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

But the greatest reason of this contentious back-biting quarrelling humour, is Ignorance it self; which will not give them leave so much as to see the difficulty of the points which they oppose; much less the truth of that which they have not been used to. The way which is spoken against, they think they may also boldly speak against.

And hypocrisy (though mixed with sincerity) hath too great a hand in this with many. The less men are taken up in that true religion which consisteth in Hea•en-work and Heart-work, in the Love of God and man, and the mortification of their selfishness and pride; the more they are addicted to make it up with a contentious zeal for their several ways, opinions and modes of worship, that they may not seen to be cold or neutral in religion. They never understood the third Chapter of I•mes, nor many other such texts of scripture.

And hypocrisie (though mixed with sincerity) hath too great a hand in this with many. The less men are taken up in that true religion which consisteth in Hea•en-work and Heart-work, in the Love of God and man, and the mortification of their selfishness and pride; the more they are addicted to make it up with a contentious zeal for their several wayes, opinions and modes of worship, that they may not seen to be cold or neutral in religion. They never understood the third Chapter of I•mes, nor many other such texts of scripture.

O that the Ministers of Christ were once sensible, not here only but through all the Christian world, what a plague the conjunction of their ignorance and contentiousness, and their dividing selfish zeal hath been to the Churches of Christ? And what they have done against the souls of men, by violence, and by heading parties, and by laying Heaven and Hell upon the opinions, which they never understood! and by departing from