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

10. Moreover, till you are confirmed and built up, you may too easily be made the instruments of Satan, to further his designs. The weakness of your understandings, and the strength of your passions, and especially the interest that carnal Self hath remaining in you, may lay you open to temptations, and engage you in many a cause of Satan, to take his part against the truth. And how sad a case is this to any that have felt the love of Christ! Have you been warmed with his wondrous love, and washed with his blood, and saved by his matchless mercy? and may it not even break your hearts, to think that after all this, you should be drawn by Satan to wound ⟨p. 30⟩your Lord, to abuse his honour, to resist his cause, to hurt his Church, and to confirm his enemies, and gratify the Devil! I tell you with shame and grief of heart, that abundance of weak unsettled Professors, that we hope have upright meanings in the main, have been more powerful instruments for Satan to do his work by, for the hindering of the Gospel, the vilifying of the Ministry, the dividing of the Church, and the hindering of Reformation, than most of the notoriously profane have been! What excellent hopes had we once in England of the flourishing of piety and happy union among the Churches and servants of Christ? And who hath not only frustrated these hopes, but almost broke them all to pieces? Have any had more to do in it than weak unstable Professors of Religiousness. What sad confusions are most parts of England in at this day, by reason of the breaking of Churches into Sects and shreds, and the contentions and reproaches of Christians against Christians, and the odious abuse of holy truth and Ordinances! And who is it that doth this, so much as unstable Professors of Piety! What greater reproach almost could have befallen us, than for the adversary to stand by, and see men pulling out each others Throats? and hating and persecuting and reproaching one another; and that our own hands should pull down the house of God, and tear in pieces the miserable Churches while men are striving who shall be the Master of the Reformation? O what a sport is this to the Devil, when he can set his professed enemies by the ears, and make them fall upon one another? when if he have any notable work to do ⟨p. 31⟩against the Church and cause of Christ, he can call out unstable Christians to do it!