29.8 Saul persecuting David troubled the Land 1 Sam. 14.29 And another Saul like him persecuted Christ Acts 9. They both figure the arrogancy of self-seeking men that 's Saul who envy the reign of the true David the love of God and our Neighbor Every hot-headed fool can blow the coals of Dissention but moderate and understanding men onely men of an excellent spirit or as it is in the Hebrew Prov. 17.27 men of a cool spirit can quench that fire And this I shall endeavor by the help of God at this time And 't is high time when the sparks of this fools-fire flee abroad in the dark among the ignorant people in Pamphlets and scurrilous Libels in Tavern and Ale-house meetings in pot-valor in siding and encouraging either other his respective party in deriding and jeering in detracting and slandring in rayling and inveighing it concerns thee and me and every one who profess obedience to the Gospel of Peace to put to his helping hand and to pluck his brother out of the fire That this may be done and Peace and Reconciliation made between Parties at so great a distance we must enquire 1. What Peace is here intended 2. Who the Parties are that differ 3. Wherein the Difference between them consists 4. How they fell out 5. Wherein they ought to agree 6. How they may be perswaded unto Peace 7. By what means Reconciliation may be made 1. What Peace is here intended Surely not all that is called by that name That name is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from knitting together in one so that Peace in general is an Union or Agreement But there is a bastard kinde of Peace which may consist with sin and iniquity such as ungodly men maintain among themselves who mean while are enemies to the true Peace Such is that whereof Jeremy speaks Jer. 6.14 where the Prophet deciphers such a condition as we shall finde ordinarily in the world a mutual humoring and pleasing one another and procuring one to other ease and quietness in the flesh A Peace endeavored and pursued by all men and with all men And for the greater confirmation of that Peace the Priests and Prophets of that time had learnt to sing Placebo and would God they sung not to the same tune in our time they complied with carnal men for the promoting of their own and others temporal advantages for the obtaining their corrupt interests gaining for themselves and others ease pleasure profit credit and reputation in the world whereas indeed this is no true peace but a more fleshly security For so the Prophet describes it From the least of them even to the greatest of them every one is given to covetousness from the Prophet even to the Priest every one dealeth falsly They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly saying Peace peace when there is no peace Christ came not to send such a Peace upon the earth Nihil boni est in unitate nisi unitas sit in bone There is no good in Unity unless unity be in Goodness The true Christian peace the peace we would promote is joyned with Righteousness Psal 85 14. with Holiness Hebr. 12.14 with Truth Zach. 8.16 with Joy in the Holy Ghost Rom. 14.17 Such a Peace may be described Tranquillitas Ordinis a Tranquillity of Order or Ordinata concordia an Orderly Agreement of men one with other For where there 's no order there 's confusion where there 's confusion there 's disturbance and breach of peace Where there is strife and contention which is opposite unto peace there is confusion and every evil work saith the Apostle James 3.16 Therefore confusion and peace are opposite one to other 1 Cor. 14.33 God is not the God of confusion but of peace as in all the Churches of the Saints Peace therefore consisting in Order it involves a relation to another and so is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Relative and in reference unto another whether that other be our own conscience when the war of our affections and lusts fighting against the soul is ended for so the effect of righteousness is peace Esay 32.17 Or which differs not really but onely formally from the former whether that other be God himself for so being made righteous by faith we have peace with God Rom. 5.1 Or whether that other be all other men besides our selves And this is the peace especially which we should all endeavor to follow which yet supposeth the two former peace of Conscience and peace with God which is the foundation of all true peace with men For so the Saints are filled with this peace by believing Romans 15.13 That we may the better understand this our duty we must know that this Peace Union and Agreement hath Love for the Root of it Which being two-fold either Complacentiae or Benevolentiae either that whereby we love and affect another quia bonus because he is already good and so we love his vertues and lovely qualities or else that love whe ewith we affect another ut sit bonus though he be bad for the present that he may be good and so we love his person not his ill qualities and conditions And to these two we may adde a third kinde of Love Complacentiae Benevolentiae simul as when we love one who hath some good beginnings of good wrought in him According to the first kinde of Love holy men of God love their like such as are Saints and holy men Thus the Saints are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 friends 3 John v. 14. And their love is such a bond of perfectness or such a perfect bond as the Apostle calls it Col. 3.14 that it knits all the holy ones of God together all the world over According to the second kinde of love a good man may love his ill neighbor and by his love win upon him and make him lovely According to the third a good father loves his towardly childe that he may grow in grace and the laudable beauty of an holy life and so become in person and qualities every way lovely Answerable hereunto Peace which proceeds from Love must be proportioned and extended unto men whereof because some are good holy gracious and vertuous and may be truly called Christians Others evil unholy unrighteous and untoward and though called yet indeed falsly called Christians because they have not that life which should make them truly such Others there are in a middle way between both with all these we must maintain an outward peace but differently thorough and perfect with the first sort with those we must maintain entire peace which proceeds from the first kinde of love the Love of complacency With the second we must exercise entire peace also but not so thorough so perfect and intimate as with the first but such onely as they are capable of because this peace proceeds onely from the second kinde of love the love of Benevolence or bounty With the third
ΕΙΡΗÎΙΚΟΠOR A TREATISE OF PEACE BETWEEN The two visible divided PARTIES Wherein is enquired 1. What Peace is here intended 2. Who the Parties are that differ 3. Wherein the Difference consists 4. How they fell out 5. Wherein they ought to agree 6. How they may be perswaded unto peace 7. By what means Reconciliation may be made between them How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the Gospel of Peace and bring glad tidings of good things Rom. 10.15 Blessed are the Peace-makers for they shall be called the Sons of God Math. 5.9 And Behold what maner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the Sons of God 1 John 3.1 By Irenaeus Philadelphus Philanthropus Presbyter and Professor of the more ancient Doctrine LONDON Printed by T. J. for Nath Brooks at the Angel in Cornhil 1660. A PREFACE TO THE Godly Learned READER IT is not the duty of a genuine childe to be still and silent when he hears his Parents chiding much less to be so disobedient as to provoke them with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O well done Socrates O well said Xantippe When the dumb Son of Craesus saw one ready to kill his Father the indignity of the fact made him speak and say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 kill not Craesus And indeed what ingenuous son of the Church can see the Reverend fathers of it and the Presbyters whose love should be as conjugal to maintain not onely a domestical and friendly chiding but even open enmity and strife so that they break out into sides and parties and are even at daggers drawing as we say what child can see this misbeseeming contention but he must step in and part the fray he must speak a word of pacification and reconciliation between them For although Solon would not that any should be Neuters when the City is rent by schism yet he forbids not endeavour of any to make peace Or if he or any other should so envy the blessing of peace unto a divided people sure I am a wiser then he hath said Blessed are the peace-makers for they shall be called the Sons of God When therefore I saw two parties who ought to be most dear one to other standing at defiance one against the other and no intercessor no mediator of their tribe between them I was constrained to undertake this Task Which indeed is a business worthy the labour of one far more able then my self Yet hath no man imposed this work upon me nor had I any other motive but the love of the God of peace and love who is the love it self the common love to mankinde the love to my countrey too lately rent and torn by civil wars upon the same occasion my love unto my dear Mother the Church of God So that it is purely a work and labour of love which accordingly I desire may be lovingly accepted I know it will be questioned who hath made this bold attempt to interpose himself as an umpire between two so potent adversaries I was aware of that as well knowing that he who parts a fray oftentimes bears blowes from both sides And what account do partial men make of such They esteem them as neuters and luke-warm persons And therefore such have great need to be supported and encouraged by the God of peace and love Moses had experience of this when he went about to make peace between his brethren Exod 2.13 who made thee a Prince and a Judge over us And what aspersions suffered the Apostles and Ambassadors of peace and how contrary to their profession and practise That they were disturbers of the common peace deceivers enemies to Government and many like slanders When St. Peter went about to break down the Partition-wall of Jewish ceremonies and so to make peace between Jewes and Gentiles he was accused of it as a great crime and put to his apology Acts 11. And when St. Paul went about to promote the same business what opposition found he both from Jewes and Gentiles Scourged stoned imprisoned buffeted reviled persecuted accounted unworthy to live upon the earth Yea Christ himself the peace it self and true peace-maker what contradiction of sinners did he suffer against himself for the very same work in the eminency of it Wherefore it is enough for the disciple that he be as his master and the servant as his Lord. Nor do I fear to spend or to be spent for the advancement of so great a work Howbeit that mine endeavours might the rather prosper I have concealed my name as well knowing that men are wont to make a God or a devil of a mans name If such or such a precious man speak this or that it 's received as an oracle from God if the same thing be spoken by one decryed as supposed heterodox and erroneous it 's esteemed by the same men a damnable errour I desire therefore that the judicious Reader will rather have regard to the subject and matter before him then trouble himself with enquiring whence it comes But truely there is so much the less hope of prevailing with men in this business because we see how loosely the bond of perfectness is tied how weak how briâ—â—â—â— is even among Professors of Religion how loving how dear how familiar soever they seem to be if a little honor or gain accrew to some one or other whereof all were capable presently envy and strife ariseth detraction and evil speaking As you have seen a company of dogs playing together it 's a resemblance befitted such currish friendship you would think they loved one another extremely cast but a bone among them they are presently together by the ears And because most men are of Themistocles minde they love to hear themselves well spoken of and of Sauls popularity they would be honored before the multitude therefore they make a tacite Covenant among themselves no way to disquiet or molest one another in their sins As if the angry man should agree with the drunkard upbraid not me with my peevishness and I 'le not trouble thee with thy ripling Spare me saith the coveteous man to the proud meddle not with my coveteousness and I 'le take no notice of thy pride Say nothing of my revengfulness saith the vindicative man and I 'le not molest thee with thine incontinency c. such Covenants as these seldom or never come above bord but are contracted by mutual and tacite consent because most men extremely love themselves their ease and security in the flesh And while these contracts last all the devils goods are in peace his wrath his intemperancy his pride his coveteousness his uncleaness his revengefulness and all the rest So that what ever pretence of religious tyes there may be among these men these are no other then the bonds of iniquity For the true love and peace is founded â—â—â—urity as St. James teacheth chap. 3. And if so â—â—ere would not be such mutual connivence at one anothers
upon the affections of the people However was it reasonable or equal that the faults of some one or few should redound to the blame yea extirpation of the whole Community Judge righteous judgement Is it just that because some Aldermen have been faulty in the Transactions of these late times therefore the whole rank and order of them should be taken away Or because some Presbyterians have been zealous and pragmatical in many unwarrantable actions is it therefore just or reasonable that the whole order of Presbyters should be extirpated O that these divided Parties would leave off the blaming one another and would enquire 5. Wherein they ought to agree THe endeavors of most men towards pacification have been spent in presenting certain Tenents and Principles wherein they would that all men should agree Hence the formula concordiae was framed and many other Confessions and Articles of Religion as those of the Church of England But its worth the enquiry whether all these pretences of Agreement tend not rather to division and disagreement than union amongst men that in some particular Opinions some might accord and in others oppose all other men To this purpose pains have been lately taken But the issue hath been rent and division Because they have endeavored such an Union as should be made by equivocal and amphibological Phrases which may be understood and taken divers ways which could hold men no longer together than that Artifice was unridled And if men agreed in these Tenents then they were on this side or that which gloried by encrease of their party Thus the Pharisees compassed Sea and Land to make Proselytes And many like them have labored to make men Orthodox as they speak that is to bring men to their opinions to think as they think while mean time little or no regard hath been had of the Christian life nor do men consider that it matters not much of what Religion or Opinion any man is if he be a knave The holy Scripture directs us not so much to Principles of Speculation as to good affection life and practise If thou do well c. Gen. 4. Cease to do evil learn to do well c. Esay 1. He hath shewen thee O man what is good c. Micah 6. Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand Bring forth fruits worthy amendment of life Math. 3. In every Nation they that fear God and work righteousness are accepted of him Otherwise to dogmatize to know and believe and hold this or that principle without the life affection and action cui bono to what what purpose is it See what account the Spirit of God makes of such Theory and Faith see Romans 2. and James 2. What then is it wherein we should agree That wherein they who differ and we all ought to agree is the wisdom and life of God in righteousness and holiness of truth This wisdom is begun in the fear of God The progress of it is in faith and hope The consummation of it is in the love of God and our neighbor The life of God is that from which we have been all alienated and unto which we are again lovingly called The archetypon of this is God himself who is our life and the Son of God who is our life and the Spirit of God which also is the Spirit of life This life is explicated in righteousuess which comprehends all graces and vertues of which that Poet whose verses were accounted Oracles saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Tully turn'd Justitia in se se virtutes continet oâ—nes And we may English it In righteousness all vertues are contained The effect of this righteousness is peace whence another of the old Poets in his Genealogy of Vertues and Graces which he calls Gods saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Peace is the daughter of Justice and Equity This divine life came forth from the Lord in all purity This was prefigured by Eve taken out of Adam that is the life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 taken out of Christ of whom then to come Adam was a figure Rom. 5. This Eve is the mother of all those who truly live as Hierusalem is said to be the mother of us all As this life came spotless and pure out of Gods hands so it must return unto him And therefore Christ loved his Church and gave himself for it that he might sanctifie it and cleanse it with washing of water by the Word that he might present it to himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrinckle or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blemish Ephesians 5.25 26 27. Hitherto we are to be gathered Gen. 49.10 2 Thes 2.1 Hither tend all the labors of the Bishops and Presbyters Herein we all ought to meet Ephes 4.13 This divine life hath been much obscured and counterfeited by all sorts of Philosophers and false Christians and is said for that reason to be taken from he earth The Lord Jesus therefore appeared to make discovery of this divine life John 17. This is life eternal to know thee and whom thou hast sent Josus Christ And therefore the Apostle saith that he hath conquered death and doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 enlighten or illustrate the life which was darkened and obscured before 2 Tim. 1.10 And it is more and more discovered in the growth of it For as there are different ages in the natural life so likewise are there in the spiritual life And the wisdom of God enters into the holy souls according to the ages Wild. 7.27 To which purpose the Apostle is to be understood Ephes 4 7. Unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the gift Christ that is of Christ himself who is that gift as our Lord calls Himself the gift of God John 4. For as the visible sun by few or many and often revolutions makes a like number of natural days or years in the outward and visible world after the same proportion in the invisible and spiritual world the sun of Righteousness lifts up the light of his countenance on the souls of those who fear him on whom he ariseth Malach. 4.2 And accordingly make some younger some elder some old aged men For if in truth and in Gods computation they were elder or yonger whom the world accounts such who should be more full of days then Adam and Methusala Who yet are never in all the Scripture said to be old men But Abraham the father of the faithful who had soon Christs days is said to die in a good old age and Joshua Job David Jehoida with some others all children in respect of those two are yet styled old men and full of days when yet the eldest of them all if we regard their natural life in this outward world came short of Adam and Methusala many hundred years The Wise man speaks home to this Wisdom 4.8 9. That honorable old age is not
turning from all and every one of our evil ways all our humbling all our praying all our pretence of seeking Gods face will be utterly in vain and to no purpose although the best men on earth should pray for us When the people had desired Samuel to pray for them he promised so to do but unless they turned from their evil ways he assures them his prayer would be ineffectual as indeed afterward it proved 1 Sam. 12.23 Hence it is that notwithstanding all the pageantry all the ostentation of Relâ—gion all the partial and false righteousness the envy the pride the covereousness the wrath the gluttony the chambering and wantonness the slothfulness in all spiritual duties generally the sin remains and consequently no peace can be hoped for which is the proper effect of righteousness For what peace saith Jehu so long as the whoredoms of Jezebel and her witchcrafts are so many There is an inconsistency and incompossibility of peace with the whoredoms and witchcrafts of Jezebel Jezebel hath a diverse Etymon either Insula habitaculi an Island of habitation and dwelling as the Island wherein we dwell or Insula sterquilinii an Island of a dunghill And this latter the Scripture it self warrants 2 King 9.38 The carcase of Jezebel shall be like dung upon the face of the field So Jer. 9.22 O how unhappily is this Etymon this Notation fulfilled in this Island Jezebel spiritually understood Revel 2. and her whoredoms and witcherafts Whoredom is spiritually idolatry a most known metaphor Disobedience is understood by witcheraft Gal. 3.1 By these and all open sin and false righteousness this Island which the hâ—â—â—man told King Edward the Confessor was Gods kingdom by these this Island is made a dunghil therefore what peace can be unto it Since therefore my beloved Brethren of both perswasions such abundance of iniquity and false righteousness such as the Apostle calls dung Phil. 3. hath over-spread this Kingdom and the Church in it and hidden the way of peace from us and since the partial false righteousness hath proved useless and ineffectual for the discovery and finding out that way let us all and every one of us prose quisque enquire and seek for peace and persue it in those narrow and untrodden pathes and follow the example of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath gone the same way before us that we should follow his steps And let the same mind be in us and every one of us which was also in Christ Jesus who humbled himself and became obedient unto the death even the death of the Cross Let us seek peace in these ways infallibly and unquestionably leading thereunto Let us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Apostle exhorts persue peace as eagerly as a man would persue his enemy and follow hard after it yet let us not use it as an enemy but as a dear friend and such as we would make an umpire of our differences and so let every one of us entertain peace in himself as St. Paul perswades 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let the Peace of God arbitrate and rule in your hearts Col. 3.15 as when we are injured commonly mutinous and seditious thoughts arise in our hearts whereof some stir us up to revenge suffer this and suffer all c. but others coming most what after the former 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 secundae cogitationes sapientiores these second thoughts perswade us to humility self-denyal taking up the cross long-suffering rendring good for evil and overcoming evil with goodness c. what 's therefore now to be done 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let the peace of God rule in your hearts and that will guide our thoughts wills and affections into the way of peace Let that peace of God umpire our differences Let that peace moderate arbitrate and rule in our hearts whereunto we are called in one body Will one member contend with or do injury to another O no but every member is compassionate and helpful and bears the infirmity and we â—â—â—â—ss of another The holy Apostle labours for this peace and 〈◊〉 of the Church by the same Allegory of the members mutuâ—â—â—erviceableness one to other and to the body the Church that there should be no schism in the body but that the members should have the same care one of another and whether one member suffer all the members suffer with it or one member be honored all the members rejoyce with it Those last words contain an hard lesson in them For it is much to be feared that our envy at our fellow members honors and our ambitious desires of them for ourselves hath made this schism and preach of peace in the body which the Apostle endeavours to prevent when he tells us Ye are the body of Christ and members in particular And how unseemly is the tumâ—r or swelling of ambition or the Marasmus or Consumption of envy in the body of Christ Especially since the honors of Christs members arise with their proficiencies as was shewen before and their variety is ordered of God And therefore the Apostle adds that God hath set some in the Church first Apostles secondly Prophets thirdly Teachers c. implying forcibly that if men duely considered that this subordination of divine honors is by divine institution the evil spirits of ambition and envy would soon be laid especially in the members of Christs body And therefore the same Apostle exhorting the Ephesians to this unity he begins at the lowest step of Jacâ—bs ladder Humility walk with all lowliness and meekness wtth long-suffering forbearing one another in love endeavouring to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace There is one body and one spirit even as you are called in one hope of our calling one Lord one Faith one Baptism one God and Father of all who is above all and through all and in you all But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the gift Christ And lest this different measure of grace might raise the evil spirits of ambition and envy he calls those dignified persons Gods gifts unto men which he gave some Apostles some Prophets c. which gifts he gives for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministry for the edifying of the body of Christ until we all come into the unity of the faith and knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man unto the 〈…〉 of the stature of the fulness of Christ O my brethren let this umprage and arbitation of peace be wrought first in every one of our souls For until this peace be promoted at home in every mans own heart especially in every one of yours my brethren who are of the Ministry how can it be hoped that you should advance it abrâ—ad among the people Nihil dat quod non habet How can you impart to them the spiritual gift of peace if you have it not your selves Yea how can it be