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

And I entreat the Separatists who will think this doctrine of forbearance gratifieth them, to observe that I speak all this to them as well as to Magistrates. I told you that there is a Church-persecution and a Church-forbearance, as well as a Civil. If Christ will have Magistrates forbear the weak, he will have you forbear them▪ and not say, We will have no Communion with those that pray by such F•rms and Liturgies, or that use such a Ceremony, or are not of our own opinions: Read Rom. 14. and 15. and you will see that it was a Church-forbearance towards one another, and a Receiving dissenters to Christian communion (even as Christ receiveth us for all our weaknesses) which Paul there pleadeth for, and not only a forbearance ⟨p. 275⟩of smiting them with the sword. What a wonder and what a lamentation is it, that those men that cry out so much for forbearance to the Magistrate, should themselves be as rigid and more by Church-severities, and less forbear dissenters, even in a form or ceremony, as to communion, and yet never see the same sin in themselves, which they so much complain of.

And I intreat the Separatists who will think this doctrine of forbearance gratifieth them, to observe that I speak all this to them as well as to Magistrates. I told you that there is a Church-persecution and a Church-forbearance, as well as a Civil. If Christ will have Magistrates frobear the weak, he will have you forbear them▪ and not say, We will have no Communion with those that pray by such F•rms and L•tt•rgies, or that use such a Ceremony, or are not of our own opinions: Read Rom. 14. and 15. and you will see that it was a Church-forbearance towards one another, and a Receiving dissenters to Christian communion (even as Christ receiveth us for all our weaknesses) which Paul there pleadeth for, and not only a forbearance ⟨p. 275⟩