“Men are naturally subject to sloth, and may not this principle [of coercion in conscience] suggest such a temptation as this? Why need we take care or pains to search into truths, to be able to convince gainsayers, to carry things with strength of Scripture and reason, seeing we have power to compel men to …
Don’t Be Righteous Over Much
“Though justice were to be managed by the most holy, wise, self-denying, and meek men upon the earth, yet there would be much danger in winding it up to the highest. For it is administered by men full of infirmities; there God will not have it strained too high. He will rather have charity to …
Wound Too Tight
“Compulsion in such things as we are speaking of is to strain justice so high as to make it the peak of justice, which is the degeneration of it . . . If justice is wound up a peg too high it breaks” (Burroughs, Irenicum, p. 83).
A Ditch on Both Sides of the Road
“Some think all things should be suffered, and they are loose and cause divisions on the one hand. Others think nothing is to be suffered, and these are rigid and cause divisions on the other hand” (Burroughs, Irenicum, p. 69).
Sixes and Sevens
“If we have attained but to six, and our brethren have attained to seven, let us walk together lovingly to the six. If God shall later reveal the seventh (we will promise to pray and study in the meantime), we shall walk with them also. Why must it now be urged with violence, so as …
Some Things Never Change
“[W]e cannot be ignorant that there is a generation of men who are vexed when they hear how near their brethren come to them by way of agreement. It serves more to their advantage to have the distance wide. They would keep open the wounds, yea, widen them” (Burroughs, Irenicum, p. 61).
Devil in the Will
“If a man is proud and turbulent in his carriage, by that you may know the devil is rather in the will than in the conscience. Though an erroneous conscience may cause one to hold fast an error, yet it does not cause proud, scornful, turbulent behavior” (Burroughs, Irenicum, p. 45).
Naturally Wanton
“Men naturally are wanton in nothing more than in the things of religion; and corrupt spirits are bent upon and pleased with opposition in these things above any other” (Burroughs, Irenicum, p. 29).
Lost Proportion
“Some think there must be a necessary connection between tolerating some things conceived to be errors and tolerating all things” (Burroughs, Irenicum, p. 26).
Like Dirt When It’s Dry
“Scandal will rub out like dirt when it’s dry. Let it alone, and never try to answer it. The more you meddle with it, the more will the wet mud be spread. Wait till you can use the clothes-brush with real effect” (Charles Spurgeon, Proverbs and Sayings, Vol. II, p. 140).