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

Seventhly, there is much sin in our divisions, for they stir §7up much corruption on all sides, both in our selves and others; As if you shake a glass of water that has dirt in the bottom, the ⟨p. 204⟩dirt spreads it self all over: so doth the dirty stuff in our hearts, these divisions causing a commotion in them; that corruption is now discovered, that neither our selves nor others had thought had been in us: Do not you say in your hearts, and it may be one to another, Who would have thought it possible, that so much filthy staff should lie so long in such mens hearts undiscovered, which now appears since these unhappy divisions have been amongst us? James 3. 16. Where there is envying and strife, there is confusion and every evil work. When Snakes are cold, they lye still; but if the heat of fire come to them, then they hiss and put forth their stings: Thus mens corruptions heat by the fire of contention that is kindled amongst us, begin to stir, to act, yea, to rise very high. The reason that some give of that prohibition of the Apostles, Ephes. 4. Let not the Sun go down upon your wrath, which also I find Chrysostom upon the place gives, is, because when mens wrath is stirred by contending, if it continues in the heat of it till night, as they lye upon their beds their corruptions will be boiling, they will lye musing and plotting against those that contend with them; their thoughts in the night season will work up their corruptions to a great height; have you not found it so, when the Sun was gone down upon your wrath, you could hardly sleep that night? William the Conqueror in his first year commanded, that every night at eight a clock a Bell should be rung, and that all people should then put out their fire, which was called the Curfew Bell: it were well that some were admonished every night, to cover the fire of their passions.

Seventhly, there is much sinne in our divisions, for they stir §7up much corruption on all sides, both in our selves and others; As if you shake a glass of water that has dirt in the bottome, the ⟨p. 204⟩