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

When gifts▪ […] utterance in prayer or talking are thus overvalued and high professions are taken to have more in them th•n they have, men presently model their affections, and then the Church according to these mis-conceivings: And • talkative person who by company and use hath ⟨p. 25⟩got more of these gifts, than better Christians, shall be extolled and admired, when many a humble upright soul, that wanteth such utterance, shall be said to be no professor, and so to be unworthy of the Communion of Saints.

When guifts▪ 〈…〉 utterance in prayer or talking are thus overvalued and high professions are taken to have more in them th•n they have, men presently moddle their •ffections, and then the Church according to these mis-conceivings: And • talkative person who by company and use hath ⟨p. 25⟩got more of these guifts, than better Christians, shall be extolled and admired, when many a humble upright soul, that wanteth such utterance, shall be said to be no professor, and so to be unworthy of the Communion of Saints.

Mistake me not: I know that though profession may be without sincerity, yet sincerity cannot be without some profession, when there is opportunity to make it: And I know that Grace is a vital principle, and like fire which will work and seek a vent if you would restrain it: And that Gifts of utterance are great mercies of God for the Edification of the Church. But here lieth your unhappy error in this case. 1. You take the common profession of Christianity to be no profession at all, because there is wanting a profession of greater zeal and forwardness. When as the common sort of people in this Land, do profess to stand to their baptismal Covenant, in which they own the essential parts of Godliness and Christianity, and all that is of absolute necessity to Salvation. He that truly understandeth the baptismal Covenant, and Consenteth to it, doth perform all which is necessary to a state of grace: If he profess this, he professeth, both true faith and repentance, and sanctification and mortification, and all that is necessary to make a man a Christian. How then can you say that these are no Professors? I tell you (except a few Apostates) the common sort of people in this Land are Professors of true faith and godliness! Whether they are true Professors without dissembling is another question; but they are professors of the truth.