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

Both these extremes will tend to confusion: First, They that care not at all what men think of them, do but despise their advantages to do good, whilst they think that they only despise the praise or dispraise of men. We are commanded not to please our selves, but to please all men for their good to edification. Rom. 15. 1, 2, 3. Our power over them is upon their minds and wills, and not like Magistrates upon their bodies or estates: Therefore when we have lost their hearts, we have lost our power to do them good: They will not easily hear him that is despised or abhorred by them. Therefore a prudent care must be taken, that we be not prodigal of our interest in them, lest it prove to be cruelty to their souls.

BOth these extreams will tend to confusion: First, They that care not at all what men think of them, do but despise their advantages to do good, whilest they think that they only despise the praise or dispraise of men. We are commanded not to please our selves, but to please all men for their good to edification. Rom. 15. 1, 2, 3. Our power over them is upon their minds and wills, and not like Magistrates upon their bodies or estates: Therefore when we have lost their hearts, we have lost our power to do them good: They will not easily hear him that is despised or abhorred by them. Therefore a prudent care must be taken, that we be not prodigal of our interest in them, lest it prove to be cruelty to their souls.

Secondly, And yet if we give up our selves to their conceits and humours, and forsake the way of truth or peace to keep their favour, it will prove the more dangerous extreme. I have before ⟨p. 393⟩noted the peril of Ministers and the Church by this temptation. The rawest and the rashest professors are commonly the most violent and censorious; And so ready to scorn and vilify the gravest wisest Pastors, who cross their opinions, that many honest Ministers have been overcome by the temptation; to forsake their own judgement, and to comply with the violent to escape their censures and contempt: But this is not the way to the Churches peace. It may prove a palliate cure for a time, to put by at the present some sudden inconvenience: But it prepareth for after troubles and confusions. First, it will make the rashest and indiscreetest people (which is usually the women and young men) to be the Governors of the Church: Whilst all their Teachers must humour them lest they displease them. Secondly, When you have followed them a little way, and think there to stop, you must follow them still further, and never can foresee the end: For that weakness and passion of theirs which crieth up one error to day, is pregnant with innumerable more; and may cry up more to morrow, and so on. And one error commonly draweth on more, and one miscarriage engageth them to another: And the last are usually the worst: And the same ends and reasons which made you go out of the way to please them, will make you still follow them, how far soever they go, unless you repent. Thirdly, And if you repent and leave them, it must cost you dearer than prevention would have done: And you might have at much cheaper rates, forsaken them just there where they forsook the