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

Fifthly, if God should free us from our enemies, yet we are like §5to devour one another, and this is a greater misery then to be devoured by the common adversary. Gal. 5. 15. If ye bite and devour one another, take heed ye be not consumed one of another. What biting and devouring was this? It was not in an open hostile way, they did not take up Arms one against another, but by their different opinions and contentious carriages in matters of Religion. Their differences in the matters of Religion were ⟨p. 220⟩very great, Non de finibus, sed de haereditate, not about the bounds, but the inheritance it self; yet unpeaceableness and violence in their carriages one towards another, though the matter of their difference was so great, is condemned and threatened by the Apostle. Do not our Adversaries say, Let them alone and they will devour one another? God gives us good hope that he will deliver us from our enemies; but the hearts of many godly and wise men tremble within them, fearing lest that wolvish distemper of ours should feed upon our own flesh, when the matter that it had to feed upon from without is taken away.

Fiftly, if God should free us from our enemies, yet we are like §5to devoure one another, and this is a greater misery then to be devoured by the common adversary. Gal. 5. 15. If ye bite and devour one another, take heed ye be not consumed one of another. What biting and devouring was this? It was not in an open hostile way, they did not take up Arms one against another, but by their different opinions and contentious carriages in matters of Religion. Their differences in the matters of Religion were ⟨p. 220⟩very great, Non de finibus, sed de haereditate, not about the bounds, but the inheritance it selfe; yet unpeaceablenesse and violence in their carriages one towards another, though the matter of their difference was so great, is condemned and threatned by the Apostle. Do not our Adversaries say, Let them alone and they will devoure one another? God gives us good hope that he will deliver us from our enemies; but the hearts of many godly and wise men tremble within them, fearing lest that wolvish distemper of ours should feed upon our own flesh, when the matter that it had to feed upon from without is taken away.