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

And as the judgement by one is laid open to another (even as truth inferreth truth) so the will is engaged, and espouseth mens own opinions as their interest; which maketh them stretch their w•ts in study to maintain what once they have received and asserted: And alas how often have I ⟨p. 357⟩heard wise and reverend persons cry out against this pride and partiality in others, who in their next discourse or the same, have shamefully showed it in themselves: making much of their own inconsiderable reasonings, and vilifying cogent evidence against them; and being so intent on their own inventions and cause, that they could scarce have patience to hear another speak; And when they have heard him, their first words show, that they never well weighed the strength of his arguments, but were all the while thinking what to say against him, or how to go on as they had begun.

And as the judgement by one is laid open to another (even as truth inferreth truth) so the will is engaged, and espouseth mens own opinions as their interest; which maketh them stretch their w•ts in study to maintain what once they have received and asserted: And alas how often have I ⟨p. 357⟩heard wise and reverend persons cry out against this pride and partiality in others, who in their next discourse or the same, have shamefully shewed it in themselves: making much of their own inconsiderable reasonings, and vilifying cogent evidence against them; and being so intent on their own inventions and cause, that they could scarce have patience to hear another speak; And when they have heard him, their first words shew, that they never well weighed the strength of his arguments, but were all the while thinking what to say against him, or how to go on as they had begun.

Lastly (not to run into any more causes) there is an universal lamentable cause of differences, that almost all people naturally are apt to be very confident of all their own apprehensions, And very few have any due suspicion of their own opinions; or an understanding submission to wiser men. Yea boys (that are once past their Tutors dictates) and the weakest women, are usually as confident that they are in the right, as the most learned and experienced persons. Yea none are so apt to be too doubtful and diident of their own understandings, as the Learned who are next the highest form: For they have knowledge enough to know what can be objected against them, and to see an hundred difficulties, which the ignorant never saw. So that the more weak & worthless and erroneous any ones judgment is, usually the more furious are they in their prosecution of it, as if all were most certain truth which they apprehend: These are the boldest both in schisms and persecutions; as being so sure