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

Did you see the ugliness of Ignorant peevish contentious zeal, as contrary to holy Light and Love, you would think you saw a devil, spitting out fire and brimstone, and would never more take it for your honour, nor for a mark of a child of God.

And if you knew how every word of obloquy especially by back-biting against your brethren▪ ⟨p. 410⟩doth tend to infect the hearers with the same vices and kill their Love, and lead them into divisions, you would take heed for the sake of others. (Unless you are of those who are foolisher than the devil, and would build Christs house and Kingdom by dividing it. Math. 12.) One raileth at Luther, and another at Calvin, and another at Arminius, and another at this man, and another at that, for matters which are above their reach; and the people are taught to rail at all; and to make it also their talk behind mens backs, •o prate against this man and that man and the other; and in time to show it, by breaking into sects: In a word such carnal courses of their Teachers, do make or harden carnal professors, to be one for Paul, and another for Apollo, and another for Cephas, but few sincerely and prudently for Christ: so that instead of Holiness, Love and Concord, we have in almost all company little but ignorant censorious wrangling, at the opinions of those that they never were acquainted with, or at the controverted practises, or circumstances of worship, which are not suitable to their prejudice and custom, and of which they never desired to be the impartial hearers of a just account.

And if you knew how every word of oblequy especially by back-biting against your brethren▪ ⟨p. 410⟩doth tend to infect the hearers with the same vices and kill their Love, and lead them into divisions, you would take heed for the sake of others. (Unless you are of those who are foolisher than the devil, and would build Christs house and Kingdome by dividing it.