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

Nay that they may abuse Gods word and name, against God, to the devils service, they arm themselves (as the Tempter did Math. 4.) with Gods authority and scripture, and will charge those with sin who would reprove their sin, and bring them to repentance: And as Master Herbert noteth, how the Pope under the reverend garb of Christs Vicar, doth do the like things to the suppressing of the Church and Truth, as Turks and Heathens do under the name of open enemies: so these men find that the names of Ministers and Christians, with the words of God abused, are among the well-meaning, a more effectual means to do that work which God abhorreth. I have long used to resist this sin of back-biting; and (not to justify the faults of any, but) to convince the back-biter of his sin. And I seldom do it, but they report of me that I am a ⟨p. 407⟩defender of such and such corruptions: One backbiteth men as Prelatists and formalists; another the Presbyterians; another the Independents; and another the Anabaptists; and say such a one is of such a sect, and ever with epithets of reproach: And when I tell them that the way to do them good, is to convince them of their error to their faces, and not to talk of them behind their backs, they report me presently to be a patron of the sect, because I was a reprover of their unchristian vice.

Nay that they may abuse Gods word and name, against God, to the devils service, they arm themselves (as the Tempter did Math. 4.) with Gods authority and scripture, and will charge those with sin who would reprove their sin, and bring them to repentance: And as Master Herbert noteth, how the Pope under the reverend garb of Christs Vicar, doth do the like things to the suppressing of the Church and Truth, as Turks and Heathens do under the name of open enemies: so these men find that the names of Ministers and Christians, with the words of God abused, are among the well-meaning, a more effectual means to do that work which God abhorreth. I have long used to resist this sin of back-biting; and (not to justifie the faults of any, but) to convince the back-biter of his sin. And I seldome do it, but they report of me that I am a ⟨p. 407⟩defender of such and such corruptions: One backbiteth men as Prelatists and formalists; another the Presbyterians; another the Independents; and another the Anabaptists; and say such a one is of such a sect, and ever with epithetes of reproach: And when I tell them that the way to do them good, is to convince them of their errour to their faces, and not to talk of them behind their backs, they report me presently to be a patron of the sect, because I was a reprover of their unchristian vice.