The cure of church-divisions, or, Directions for weak Christians to keep them from being…

And diversity of Interests maketh no small difference of apprehensions. And those that are advantaged by their helps and studies may be disadvantaged by their interests. And therefore we say the Magistrate and the subject, the Lawyer and the Divine, the Prelate and the Presbyter, the Papist and the Protestant (both Princes, Prelates and People) so strangely differ in their thoughts; that one seemeth certain of that which another seemeth certain to be false; and one ventureth his salvation on that, which another ventureth his salvation against. Interest worketh secretly and too much with the best; but openly and predominantly with the worst.

And then the interest and opinion of the several Kingdoms, Churches, Pastors, parties or Sects which men are related to, or are engaged with, doth strongly tend to different apprehensions in all matters which those interests are concerned in. And many very good men think, ⟨p. 353⟩that public interest may be allowed much power upon their minds, though private and personal must be denied. Is it not a wonder to see, not only that almost all Christians are incorporated into one sect or party or other, but how easily the inconsiderable reasons of their party can prevail with them, and how hardly the better reasons of their adversaries, seem to them of any weight or worth? Not only the parties of Papists and Protestants, Lutherans and Reformed, &c. show this; but in the same Church the Regulars and Seculars, the Bishops and the Jesuits, the Dominicans and Jesuits, the Thomists, Scotists, &c. declare it. And the difference made by, natural capacities is yet more than all this. When one man is born to a duller understanding, and another hath a quick and clear apprehension; All that these men read and hear and meditate on, is like to make different impressions on their minds. And this is the greatest thing of any one, which maketh many controversies endless, and maketh both Divines and people run away from one another as dangerously erroneous: If a few men have clearer understandings than the duller and unstudied sort, they are like to be the minor part: For the dull and slothful (and yet self-conceited) will ever be the greater part, many to one, till the golden age return. And when all the world feeleth the consequents of this difference, can we doubt of it, or so far dote, as to think it possible to cure it?