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

The last joining Principle.

The last joyning Principle.

Peace is never bought too dear, but by sin and baseness.

Peace is never bought too deare, but by sin and basenesse.

WE use to say, We may buy Gold too dear, and so we may Peace: but whatsoever we pay for it beside sin and baseness, we have a good bargain. Suidas tells of the Emperor Trajan, that he would cut his own clothes to bind up the wounds of his Soldiers. We should be very pitiful to soldiers, who are wounded to keep us whole. We should bind up their wounds, though it cost us dear: but especially our care should be to bind up those wounds that by divisions are made in Church and Common-wealth: and well may we be willing to cut our clothes to bind them up, when the evil of them is such as either does or should cut our hearts. But though peace be a rich merchandise, yet we must not sail too far for it, not so far as to sin. We read 2 Kings 23. 13. Mount Olivet is called the Mount of corruption, because of the Idolatry committed upon it. Though we are to prize Mount Olivet at a very high rate, with the Olives growing upon it, yet we must take heed that we make it not a Mount of corruption. We may give peace to buy truth, but we may not give truth to buy peace. We may be bold with that which is our own to purchase peace, but not with that which is Gods: yet we must not be base in our yielding in things natural or civill for peace sake, that is,