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

2. By these Divisions God exercises the graces of his servants. A little skill in a Mariner is enough to guide his Ship in fair weather: but when storms arise, when the Seas swell and grow troublesome, then his skill is put to it. In these stormy troublesome times there had need be much wisdom, faith, love, humility, patience, self-denial, meekness, all graces are put to it now, they had need put forth all their strength, act with all their vigour; our graces had need be stirring, full of life and quickness now. God prizeth the exercise of the graces of his Saints at a very high rate. He thinks it worth their suffering much trouble. It is a good evidence of grace, yea of much grace, to account the trouble of many afflictions to be recompensed by the exercise of graces. In times of division men had need stir up all their graces, and be very watchful over their ways, and walk exactly, be circumspect, accurate in their lives. Those who have not their hearts with them, have their eyes upon them, prying into them, watching for their halting. When there is siding there is much observing. Lord (says David, Psal. 27. 11.) teach me thy way, and lead me in a plain path because of mine enemies, so it is in your books; but you may read it because of ⟨p. 244⟩mine observers: enemies are observers. Hence it was the policy of the Lacedaemonians always to send two Ambassadors together which disagreed among themselves,¹ that so they might mutually have an eye upon the actions of each other.

2. By these Divisions God exercises the graces of his servants. A little skill in a Mariner is enough to guide his Ship in faire weather: but when stormes arise, when the Seas swell and grow troublesome, then his skill is put to it. In these stormy troublesome times there had need be much wisdome, faith, love, humility, patience, selfe-deniall, meeknesse, all graces are put to it now, they had need put forth all their strength, act with all their vigour; our graces had need be stirring, full of life and quicknesse now. God prizeth the exercise of the graces of his Saints at a very high rate. He thinks it worth their suffering much trouble. It is a good evidence of grace, yea of much grace, to account the trouble of many afflictions to be recompensed by the exercise of graces. In times of division men had need stirre up all their graces, and be very watchfull over their wayes, and walke exactly, be circumspect, accurate in their lives. Those who have not their hearts with them, have their eyes upon them, prying into them, watching for their halting. When there is siding there is much observing. Lord (sayes David,