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

Ever since our Armies have been united, God hath wonderfully blessed them. Shall men of war be at peace? and is this comely? and shall men of peace be at war? how uncomely will this be? Yet so it is, The seeds of dissentions never sprung up more against us then of late they have done. The spirits of men seem to be heat and ready to boil one against another in this City more then heretofore they have done. The Lord hath made London a blessing to the whole Kingdom, and the neighbour Kingdoms too. The children not yet borne will have cause to bless God for London, for their union, their faithfulness, their courage, their bounty: and shall now, when God is about bringing in rest to us from the rage of our enemies, a fire of dissension be kindled amongst us? Shall the comfort of all our former mercies and future hopes be lost, by raising up of new quarrels? and must this come from the City? The Lord forbid. The Lord make you like Jerusalem, a City Compact, at unity within it self. Your very name carries unity in the face of it. Civis à coeundo, says Cicer: quod vinculo quodi societatis in unū coeunt quasi Coivis. I remember I have read in Livy a notable speech of Scipio to the Citizens at Carthage. By what name, says he, shall I call you?¹ I know not: Shall I call you Cives, qui à patria vestra descivistis? Things are not come to this pass in this City. The Lord forbid that there should ever be that degenerating from that unity and love heretofore hath been, that there should be cause to say, Shall you still be called Cives? qui à pristina unitate, à pristino amore mutuo descivistis, who have departed from your former unity and mutual love. Oh no, Let brotherly love continue, Heb. 13. 1. Let none take your crown, but abide glorious in the eyes of the whole Nation about you, and all strangers that come in to you. We pray for the peace of London, Let them prosper ⟨p. 224⟩that love it, Peace be within her walls, and prosperity within her Palaces. If any shall say, the City is not guilty herein, it is but some few private men: I gladly answer as Scipio in his forenamed speech did to the Carthaginians, making such an objection, Libenter credam negantibus, I am very willing to believe it. Only do you make it appear to be so, by knitting your selves so much the more strongly together, by how much any amongst you seeks to disunite you.