A30587:885
Irenicum, to the lovers of truth and peace heart-divisions opened in the causes and…
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.
Secondly, Godly men are Free-men, Christ hath made them so, and requires them not to suffer themselves to be brought under bondage, they must not, cannot submit their conscience to the opinions, determinations, decrees of any men living; they cannot submit to any as Lords over their faith; this others can do: as for points of Religion, say some, let learned men judge of them, we will not be wiser then they, we will submit, and others must submit to what they shall determine: this makes quick work indeed of divisions, but this, those who fear God, cannot do; they must see every thing they own as truth, with their own light, yet received from Jesus Christ though they reverence men of greater parts, deeper learning, yet they have the charge of Christ upon them, not to acknowledge it as truth, till they understand it to be so; this causes much contention amongst good men, through their weakness and corruption of their hearts.
Secondly, Godly men are Free-men, Christ hath made them so, and requires them not to suffer themselves to be brought under bondage, they must not, cannot submit their consciencee to the opinions, determinations, decrees of any men living; they cannot submit to any as Lords over their faith; this others can do: as for points of Religion, say some, let learned men judge of them, we will not be wiser then they, we will submit, and others must submit to what they shall determine: this makes quick work indeed of divisions, but this, those who feare God, cannot do; they must see every thing they own as truth, with their own light, yet received from Jesus Christ though they reverence men of greater parts, deeper learning, yet they have the charge of Christ upon them, not to acknowledge it as truth, till they understand it to be so; this causes much contention amongst good men, through their weaknesse and corruption of their hearts.
The less distance men apprehend between themselves and others in regard of power, the more differences there are amongst them, as they say the greatest and sorest storms are about the Equinoctial: Men are kept more at peace in the Commonwealth then in the Church, because there is a greater subjection of one to another there, then may be admitted in the Church.