Irenicum to the Lover of Truth and Peace, Chapter 19
CHAP. XIX.
The fifth Dividing Diſtemper (Rigidneſſe;)The 5. dividing diſtemper. the ſixth, Raſhneſſe, the ſeventh, Wilfulneſſe; the eighth, Ʋnconſtancy.
RIgid, harſh, ſowre, crabbed, rough-hewn ſpirits are unfit for union; there is no ſweetneſs, no amiableneſs, no pleaſingneſſe in them, they pleaſe themſelves in a rugged auſtereneſs, but are pleaſing to none elſe in all their ways; they will abate nothing of their own, nor yeeld any thing to others: this is againſt the rule of the Apoſtle, Rom. 15. 1, 2, 3. We muſt not pleaſe our ſelves, but let every one pleaſe his Neighbour for his good to edification; and this, according to the example of Chriſt, who pleaſed not himſelfe. This is the duty not of weake men only, who had need pleaſe others, becauſe they have need of others, but ver. 1. thoſe that are ſtrong ought not to pleaſe themſelves, but ſeek to pleaſe others: Men who are of auſtere ſpirits affecting a gravity which turns to a dull, ſullen, ſternneſſe, they think it to be the commendations of the ſtrength of their ſpirits, that they can carry themſelves as they doe towards others, ſeeking altogether content to themſelves without any yeeldableneſs to others; no, that is but lightneſſe and weaknes in men, they are of a more ſtaid and ſtrong temper then to do ſo: Theſe men by their wiſdome do very much ſinn againſt the wiſdome of the holy Ghoſt in this Scripture; yea, and againſt the example of Jeſus Chriſt, who as in his whole courſe manifeſted tenderneſs, gentleneſs, affableneſs, amiableneſs towards weak ones, who were infinitely beneath him, and here is ſet forth unto us to be one who pleaſed not himſelf, far from this rigid harſh temper: Thoſe ſwords are not of the beſt tempered metall who will not bend but ſtand ſtiff, but ſuch as yeeld and bend with moſt eaſe, and ſtand ſtreight again; neither are thoſe diſpoſitions the beſt, who are the ſtiffeſt; but ſuch as are moſt yeeldable, and yet ſtand ſtreight too. This harſh and rigid ſpirit makes mens gifts and graces to be very unuſeful. When Plato ſaw Xenocrates of an auſtere rigid temper, he adviſed him to ſacrifice to the Gra…es, that he might have more mildneſſe, fearing that otherwiſe his parts and learning would be unprofitable. The Jews obſerve upon Exo. 25. 3. That no Iron was in the ſtuffe of the Tabernable; rigid iron ſpirits are very unfit for Church work. Levit. 17. 7. They ſhall no more ſacrifice to Devills: foreignThe word tranſlated Devils, ſignifies rough ones; Devils had their names from thence; this is the name of a Satyr, Iſa. 34. 14. The rough one. The Spirit of God is a Dove-like ſweet ſpirit, but the ſpirit of the Devill is a rough harſh ſpirit, the ſpirit of a Satyr. Prov. 11. 17. He that is cruell, troubleth his owne fleſh. That word here tranſlated cruell, the Septuagint elſewhere tranſlates it by a word that ſignifies rigid, ſtiffe, foreign, Jer. 30. 14. Men of ſuch tempers are very troubleſome to themſelves, to their families, to all with whom they converſe: If a Smith would joyn two pieces of iron, he muſt firſt file them, or beat them ſmooth: If the Joyner would joyn two pieces of wood, he muſt plain them: Except our ſpirits be filed, beaten ſmooth, or plained, they are unfit for joyning.
The ſixth dividing Diſtemper,The 6. dividing diſtemper. Raſhneſſe.
ACts 19. 36. Ye ought to be quiet, and do nothing raſhly. Doing thing… raſhly, and quietneſſe, are oppoſed.
1. Raſhneſſe makes men engage themſelves ſuddenly in buſineſſe, before they have examined it well: This cauſes much trouble, for if a man be engaged he lies under a temptation to goe on in it: As 2 Chron. 25. 9. When the man of God came to Amaziah, to take him off from a buſin…ſſe he was engaged in; O but ſays he, what ſhall I do for the hundred Talents I have given out already? thus many anſwer to the truth of God that would take them off from what they are engaged in, but what ſhall I do for my credit that lyes engaged?
2ly. Raſhneſſe cauſes men ſuddenly to provoke others; whereas did they conſider what ill conſequences might come of it, they would forbear. Raſh men quickly take hold of the ſword of Juſtice to hack and hew; they think that what they do is according to reaſon: but they do not wiſely weigh things in the ballance of Juſtice. Remember, Juſtice … a Ballance as well as a Sword. Prov. 29. 11. A foole uttereth all his mind. fa…uus. foreign ſubita, repente.The Sept. tranſlate it foreign, utters all his anger. Raſh fools by uttering their anger, ſuddenly cauſe great ſtirre and trouble where ever they come. The Hebrew word that ſignifies a fool, and that which ſignifies ſuddenly, raſhly, is from the ſame root.
3ly. When peace ſometimes is even concluded, and there is great joy in hope of a comfortable agreement, raſhneſſe will ſuddenly break it without any due conſideration.
O that that promiſe Iſa. 52. 4. were fulfilled among us. The heart of the raſh ſhall underſtand knowledge. Raſh men think they preſently underſtand all that is knowable in ſuch a buſiſineſſe, and thence preſume to make ſudden determinations; but as over-haſty digeſtion cauſes wind, and brings much trouble to the body; ſo over-haſty reſolutions to mens ſpirits and to ſocieties.
The ſeventh Dividing Diſtemper, Wilfulneſſe.
I Think I may ſay in moſt men, Will is the axletree, luſt and paſſions are the wheels, whereupon almoſt all their actions are carried: Where there is much will, though the thing be little about which men contend, yet the oppoſition may be great; as a little ſtone thrown with a ſtrong arme, may take deep impreſſion. It is a dangerous thing to have mens wills ingaged in matters of difference, it is eaſier to deal with twenty mens reaſons, then with one mans will: A man of a wilfull ſtout ſpirit, ſtands as a ſtake in the midſt of a ſteam, lets all paſſe by him, but he ſtands where he was; What hope can there be of union, where there will be no yielding? one mans will raiſeth anothers, ſet will to will they may daſh one againſt another, but not like to cloſe, to get into one another. A wilful man thinks it is beneath a wiſe man to alter his way; yea, it may be he thinks it a diſhonour to the truth, that both he, his profeſſion, and the honour of God ſhall ſuffer by it; when a ſtubborn ſelf-willednes is taken for a right conſtancy and ſetledneſſe, it is very ſtrong in men; but let us take heed of this, it is no matter though we go back from our former aſſertions, ſo long as we go forward to the truth. Luther was called an Apoſtate; I am ſo, ſays he, but it is from errour to truth. Many times ſtoutneſſe of ſpirit comes from weakeneſſe rather then ſtrength; there is not always the greateſt ſtrength of judgment where there is the greateſt ſtrength of will: As a mans judgment that is without prejudice is very ſtrong, ſo a mans prejudice that is without judgment is as ſtrong: The dulleſt horſes are not always the moſt eaſily reigned. I know and am perſwaded, ſays the Apoſtle, Rom. 14. 14. many men are perſwaded before they know; thoſe who are perſwaded before they know, wil not be perſwaded to know. Mens wills will not ſuffer their underſtandings to conſider; if they doe conſider, they will not ſuffer them to be convinced; if they be convinced, they will not ſuffer them to acknowledge that they are convinced.
It is diſhoneſt for a man not to give in his Bond when the debt is paid; ſo for a man not to acknowledg himſelfe convinced, but ſtand out againſt the truth, though his conſcience tels him it is made clear to him. Let men lay down their wils, and there will be no hell, ſayes Bernard: So ſay I,Ceſſet propria voluntas, & non erit infernum. Bern. ſer. 3. de Reſur. take away mens wills, and contentions will ceaſe. Scaliger tels us, the nature of ſome kind of Amber is ſuch, that it will draw to it ſelf all kind of ſtalks of any herbe, except Baſiliske, an Herbe called Capitalis, becauſe it makes men heady, filling their brains with black exhalations:Scalig. excert. 140. num. 12. Thus thoſe who by the fumes of their corrupt wills, are grown headſtrong, will not be drawn by that which draws others.
But this charging men of wilfulneſs is preſently catched hold of, in an abuſive way; if men wil not yeeld to what ſome conceive to be right, preſently they are charged with wilfulneſſe and ſtubbornneſſe, they do not ſee becauſe they will not ſee; they are not convinced, becauſe they will not. We who differ ſo much from others in things that others thinke to be clear, ſhould take heed how we charge others of wilfulneſſe who differ from us: As it is diſhoneſt not to give in the bond when the debt is paid, ſo it is a cheat to require the bond before the debt be ſatisfied: Men may think, and give out, they have done enough to convince men, when indeed upon examination, it will be found to be nothing, or far ſhort of ſatisfying the reaſons that are againſt it if they were their own. But when a man may have peace in his conſcience, that what he holds or does, is not through wilfulneſſe, but conſtancy of his love to the truth, I ſhall ſpeak to preſently.
The eighth dividing Diſtemper,The 8. diſtemper. Ʋnconſtancy.
IF a man had an art to change his face every day, to ſeem ſometimes white, ſometimes black, ſometimes ruddy, ſometimes pale, ſometimes hairy, ſometimes ſmooth, ſometimes old, ſometimes yong, how unfit were ſuch a man for ſociety? this which men cannot do in their faces, they doe in the unconſtancy of their ſpirits: As our affections and determinations muſt not be like the Perſian Decrees, to admit of no alteration, ſo neither muſt they be ſuch as the Polonian laws are, wch (they ſay) laſt but 3. days: When a thing is ſo brittle, that it breaks as ſoon as you meddle with it, how can you make it joyn? there muſt be ſom conſiſtency in that wch you would faſten to another thing; when mens ſpirits are ſo fickle, that a man cannot tell where to find them, how can there be a cloſe? O how much are men now differing from themſelves, in what their thoughts of men and carriage towards them have been, though the men concerning whom they thus differ remain the ſame they were, yea the ſame they appeared to be long ſince, there was ſweet agreement in affection, loving embracements! rejoycing in the preſence of one another, and yet nothing is known in thoſe from whom their hearts, countenances and ways are alienated, &c. more then formerly was: not difference in judgment, that was known before: Such a change of ſpirits and carriages in hodly men one towards another hath appeared, as never appeared in any age ſince the world began. A great deal of ſtir there hath been more then formerly,Adv. Haereſ li. 3. tom. 2. epiſt aduerſ. Antidic…marianitas. & yet what are theſe men otherwiſe then they have bin many years ſince? Were I to ſpeak to wicked men, to charge them of the unconſtancy of their ſpirits, I would make uſe of that ſimilitude I have out of Epiphanius, foreign, &c.who ſpeaking of the Jewes deſiring the coming of the Meſſias, but when he was come, they hated him, They were (ſays hee) in this like mad dogs, who firſt glaver upon men, and then bite and devour them. But becauſe I ſpeak to many of the Saints, I had rather uſe a ſofter expreſſion, more ſutable to the honour that is due to godly men; I compare them in their unconſtancy towards their brethren which hath cauſed ſo great diviſion, to the ſweetneſſe of the, ayr in a fair ſun-ſhine morning, oh how does it delight the traveller when he goeth forth … and truly ſuch were the ſerene countenances of our brethren towards us, but within a while the clouds over-caſt, the sky looks lowring, guſts of wind ariſe, yea thunder-bolts of terrible words flye about our eares, and the flaſhes of their anger ſtrike upon our faces.
Tantae ne animis coeleſtibus irae.
Unconſtancy is evill, and a cauſe of diviſion: Stoutneſſe is evil, and a cauſe of diviſion: A man muſt not be one thing one day, and another another day; not like a weather-cock, carried up and down with every wind; neither muſt he be wilfull and ſtout, not like a ruſty lock that will not be ſtirred by any key. Now then, how ſhall we know when a man is neither fickle nor ſtout? For except ſome rules of diſcerning be given, this temptation may be before me, I muſt not be fickle, unſetled, and unconſtant, I will therefore ſtifly ſtand to maintain what I have profeſſed.
You may know whether your fickleneſſe be avoyded by true ſetled conſtancy of ſpirit,Anſw. or by ſtoutneſſe, by theſe five notes:
Firſt, true conſtancy and ſetledneſſe of ſpirit is got by much prayer and humiliation before the Lord;How to know whether we avoid our fickleneſſe by true conſtancy, or by ſtoutneſs: five notes. Eſtabliſh me Lord with thy free ſpirit, unite my heart to feare thy Name. When after thy heart-breakings and meltings, and heart-cryings and pourings forth, Lord ſhew mee what thy will is in this thing, keep mee from miſcarrying, let me not ſettle upon any errour inſtead of the truth, but what is thy truth faſten my ſoule in it, that what ever temptations come, I may never be taken off from it. Tell God in Prayer what the thing is, and what hath perſwaded thy heart to embrace it, open thy heart fully to God in all thy aimes; and if by this meanes the heart be fixed, now it is delivered from fickleneſſe, and not faln into ſtoutneſſe.
2ly. Where true conſtancy is attained by the Spirit of God, and not by the ſtoutneſſe of thine owne, there is exerciſe of much grace, and growing up in grace, as faith, humility, love, meekneſſe, patience, &c. 1 Pet. 3. 17, 18. Take heed ye fall not from your ſtedfaſtneſſe, but grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jeſus Chriſt. Hearts ſtout and wilfull are dry and ſapleſſe.
3ly. If the more a man hath to do with God, the more ſetled he is in his way; when he hath the moſt full converſe and ſweetneſſe of communion with God, he is then the moſt fully ſetled, ſatisfied, eſtabliſhed in ſuch a truth, which he before conceived to be of God.
Many men are very ſtiffe and wilful, unmoveable when they have to deal with men, they ſeem then to be the moſt confident men in the world; but God knows, and their conſciences know, when they ſolemnly ſet themſelves in the preſence of God, and have the moſt reall ſight of God, and have to deale moſt immediately with him, then they have mſ-giving thoughts, they have feares that things may not prove ſo ſure as they bore others in hand they apprehended them to be: But if Gods preſence and thy dealings with him confirms thee in this, thy conſcience may give thee an aſſurance, that as thou art not fickle and wavering, ſo not ſtout and wilfull.
4ly. When there is a proportion in mens conſtancie, if a man be reſolute and conſtant in one thing, but very fickle and eaſily turned aſide in others, there is cauſe to ſuſpect his conſtancy is rather from ſtiffneſſe then from grace; for grace works proportionably through the whole ſoule, and in the whole courſe of a mans life.
5ly. If the more reall the preſence of death and judgment appear to a man, the more ſetled he is in that way; this likewiſe may be a good evidence to him, that his ſetledneſſe in ſuch a way, is right.