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

And if in the sense of the sin and misery of some Christians Love-killing principles and practises, I have spent the best of twenty years, in writing, preaching (while I had leave) conferring and praying for the Union of Christians and the Churches peace; I have but made a wedge of my bare hand, by putting it into the cleft; and both sides have closed upon me to my pain. But I have turned both parties in the fray, which I endeavoured to part, against my self; when each side had one adversary, I had two.

And if in the sense of the sin and misery of some Christians Love-killing principles and practises, I have spent the best of twenty years, in writing, preaching (while I had leave) conferring and praying for the Union of Christians and the Churches peace; I have but made a wedge of my bare hand, by putting it into the clift; and both sides have closed upon me to my pain. But I have turned both parties in the fray, which I endeavoured to part, against my self; when each side had one adversary, I had two.

Nay this is not the worst to be expected: But moreover I must add, that I was never more accused of any thing as a crime, than of that which I did most against, And even for doing so. Never more suspected of Carnal compliance, than when I exercised the greatest self-denial: Never more accused of unpeaceableness, than for labouring for the Churches peace. Never was I more accused of Schism, than for striving with all my power, to have united the Ministers, and healed the Church, or at least prevented further divisions. Never more accused of enmity against the true Discipline of the Church, than when I ⟨p. 148⟩have done most (and at the dearest rates) to stablish it, and to prevent its fall.

In all this I meddle not with my Civil Superiors, as thinking it meeter patiently to bear, than to aggravate their censures, though not all so tolerable as private mens.