Irenicum to the Lover of Truth and Peace, Chapter 31
CHAP. XXXI.
The Cure of our Diviſions.
VVHat gracious heart is not cut aſunder with griefe for thoſe ſore and fearfull evils that there are in, and come from our diviſions, and is not even the ſecond time cut aſunder with carefull thoughts in it ſelfe, what may be done to heal them? Mat. 6. 25. Chriſt forbids that carking care that cuts our hearts, when it is in matters concerning our ſelves, yea for our lives, foreign, take no thought for your life, ſo it is in your bookes: but the word ſignifies, Doe not take ſuch thought as ſhould cut your hearts aſunder: ſo v. 28. foreign; why doe you divide your hearts? and ver. 31. foreign, and ver. 34. foreign again. But though this charge of Chriſt be doubled and doubled againe, againſt our carefull dividing cutting thoughts about our ſelves, yet for the uniting the hearts of the Saints together for the good of the Church, this heart-cutting care is not onelyonly allowed, but required, 1 Cor. 12. 25. That there ſhould be no ſchiſme in the body, foreign.but that the members ſhould have the ſame care one for another. The words are, That the members may care, the ſame thing one for another, and that with dividing, cutting care, that there might be no ſchiſme in the body. The word that is here for care, is the ſame that in the former places in the 6. of Mat. is forbidden. The expreſſions of my thoughtfull cares about this work, is the ſubject at this time: When I ſet my ſelf about it, my heart doth even ake within me at the apprehenſion of the difficulty of it. There are ſome diſeaſes that are called opprobria medicorum, the diſgraces of Phyſitians, becauſe they know not what to ſay or doe to them; or if they do any thing it is to little purpoſe. If there be any ſoule-diſeaſe that is opprobrium Theologorum, the diſgrace of Divines, it is this of contention and diviſion. How little has all that they have ſtudied and endeavoured to do, prevailed with the hearts of men? What ſhall we do? Shall we but joyn in this one thing, to ſit down together, and mourn one over another, one for another, till we have diſſolved our hearts into teares, and ſee if we can thus get them to run one into another? Oh that it might be, what ſorrow ſoever it coſts us!
We read Judges 2. 12. 3, 4, 5. the Lord ſent an Angell from Gilgal to the men of Iſrael, who told them how graciouſly he had dealt with them, yet they had contrary to the command of God made a league with the inhabitants of the Land, for which the Lord threatned that they ſhould be as thorns in their ſides. When the Angell ſpake theſe words to the children of Iſrael, the people lift up their voice and wept. And they called the name of that place Boehim, a place of tears. Their ſin was too much joyning, joyning in league where God would not have them: thoſe whom they joyned with, God told them ſhould be thornes in their ſides. Upon this they wept, and that ſo ſore, that the place received its name from their weeping. But oh that the Lord would ſend his Angell, yea his Spirit to us, to convince us of our evill, that we to this day have not joyned in ſure league one with another, but are thorns in the ſides of one another: and that after ſo many mercies, ſuch great deliverances from our bondage, from the rage of ungodly men, yea that we are ſo falſe one to another, though the Lord hath never broke covenant with us, which was the heart-breaking argument the Angell uſed, ver. 1. Yea the Lord hath done abundantly for us, beyond our hopes, deſires, thoughts, and that after all this there ſhould be nothing but breaches and diviſions amongſt us, that we ſhould be not only thornes, but ſpeares and ſwords in one anothers ſides, piercing to one anothers hearts. Are we the children of Iſrael? Let our hearts then break for the breaches of our hearts. Let them break, and melt, and mourn, and bleed, and reſolve that nothing ſhall comfort them, but peace with our God, and peace one wth another.
That one Text, 1 Theſ. 4. 9. were enough alone to pierce our hearts through and through. As touching brotherly love, ye need not that I write unto you, ſaith the Apoſtle, for ye your ſelves are taught of God to love one another. Oh Lord, what are we in theſe dayes ſuch kinde of Chriſtians as theſe were? Oh that it were ſo with us, that we had no need to be wrote to, to be preached to, concerning this. Does it appear by our carriages one towards another, that we are taught of God to love one another? But that God may teach us this day, attend to what ſhall be ſaid to you in his name, which I ſhall caſt into theſe five heads:
2. Joyning Principles.
2. Joyning Conſiderations.
3. Joyning Graces.
4. Joyning Practices.
5. Conclude with Exhortation.
Wherein we ſhall endeavour to ſet before you the beauty and excellency there is in the heart, union, and mutuall love of Chriſtians.
I ſhall not need to be long in theſe: For take away Dividing Principles, Dividing Diſtempers. Dividing Practices, and be thoroughly convinced of the evill of diviſions, and one would think our hearts ſhould of themſelves run into one another. But that I may not ſeeme to leave our wounds open, ſo that aire ſhould get into them, but endeavour the cloſing of them, and ſo the healing, I ſhall ſpeak ſomething to theſe five Heads:
The firſt joyning Principle.
In the middeſt of all differences of judgement, and weakneſſes of the Saints, it is not impoſſible but that they may live in peace and love together.
IF notwithſtanding the differences from Gods mind, and many weakneſſes, there may be peace and love between God & his Saints: then ſurely notwithſtanding theſe things, the Saints may be at love and peace among themſelves. Let this be laid for a ground, and let our hearts be much poſſeſſed with it, we ſhall finde it very helpfull to our cloſing. Away with that vain conceit which hath been the great diſturber of Churches in all ages, if men differ in their judgement and practice in matters of religion, though it be in things that are but the weakneſſe of godly men, yet there muſt needs be heart-burning and diviſion. Let all peaceable men deny this conſequence, Let us not ſay it will be ſo, and that our words may be made good afterwards indeed make it ſo: certainly the connection of them, if there be any, is rather from the corruption of our hearts, then from the nature of the things.
I have read of two Rivers in the Eaſt, Sava and Danuby, that run along in one channell threeſcore miles together, without any noyſe, and yet they keep themſelves diſtinct, the colour of the waters remain diſtinct, all along: why ſhould we not think it poſſible for us to go along cloſe together in love and peace, though in ſome things our judgements and practices be apparently different one from another? I will give you who are Scholers a ſentence to write upon your Study doores, as needfull an one in theſe times as any; it is this: Opinionum varietas, & opinantium unitas non ſunt foreign.
Variety of opinions, and unity of thoſe that hold them, may ſtand together.
There hath been much ado to get us to agree: we laboured to get our opinions into one, but they will not come together. It may be in our endevours for agreement we have begun at the wrong end. Let us try what we can do at the other end: it may be we ſhall have better ſucceſſe there. Let us labour to joyn our hearts to engage our affections one to another: if we cannot be of one mind that we may agree, let us agree that we may be of one minde.
Euſebius records a Letter that Conſtantine ſent to Alexander and Arius,Euſeb. of the life of Conſtant. l▪ 2 cited by Socrates Eccl. Hiſt. lib. 1 cap. 4. before he apprehended the groſſeneſſe of Arius his hereſie, conceiving them to differ but in ſmaller things, he endevours to reconcile them: For that (ſayes he) the things wherein you differ, concerneth not any waighty ſubſtance of our Religion, there is no reaſon why it ſhould breed at all any diviſion in minde, or diſcord in doctrine; and this Iſay not to compell you in this light queſtion, of what ſort ſoever it be, altogether to condeſcend unto the ſame ſentence: and though you diſſent amongst your ſelves about a matter of ſmall importance, (for neither truly are we all in all things like minded, neither have we all the ſame nature and gift engrafted in us) nevertheleſſe for all that the ſacred unity may be ſoundly and inviolably retained among you,Quanquam in t…r no… hactenus non potuit plane convenire num verum corpus & ſanguis Chriſti pane & vino corporaliter infit, debebat nihilominus utraque pars altera erga alteram declarare Christianam charitatem, quatenus id omnio eujuſque conſcientia ſ…rre poteſt. Coll. qu. Ma purgen…. This ſubſcribed by Luther, Melancthon, O colampadius, Brentius, Oſiander, Zuinglius, Bucer, and others. and one conſent and fellowſhip converſed between all.
I have read of the like peaceable diſpoſition in divers German Divines, meeting to confer about matters of Religion in difference, in Marpurg. The concluſion of their Conference was this: Although we ſee we cannot hitherto fully agree about the corporall preſence of the body and bloud of Chriſt in the bread and wine, yet both parts ought to declare Chriſtian love one to another, as farre as every one can with a good conſcience. Oh that this were the concluſion of all our debates and conference, wherein we cannot come up fully to one anothers judgements. If we ſtay for peace and love till we come to the unity of the faith in all things, we muſt ſtay for it, for ought I know, till we come to another world. Epheſ. 4. 11, 12. He gave ſome Apoſtles, ſome Evangeliſts, ſome Paſtors and Teachers, for the worke of the Miniſtery, till we all come in the unity of the faith, and knowledge of the Sonne of God, unto a perfect man. The unity of the faith, and the perfect man will be both together; and when they are, there will be no more need of any miniſtry, there ſhall be no more preaching after we are all come to this unity: when that is done, our work is done for this world.
The ſecond joyning Principle.
That ſhall never be got by ſtrife, that may be had by love and peace.
VVE would all fain have our wills: now that which lies uppermoſt upon many mens hearts, that which is the firſt thing they do, if their wills be croſſed, is preſently to ſtrive and contend: but this ſhould be the laſt thing, after all other means are tried: this ſhould never be made uſe of but in caſe of pure neceſſity. We ſhould firſt think, Is there any way in the world whereby it is poſſible we may have our deſires ſatisfyed with peace, let us try this, and another way, a third, a fourth, yea a hundred wayes, if they lye between us and the way of ſtrife, before we come to meddle with that. This rule you will find of very great uſe to order all our buſineſſes in Churches & Common-wealths, of Townes, Families, yea whatſoever concernes any of your perſons in reference to any other. The Apoſtle, 1 Cor. 12. rebuking the diviſions of that Church, of which they are guilty more then any, for they had many among them of raiſed parts, of eminent gifts, and therefore puffed up more then others. Except God joynes eminency of grace, men of eminent gifts joyne leſſe then others, whoſe gifts are meaner. Among thoſe meanes he directs for union, when he ſpeakes of love: I will ſhew you, ſayes he, a more excellent way, ver. laſt; foreign, a way of the higheſt excellency, beyond any expreſſion. The way of love, of the engaging hearts one to another, is the only way to bring men to unity of judgement: yea the only way when all is done, for men to have their wills. I may give you this or the other rule to bring you to think and do the ſame thing, but that which hath an excellency in it with an Hyperbole, is the way of love. If you could get your mindes by other wayes, certainly you cannot enjoy it with that ſweetneſſe and comfort as you may if you have got it this way.
Marcus Cato repented that ever he went by ſea when he might have gone by land (it ſeems the skill of thoſe times for Navigation was not great) but certainly there is no man living but hath cauſe to repent him that ever he got that by ſtrife & contention that he might have got by love & peace.Plutarch in his life. What hinders why ſoft and gentle words may not prevaile, as well as hard and bitter language? Why may not a loving winning carriage do as much as ſevere rigid violence? If it may, thou provideſt ill for thine own peace and comfort, to leave this way and betake thy ſelf to the other. Tell me, were it a ſigne of valour in a man to draw his ſword at every Whappet that comes near him? yea at every Fly that lights upon him? Were it not folly and madneſſe? Why? he may by putting forth his finger put them off from him. Thy froward cholerick ſpirit is ready to draw at every thing that thou likeſt not. This is thy folly: thou mayeſt with leſſe adoe have what thou haſt a minde to. If I would put a Feather from me, I need not ſtrike violently at it, a ſoft gentle breath will do it better. Why ſhould a man labour and toyle till he ſweats again, to take up a pin? Have none of you ſometimes made a great ſtirre in your families about that which when the ſtir is a little over you plainly ſee you might have had as well with a word ſpeaking: and hath not your heart ſecretly upbraided you then? Try the next time what you can do by faire and gentle meanes. Why ſhould we let the ſtrength of our ſpirits run waſte? Let this be a conſtant rule; never make uſe of ſeverity till you have tryed what clemency will do: there is more power in that to conquer the hearts of men you would faine have yeild to you, then you are aware of.
Plutarch reports of Philip of Macedon, that when one Arcadion railed on him, the Courtiers would have had him dealt ſeverely with; but Philip took another courſe, he ſends for him, and ſpake gently to him, and ſhewed great love and reſpect to him: upon this Arcadions heart was turned, ſo as there was no man in the world that Arcadion ſpoke more honourably of then of Philip, whereſoever he came. After a while Philip met with thoſe who would have him to have revenged himſelf upon Arcadion, What ſay you now of Arcadion? ſayes he: How doth he now behave himſelf? There is no man living, ſay they, ſpeaks better of you now then he. Well then, ſayes Philip, I am a better Phyſitian then you; my phyſick hath done that which yours never would have done.
The like he reports of Fabius, Plutarch in the life of Fabius.who was called the Romans Target: When he heard of a ſouldier who was valiant, yet practiſed with ſome others to go and ſerve the enemy, he calls him to him, and in ſtead of dealing with him in rigour, tels him he had not had recompenſe according to his deſert, and gives him honourable gifts, and ſo gaines him to be faithfull for ever. And ſayes he, As Hunters, Riders of Horſes, and ſuch as tame wilde beaſts ſhall ſooner make them leave their ſavage and churliſh nature by gentle uſage and manning of them, then by beating and ſhackling them; ſo a governour of men ſhould rather correct by patience, gentleneſſe, and clemency, then by rigour, violence, and ſeverity. None but a cruell, harſh, ſordid ſpirited man, will ſay, I had rather men ſhould fear me then love me: God prizes moſt what he hath from us by love.
The third joyning Principle.
It is better to doe good, then to receive good.
ACtive good is better then paſſive; only God himſelfe, his Angels and Saints do good; all creatures can receive good. This principle would quickly joyne us; for if this were in mens hearts, they would ſtudy to do all the good they could to one another, and ſo gaine upon one anothers hearts: and the more good we doe to any, the more will our hearts be inclinable to love them. The very communication of goodneſſe, if it be out of a good ſpirit, carryes the heart along with it to the ſubject this good is communicated to: the more good God doth to any, the more he loves them. God hates nothing that he hath made, but loves what there is in any thing of his work: but when he communicates his grace, his Spirit, when he gives his Chriſt in theſe gifts, he gives his heart: they do not only come from love, but they make the ſubject further lovely in his eyes. So it is with us in our proportion: if you take a poore childe from the dunghill, or out of the Almes-houſe, and make him your heyre, you do not only do this good to him becauſe you love dim, but you alſo love him more,Hodie non regnavimus, quia neminem affecimus beneficio. becauſe you look upon him as an object of your goodneſſe as one raiſed by you. Titus accounted that day loſt, a day wherein he had not raigned, if he had done no good. This principle would make men great as well as good. It is the glory of God that he does ſo much good. And if men could account this greatneſſe, ſatisfying greatneſſe, the moſt and greateſt contentions that are in the world would be layd down: for what do men contend ſo much for as for greatneſſe?
The fourth joyning Principle.
The good of other men is my good as well as theirs.
VVE are all of one body: whatſoeuer good others have, it is the good of the body; it makes them ſome way able to doe that good that we would have done, or at leaſt that we ſhould deſire to have done. Plutarch ſayes that Solon made a law whereby every man was enabled to ſue whoſoever wronged his neighbour, as if he had wronged himſelf; he gave this reaſon for it, There is no good that one man has in a Common-wealth, but it is another mans as well as his.
Community in the Church is more. 1 Cor. 3. 22. Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things preſent, or things to come, all are yours, you are Chriſts, and Chriſt is Gods. If you be godly you have an intereſt in all the eminent godly men in the world, in all their gifts, their graces, in all they have or do; all that is in the world that hath any good in it, is yours, yea what is evill ſhall be ſerviceable to you for good. This is brought by the Apoſtle to quiet the jarrings and contentions that were amongſt the Corinthians. One would be for Paul, another for Apollos, ſayes the Apoſtle, What need this contention, who you are for, and who another is for? they are all yours, all the excellency there is in them is the good of every one of you. A ſpeciall reaſon why men contend ſo much, is, they think the good that other men have is their evill, therefore they muſt either get it to themſelves, or darken it in thoſe that have it. But ſuch men acted by ſuch a principle are poore, low-ſpirited men. A man of a raiſed, enlarged ſpirit, opens his heart that it may be filled with that infinite good in which there is all good. Now if it be that good my ſoul cloſeth with, and is ſatisfied in, then whatſoever hath any goodneſſe in it, be it where it will, it flowes from this Infinite Ocean of good that my ſoul is launched into, and ſome way or other flows into this againe; though thorough mens corruptions, there may be windings and turnings in the courſe of it, yet hither it comes at laſt, and therefore it is mine as really and truly as any I have in mine own hand: my ſoul then ſhall rejoyce in all the good I ſee my brethren have, in all they do, I will bleſſe God for it, and ſeek the furtherance of it what I can. Surely this man muſt needs be a man of peace and love.
The fifth joyning Principle.
My good is more in the publique then in my ſelfe.
THe ſtrength, ſafety, excellency of a Cabbin in a Ship conſiſts not ſo much in the boards of the Cabbin, or the fine painting of it, as in the ſtrength and excellency of the ſhip.
It is becauſe we have ſuch private ſpirits that there are ſuch contentions among us: were we more publique ſpirited, our contentions would vaniſh. When I read of what publique ſpirits many of the Heathen were, I am aſhamed to look upon many Chriſtians. Paulus Aemilius hearing of the death of his children, ſpake with an un aunted courage thus, That the Gods had heard his prayer, which was, that calamities ſhould rather befall his family, then the Common-wealth. The publikeneſs of his ſpirit made it very ſweet and lovely: the ſtory ſayes of him, he intreated them gently and graciouſly whom he had ſubdued, ſetting forward their cauſes, even as they had bin his confederates, very friends and neer kinſmen. Publique ſpirited men are men of ſweet and peaceable ſpirits.
The ſixth joyning Principle.
What I would have others doe to me, that will I endeavour to doe to them.
VVOuld not I have others beare with me? I then will bear with them. I would have others do offices of kindneſſes to me, I will then do offices of kindneſſes to them. I would have the carriages of others lovely, amiable to me, mine ſhall be ſo to them. I would have others live peaceably with me, I will do ſo with them. This rule of doing to others as I would be done to, is a law of juſtice; ſuch juſtice as keeps the peace. Alexander Severus the Roman Emperour,Petro Mex…a in the lives of the Roman Emperours. was much taken with this: he ſayes he learned it from the Chriſtians, if he had to deal with his common Souldiers that did wrong, he puniſhed them: but when he had to deal with men of worth and dignity, he thought it ſufficient to reprove them with this ſentence, Do as ye would be done by.
Chryſoſtome in his 13. Sermon to the people of Antioch, makes uſe of this principle, thus, After Chriſt had ſpoken of many bleſſedneſſes, foreign, &c.(ſayes he) then he ſayes, Thoſe things you would have others to do to you, do you to them: as if he ſhould ſay, There needs not many words, let thine own will be thy law: would you receive benefits? beſtow benefits then: would you have mercy? be mercifull then: would you be commended? commend others: would you be loved? then love. Be you the Judge your ſelfe, be you the Law-giver of your owne life. That which you hate, doe not to another. Cannot you endure reproach? doe not you reproach others. Cannot you endure to have others envy you? doe not you envy others. Cannot you endure to be deceived? do not you deceive others.
The ſeventh joyning Principle.
It is as great an honour to have my will by yeelding, as by overcomming.
MAny men in their anger will ſay, I will be even with him. I will tell you a way how you may be above him: forgive him. By yeilding, pardoning, putting up the wrong, you ſhew you have power over your ſelf, and this is a greater thing then to have power over another. Numb. 14. 17, 18. Now I beſeech thee let the power of my Lord be great, pardon, I beſeech thee, the iniquity of this people, ver: 19. and by this thou maiſt honourably prevaile with thy Brother: hereby ſhalt thou heap coals of fire upon his head.
I have read of two famous Philoſophers falling at variance Ariſtippus and Aeſchines,Plutarch. de cohibenda ira. Ariſtippus comes to Aeſchines, Shall we not be friends? ſayes he. Yes with all my heart ſaith Aeſchines. Remember, ſaith Ariſtippus, that though I am your elder, yet I ſought for peace. True, ſaith Aeſchines, and for this I will alwayes acknowledge you the more worthy man; for I began the ſtrife, and you the peace.
The eighth joyning Principle.
I will never meddle with any ſtrife but that which ſhall have peace to the end of it.
NO war is good upon any terms, taken up upon the juſteſt ground, except it aymes at peace. Bellum minime bellum: that Souldier is a murtherer that ſheds bloud not in reference to peace. The Swords and Enſignes of Souldiers ſhould have this Motto upon them, Sic quaenimus pacem, Thus we ſeek Peace. Hercules his Club was made of the Olive, the emblem of Peace.
The ninth joyning Principle.
No man ſhall ever be mine enemy, that is not more his owne then mine, yea more the enemy of God then mine.
IF a man offends me meerly through weakneſs, this is his affliction, in this he is neither an enemy to himſelf nor me; he mourns for it, and I will pitty him in his mourning; he is more troubled for what he hath done, then I have cauſe to be for what I have ſuffered. If he offends willingly and purpoſely, he is his own enemy more then mine. When Latimer was couſened in buying a commodity, his friends telling him how he was cheated of his money, he fell a mourning for him that had cheated him, He hath the worſt of it, ſayes he. If my heart riſes againſt a man in this, and I ſeek to oppoſe him in his way, it may very well be interpreted to be out of love to him, for my heart riſes againſt his enemy, I oppoſe his enemy, even himſelf, but an enemy to himſelf, more then to me; he hath hurt me a little, but himſelf more. I am troubled a little for the wrong I ſuffer, but more for the evill he hath done. If his wayes be enmity to God,In aliis manſue…us ero, in blasphemiis in Chriſtum non ita. Zuingl. in ep. ad Servet. I will oppoſe him, becauſe I love God, and no farther then wherein I may manifeſt my love to God rather then hatred of him. When Servetus condemned Zuinglius for his harſhneſs, he anſwers, In other things I will be milde, but not ſo in Blaſphemies againſt God. Let us keep our enmity within theſe bounds, and the peace of God will not be broke.
The tenth joyning Principle.
I had rather ſuffer the greateſt evill, then doe the leaſt.
IF when others wrong you, you care not what you do to right your ſelf: This is your folly and madneſs, Such a one hurt me, and I will therefore miſchief my ſelf; he hath pricked me with a pin, and I will therefore in an anger run my knife into my ſide. If in all we ſuffer we be ſure to keep from righting our ſelves by any wayes of ſin, there will not be much peace broke. Such an one is thine enemy, and wilt thou of one enemy make two? wilt thou alſo be an enemy to thy ſelf, yea a greater enemy then he or any man living can be to thee? for all the men in the world cannot make thee ſin, except thou wilt thy ſelf.
The eleventh joyning Principle.
I will labour to do good to all, but provoke none.
A Father hath not ſo much power over his child, as to provoke him. Col. 3. 21. Fathers provoke not your children to wrath. Surely if a man hath not this power over his child, he hath it not over his friend, his neighbour, much leſs his ſuperiour: yet how many take delight in this, Such a thing I know will anger him, and he ſhall be ſure to have it! Oh wicked heart! doſt thou ſee that this will be a temptation to thy brother, and wilt thou lay it before him? doſt thou not pray for thy ſelf and for him, Lord lead us not into temptation? we ſhould accout it the greateſt evill to us of all the evill of afflictions,Non curioſitate vel ae nulatione is eos invidioſe deferamus, aut reprehendamus, unde protervia, faſtus, od…a, diſſidia, factiones poſſent oriri, &c. Hyper. in Heb. c. 10. v. 24. to be any occaſion of ſin to our brother; but what an evil ſhould this be to us, to provoke our brother to ſin? if we will needs be provoking, then let the Apoſtles exhortation prevaile with us, Heb. 10. 24. Let us conſider one another to provoke unto love, and to good works: Let us not conſider one another in a way of curioſity and emulation, to envy, or find fault with one another, from whence frowardneſs, pride, hatred, diſſentions, factions may ariſe, ſaith Hyperius upon the place, but conſider one another, ſo as we may further the good of one another, ſo as to make one another quick and active in that which is good.
The twelfth joyning Principle.
Peace with all men it is good, but with God and mine owne conſcience it is neceſſary.
BUt how will this joyn us one to another?
Anſw. Very much, both as it holds forth the goodneſs of peace with all men, and as it carryes the heart ſtrongly to the making and keeping peace with God and a mans own conſcience. This peace with God and a mans own conſcience will ſo ſweeten the heart, that it cannot but be ſweet towards every one; a man who hath ſatisfaction enough within, can eaſily bear afflictions and troubles that come without. When Saul had made great breaches between God and his ſoul, and in his own conſcience, then he grew to be of a very froward ſpirit towards every man, before his Apoſtacy he was of a very meek and quiet ſpirit, but this ſowred his ſpirit, and made it grow harſh, rugged, and cruell; This is the cauſe of the frowardneſs of many men and women in their families, and with their neighbours, there are ſecret breaches between God and their own conſciences.
The thirteenth joyning Principle.
If I muſt needs erre, conſidering what our condition is here in this world, I will rather erre by too much gentleneſſe and mildneſſe, then by too much rigour and ſeverity.
MAns nature is more propenſe to rigour,Melius eſt propter miſericordiam rationem reddere, quam propter crudelitatem. then to lenity; but the account of overmuch lenity is eaſier then of too much rigour. Men who are of harſh, ſowre ſpirits themſelves, are ready to think that God is ſo too. As the Lacedaemonians becauſe they were of a warlike diſpoſition, they repreſented their Gods all armed. But God is love: there is anger and hatred in God as well as love: but God is never ſaid to be anger or hatred, no not juſtice it ſelf; but he loves that expreſſion of himſelf to the children of men, God is love. If God intended that all things amongſt men, either in Church or Common-wealth, ſhould be carryed with ſtrictneſſe of juſtice, he would rather have governed his Church and the World by Angels, who have right apprehenſions of juſtice, who are themſelves perfect, altogether free from thoſe evils that are to be puniſhed, then by men, whoſe apprehenſions of juſtice are exceeding weak, unconſtant, partiall, as often falſe as true, and have much of that evill in themſelves that they judge in others.
The laſt joyning Principle.
Peace is never bought too deare, but by ſin and baſeneſſe.
VVE uſe to ſay, We may buy Gold too deare, and ſo we may Peace: but whatſoever we pay for it beſide ſinne and baſeneſs, we have a good bargain. Suidas tells of the Emperour Trajan, that he would cut his own cloaths to binde up the wounds of his Souldiers. We ſhould be very pitifull to ſouldiers, who are wounded to keep us whole. We ſhould binde 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 cloathes to binde them up, when the evill of them is ſuch as either does or ſhould cut our hearts. But though peace be a rich merchandize, yet we muſt not ſaile too far for it, not ſo farre as to ſinne. 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 naturall or civill for peace ſake, that is,
Firſt, we muſt not for our own private peace yield to that which is like to prove publique diſadvantage and diſturbance. There is a notable ſtory of a Turkiſh Emperour, perceiving his Nobles & people to be offended that he was ſo ſtrongly in love to his Concubine Irene, his heart vvas ſo taken vvith her that he grevv remiſs in his regard to the Stern of the State. Nothing muſt be done but as Irene vvould have it: vvhatſoever reſolutions there vvere of any good to the State, yet Irene muſt be conſulted vvithall before they were put in execution, & if they pleaſed not her all was daſhed, ſo much did he dote upon Irene. This the Nobles and State could not bear: he therefore at laſt ſo far conſidered the publique, as he overcame his doting affections. He brought Irene before them, and ſayes, That ye may ſee how much I prize the content of my people, I ſacrifice her to them, and ſo drew his ſword, and ſlew her with his own hands before their eyes. If according to her demerits for drawing his heart away from the good of the Common-wealth, ſhe had bin given up to the ſword of juſtice, it might have ſatisfied as well. But leſt I be thought to be too literall, give me leave to allegorize upon this Irene. Her name is a Greek name, foreign, it ſignifies peace: we muſt not ſo dote upon our Irene, our private peace, that the publique ſhould ſuffer for the ſake of it. This is baſeneſs: let her be ſacrificed for publick good; this is true generouſneſs.
Secondly, that is baſeneſs, when our yeilding is thorough ignorance, cowardize, baſe fear, not from a principle of wiſdome and underſtanding: not ſo much out of true love to peace, as a fooliſh, ignorant, ſottiſh, ſordid ſpirit of our own: whereas had we had a ſpirit of wiſdome and courage, we might have peace upon more honourable terms. Indeed many think every kinde of yeilding baſneſs, but they are for the moſt part ſuch as are not put to any great triall themſelves. But when our conſciences tell us, that what we do is what the rule allowes us; it is not becauſe we would avoyd trouble, but we find thorough Gods grace, our hearts in ſome meaſure prepared for ſuffering, if God were pleaſed to call us to it, in any thing wherein he may have glory, and the publick may be benefited. But becauſe all things duly conſidered, we ſee that God in ſuch a way ſhall have more glory, and our brethren generally more good: therefore whatſoever becomes of our particular in regard of eſteem, or other wayes, we are willing to yeild, and in this we finde our hearts as much cloſing with God, enjoying Communion with him in all holineſſe and godly fear, and in other things that go as near to us, we are able to deny our ſelves as much as ever: in this we may have comfort, that it is not baſeneſs that makes us yeild, but rather the grace of God enabling us to rule over our own ſpirits. The peace that we thus purchaſe with the ſuffering much in our names, and the loſs of many comforts does not coſt us too dear.