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

And yet in all this, you must communicate with no Church or person in their sin it self: and yet not refuse their Communion in good, though mixed with sin. You must own all the prayers of all the Churches in the world, so far as they are good, and join in spirit by consent, as if you concurred with them in presence, and made all their prayers to be your own (As you do by the prayers of the Church where you are present.) If there be disorders or imperfections or sinful blemishes in their prayers, you must disown all those faults, but not therefore disown any part of all their prayers which are good, but desire to have a part in them and desire the pardon of their failings.

And yet in all this, you must communicate with no Church or person in their sin it self: and yet not refuse their Communion in good, though mixt with sin. You must own all the prayers of all the Churches in the world, so far as they are good, and joyn in spirit by consent, as if you concurred with them in presence, and made all their prayers to be your own (As you do by the prayers of the Church where you are present.) If there be disorders or imperfections or sinful blemishes in their prayers, you must disown all those faults, but not therefore disown any part of all their prayers which are good, but desire to have a part in them and desire the pardon of their failings.

And here you may perceive what a mischief peevish separation is on both sides. It hindereth you from pr•ying aright for others, as the members should do for all the body; And it hindereth ⟨p. 117⟩you from partaking in the benefit of the prayers of most of the Church of God on earth. Indeed God may hear those prayers for you which you your selves disown: But whether this may be expected, according to the ordinary course of his dealing, is much to be doubted: seeing he hath made every mans will or choice the ordinary condition of his participation of such benefits, it is hard to conceive, that he that abhorreth the prayers of other men, or taketh them for such as God abhorreth, or will not accept, and in his mind disowneth all participation, and communion in them, should yet have a part against his will. But of this more anon.