices to Christian profession!1 Many of the Heathens were above such things. Plutarch reports of Phocion, That when he had done notable service for the Athenians, yet was put to death by them; but being asked a little before his death whether he had any thing to say to his sonne; Yes, sayes he, that I have, I require of thee my sonne, that thou never wishest ill to the Athenians for this they doe to me.
How far are most of us from this? we can hardly pass by an ill look without revenge; but if we conceive our selves to be wronged in words or actions, then revenge rises high, such things must not be born.
How farre are most of us from this? we can hardly passe by an ill looke without revenge; but if we conceive our selves to be wronged in words or actions, then revenge rises high, such things must not be born.
A Gentleman of very good credit, who lived at Court many years, told me that himself once heard a great man in this Kingdom say, He never forgave man in his life: and I am moved the rather to believe it to be so, because I have been told by some other Gentlemen, that the same man would when he was walking alone, speak to himself, and clap his hand upon his breast, and swear by the Name of God, that he would be revenged, he would be revenged; and that she who lay in his bosom, was wont to sit alone, and sing to her self, Revenge, Revenge, O how sweet is Revenge,! If they get power into their own hands, and are so uxorious, as they must needs give way to have things managed according to the will of their revengeful wives: what peace, what security is there like to be?1 Sir Walter Rawleigh in his History of the World, tells of the sad case of the Lacedaemonians, when Nabis having power in his hands, having a wife, Apega, a woman full of cruelty and revenge, her husband delighting in her, caused her Image to be made, lively representing her, and apparelled with costly garments; but indeed, it was an Engine to torment men withal; he made use of it thus, when he could not have his will upon men by his own persuasions, he took them by the hand, telling them, that perhaps his wife Apega, who sate by in a chair could persuade more effectually, so he led them to the Image, ⟨p. 189⟩that rose up and opened the arms, as it were for embracement▪ those arms were full of sharp iron nails, the like whereof were also sticking in the breasts, though hidden with her clothes, and herewith she griped these men to death: At which Nabis standing by, laughed to see the cruel death of these miserable men. The Lord deliver us from revengeful spirits.
A Gentleman of very good credit, who lived at Court many yeeres, told me that himselfe once heard a great man in this Kingdome say, He never forgave man in his life: and I am moved the rather to beleeve it to be so, because I have been told by some other Gentlemen, that the same man would when he was walking alone, speake to himselfe, and clap his hand upon his breast, and sweare by the Name of God, that he would be revenged, hee would be revenged; and that she who lay in his bosome, was wont to sit alone, and sing to her selfe, Revenge, Revenge, O how sweet is Revenge,! If they get power into their owne hands, and are so uxorious, as they must needs give way to have things managed according to the will of their revengefull wives: what peace, what security is there like to be?
