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

I know they will say that Religion was ever scorned by the wicked, and ever will be? But if it be scorned for its genuine nature, its heavenly wisdom, purity and goodness, this is the disgrace only of them that scorn it: Or if they maliciously and causelessly call wisdom, folly, or call good, evil, this will redound to the speakers shame, where true Reason hath but leave to work. But if you will therefore do as the Jews did, and clothe Christ in a fools Coat, and put a Reed in his hand for a Sceptre, to expose him to the laughter and scorn of the beholders, it is you that will be found his deriders and crucifiers! If you blind-fold him, and others smite him, and say, Read who smote thee; his buffeting will prove to be caused by you: If you will paint a saint in the garb of a mad man, the countries hatred and abuse of saints will be imputed unto you.

I know they will say that Religion was ever scorned by the wicked, and ever will be? But if it be scorned for its genuine nature, its heavenly wisdome, purity and goodness, this is the disgrace only of them that scorn it: Or if they maliciously and causelesly call wisedome, folly, or call good, evil, this will redound to the speakers shame, where true Reason hath but leave to work. But if you will therefore do as the Jews did, and cloath Christ in a fools Coat, and put a Reed in his hand for a Scepter, to expose him to the laughter and scorn of the beholders, it is you that will be found his deriders and crucifiers! If you blind-fold him, and others smite him, and say, Read who smote thee; his buffetting will prove to be caused by you: If you will paint a saint in the garb of a mad man, the countries hatred and abuse of saints will be imputed unto you.

Fourthly, yea I may add, that you are the great cause of the persecutions of the godly, and of the damnation of the persecutors. While godly people appear in their own likeness, in wisdom and love and humility and meekness and sobriety, the world doth usually bear some reverence to them, though it hate them. But when you have made men believe that those that call themselves Godly people, are but a company of superstitious Pharisees, ⟨p. 229⟩