352 OfIniuriea,ofences,andcontrouerfes. Num.zo. Godschildren haue beenpunit1ed forimgil offences in appearanee,as Mofer and a,0m for grudgingwere debarredfrom the land of promife. lofidh was thine becaufe he asked notcounfellto goc towarre, which may teach vs tobewareofthe leaftoffences. Itought not to bee condemned nor counted precifeneffe notto giue confent in thebreachofthe leanthing, though wee may beare them (when theycannot be redreffed) but not with confine. Hovv eon 6 Shall wee beecontentious? I thinke no nature is fo mifcreant, that it doth delight p% incontention : ifany delight to dwellinMejbech, asDauidcallethit, Iwouldheehada ermirredin tabernacle there: ifan deli htincontention Iwithnomoreharmc then that hee ma theCburch of y g , , God. beeneuer withoutit. What awn, 'hall wee blot out controuerfies? That wereto reach the fpirit ofGod wifedome. Could bee not as well haüe fayd, let therebee peace,as let Piaáaa as ' there bee Iighcì ay God hash ordained there should bee contentions, and not eddy permitted them,buc faith they mutt bee, and fucli as beeabout the waightieft matters in truth calledheretics,' .Cor, t r . Thenit is a dream ofidle braines,that any good can bere. ceiuedwithout controuerfies, and as theProphet Efaiah faith, without the barkingof foinedog orocher.It is not fo in euill things; they are receivedwith Mend: what then that Wherefore weplay the pots,and askethe potterareafon of his doing? Albeit Ilike not that humour andberefieebee ofmen,which wit (earthout thereafon ofGod his doings,when theyknowhis flatwil,yet inthe ;burch. an thiswee may, becaufebee bath fet.it downe. There bee three realons,firlt,thattliofe, z That are fledfaflmay beapproued, wewill haue it in this. AsSathan did to lob, Godcalled him, what fayejt thouof feruanolob y Liueth henot vprighclie ? No grandtnercie, laid hee, for bee hatli all hidings ofthee, but takeawaie them, and then &c. Secondlie, there are cities tobee gouerned, and to that endweemutt vfe ourtalent. John reproved the Scribesand Pharilesand came to reproueHerod. Samuel reprouedEly, and cameto 3 , ¡eproue Saul,that might haue(mitten offhis head.Thirdlie, thatthe Dwellmay haue the greater ouerthrow, that as God triumphed over him in lob, fo in our conftanciebee night doe the like.Then contronerlies are neceffarie.Howthen is it,that God is called the God ofglorie and peace? that Chrift is calledihe princeofpeace? the gofpell, the gofpell ofpeace? theminitters,theminders ofpeace? ofglad tydingsand vnitie commended fo generally? Surely it is the fault of our age todeliuer the word by halfes, and fo I fair, that bee,that teaeherh peacetobeegood- tiimplie without exception, teacheth an errour. Thereforepeacemutt beepeace in truth, and for this caufeChri(tfaith Iam the way,the lfe,and truth, fortohaue contention with luch as holdnot in him, is no breach ofpeace. Nay thewicked amonge themfelues haue no peace,it is but truce, they haue coucnanted withhell fora time,aday,a fewycares,or as the tearmeoftheir life, and then is great and euerlafting debate,wemayfee kin the 6rltagreement among thewicked.The ferpentdii. postedwithHeua, vntill the had ÿeelded ; then all was quiet vntitlthe euening, butthen came oneand brakethe truce.Separatepeace fromtruth,andpeace is no peace.Thereafon Truthsod hereof is fet downe,Pfal.' 3 8.Lord thou haftmagnifiedthy truth aboue al things,therfore peace goetoge- aboue peace. And thatIfal not into that erroraforefaid myfelfe,I will tell youwhat truth Cher. is.Wethinkeweareatpeace,&hauevnitieperfebfamongvsifwebeofthefamereligion, andwe agree,that we inuft,ana wilbe allProtettantsibut thefathers haue aldiftinginthed ,, "seechap.71: truth into threeparts. *Firlt,truthofdo hrineinreligion:Secondly,oflifeinourcomce- fation:Thirdhe, ofiuttice in givingpreferments.Vnleffea man loath allthefe,hebath none ofthein:and if in all theftbee peace,I will feekeand enfueafter peace;asfaith thePralmi!t: ifanyoffendinthe(e,I will not hauepeace with him, Weknowe, thatveritasdomrmxhath had witne(fes martyrs ; lo hauethe other two, though they fendvs noctohaeauen iii athiC . chariot:butan evil name whicheuery manfor their !takesmuff provide to fuffer:we mut be in this,as Chriff,when hekneeled before hisfather inthe garden.If manstaluationmay be wrought,let this cup paffe; ifnot,thywill bedone.. So ifa manMould hold vsacupof the wrathof a multitude, oranightieman, wemuff fay if it be poflible the truthmay be defended without this ; then let this cup paffe : but ifit cannotbeotherwife,letme dnnke the dregs andall.Sothat Godhimfelfe infuch cafesis the authorofdiffenfion.Hewill bane diffenfion, he fweareth, Efay. í9. that he is angrie for that none will snake dipénfion in
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