Directions for weak distempered Christians, to grow up to a confirmed state of grace…

2. And the weak Christian hath the same spirit, and therefore the love of peace is most predominant in him: But alas he is too easily tempted into Religious passions, discontents, contentious disputations, quarrelsome and opprobrious words; and his judgement lamentably darkened and perverted whenever contentious zeal prevaileth, and passions do perturb the quiet and orderly operations of his soul. He wanteth both the knowledge and the experience and the mellowness of spirit, which riper Christians have attained: He hath a less degree of Charity, and is less acquainted with the mischiefs of unpeaceableness: And therefore it is the common course of young professors, to be easily tempted into unpeaceable ways: and when they have long tried them (if they prove not Hypocrites) to come off at last upon experience of the evils of them, and so the young Christians conjunct with some hypocrites make up the rigorous, fierce, contentious and vexatious party, and the aged riper Christians make up the holy, moderate, healing party, that groan and pray for the Churches peace, and mourn in secret both for the ungodliness and violence which they cannot heal. Yea the difference is much apparent in the Books and Sermons which each of them is best pleased with. The ripe experienced Christian loveth those Sermons that kindle Love, and tend to Peace; and love such healing Books as do narrow differences, and tend to reconcile and heal (such as Bishop Halls Peace-maker, and Pax terris, and all his writings; and Bishop Davenants, Bishop Mortons, and Bishop Hall's Pacificatory Epistles to Duraeus, and Mr. Burroughs's Irenicon, Ludov. Crocius, Amyraldus, Junius, Paraeus's, and many ⟨p. 150⟩other Irenicons written by foreign Divines, to say nothing of those that are upon single controversies. But the younger sour uncharitable Christians are better pleased with such Books and Sermons as call them aloud to be very zealous for this or that controverted point of Doctrine, or for or against some circumstance of worship or Church discipline, or about some fashions, or customs, or indifferent things, as if the Kingdom of God were in them, Rom. 14.1, 2, 15, 16.

2. And the weak Christian hath the same spirit, and therefore the love of peace is most predominant in him: But alas he is too easily tempted into Religious passions, discontents, contentious disputations, quarrelsome and opprobrious words; and his judgement lamentably darkened and perverted whenever contentious zeal prevaileth, and passions do perturb the quiet and orderly operations of his soul. He wanteth both the knowledge and the experience and the mellowness of spirit, which riper Christians have attained: He hath a less degree of Charity, and is less acquainted with the mischiefs of unpeaceableness: And therefore it is the common course of young professors, to be easily tempted into unpeaceable waies: and when they have long tryed them (if they prove not Hypocrites) to come off at last upon experience of the evils of them, and so the young Christians conjunct with some hypocrites make up the rigorous, fierce, contentious and vexatious party, and the aged riper Christians make up the holy, moderate, healing party, that groan and pray for the Churches peace, and mourn in secret both for the ungodliness and violence which they cannot heal. Yea the difference is much apparent in the Books and Sermons which each of them is best pleased with. The ripe experienced Christian loveth those Sermons that kindle Love, and tend to Peace; and love such healing Books as do narrow differences, and tend to reconcile and heal (such as Bishop Halls Peace-maker, and Pax terris, and all his writings; and Bishop Davenants, Bishop Mortons, and Bishop Hall's Pacificatory Epistles to Duraeus, and Mr. Burroughs's Irenicon, Ludov. Crocius, Amyraldus, Junius, Paraeus's, and many