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

IF I were to speak but once to the world whilst I lived, this should be my Theme: And yet (for ought that I can perceive by any visible effects) I never spake of any thing with less success. One party writeth copiously of the mischiefs which will •ollow Toleration. And they say true, i• they mean the toleration of things intolerable: The other write as copiously of the necessity of Toleration and Liberty of Conscience: And they say true, if they mean only the Toleration of things tolerable. But neither of them saith true if they mean universally, and speak in any other sense: There is nothing more plain and sure, than that the tolerating of all errors and faults which conscience may be pretended for, or of none at all, are utterly destructive of Christian and humane peace and safety. He is scarce well in his wits that holdeth either part universally and unlimitedly: For the one would have no Government, ⟨p. 361⟩and the other would have no subjects to be governed. Seeing therefore bounds and limits there must be, we may reckon them as the third sort of distracted persons, who think that the bounds are so undiscoverable, that the mention of them is in vain; and therefore either All or None must be tolerated according as Rulers are disposed, or their interest seemeth to require: And therefore they say, What points be they that are necessary, and what unnecessary? What errors are tolerable, and what are intolerable? Can you name and number them? Or, who must be the judge? To which I answer.

IF I were to speak but once to the world whilest I lived, this should be my Theam: And yet (for ought that I can perceive by any visible effects) I never spake of any thing with less success. One party writeth copiously of the mischiefs which will •ollow Tolleration. And they say true, i• they mean the tolleration of things intollerable: The other write as copiously of the necessity of Tolleration and Liberty of Conscience: And they say true, if they mean only the Tolleration of things tollerable. But neither of them saith true if they mean universally, and speak in any other sense: There is nothing more plain and sure, than that the tollerating of all errours and faults which conscience may be pretended for, or of none at all, are utterly destructive of Christian and humane peace and safety. He is scarce well in his wits that holdeth either part universally and unlimitedly: For the one would have no Government,