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

The Church having lost her lights, men of learning and worth, then the great contention about Images arose that [Greek or Hebrew], the Eastern Churches demolishing Images in Temples, the Western maintaining them with extreme contention against the Eastern. There were not only excommunications thundered one against another, but much blood was shed in that quarrel. In this condition have the Churches been from time to time divided, yea fighting with one another about opinions. And for the divisions and contentions between particular men, and most eminent Lights in the Church, in those times, after they came to have rest from persecutions. We find most lamentable complaints in the writings of the Ancients,¹ of the extreme offence these dissentions were to the Heathen. Nazianzen in his first Apologetical Oration: We are made a spectacle (says he) to Angels and Men, not as that valiant champion Paul, who fought against Principalities and Powers, but we are made a scorn to wicked men, in their Markets, their Feasts, their Plays, in all their meetings. The most vile people jeer us, and all this for contending and warring one with another. Basil makes this complaint: I have lived now (says he) the age of a man, and see more union in Arts and Sciences then in Divinity: for in the the Church I see such dissentions as do divide it asunder, and dissipates it.

The Church having lost her lights, men of learning and worth, then the great contention about Images arose that 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, the Eastern Churches demolishing Images in Temples, the Western maintaining them with extreme contention against the Eastern. There were not only excommunications thundred one against another, but much bloud was shed in that quarrell. In this condition have the Churches been from time to time divided, yea fighting with one another about opinions. And for the divisions and contentions betweene particular men, and most eminent Lights in the Church, in those times, after they came to have rest from persecutions. We find most lamentable complaints in the writings of the Ancients,¹ of the extremè offence these dissentions were to the Heathen. Nazianzen in his first Apologeticall Oration: We are made a spectacle (sayes he) to Angels and Men, not as that valiant champion Paul, who fought against Principalities and Powers, but we are made a scorn to wicked men, in their Markets, their Feasts, their Playes, in all their meetings. The most vile people jeer us, and all this for contending and warring one with another. Basil makes this complaint: I have lived now (sayes he) the age of a man, and see more union in Arts and Sciences then in Divinity: for in the the Church I see such dissentions as do divide it assunder, and dissipates it.