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

Obj. But it is one thing to persecute for particular opinions and interests (as almost all parties have sometimes done) and another thing to present for Godliness it self.

Obj. But it is one thing to persecute for particular opinions and interests (as almost all parties have sometimes done) and another thing to perse•nte for Godliness it selfe.

Answ. I confess it is, and the difference between these two is very great. But I pray you consider, first, that they are but few, perhaps not one, of all that you separate from, that ever persecuted you any way at all: Nor can you prove that ever they so much as allowed of it.

Secondly, That they whom you and I do suffer by, do not believe that they persecute us for Godliness, but think that here the case is more defensible than yours was. For you had no just authority over us: When the Anabaptists did pull down the Ministers they pulled down the Magistrates too; And therefore it was a persecution of equals, without authority; But those that we Ministers ⟨p. 260⟩suffer by now are our lawful Rulers, who have made Laws to require us to subscribe, and say and swear and do the things which we do not? And therefore they think that we suffer but for a different opinion joined with disobedience. It is not all men whom they forbid to preach, but us who dissent and do not obey them: It is not all men that are godly whom they imprison; but those that meet to worship God in a place and manner differing from theirs, and forbidden by them. So that how can you say that this is not for differing opinions.

Secondly, That they whom you and I do suffer by, do not believe that they persecute us for Godliness, but think that here the case is more defensible than yours was. For you had no just authority over us: When the Anabaptsts did pull down the Ministers they pull'd down the Magistrates too; And therefore it was a perscution of equals, without authority; But those that we Ministers