The true and only way of concord of all the Christian churches the desirableness…

of the many malicious actions of Priests and people against Jeremiah, Amos and other Prophets and Messengers of God;¹ of the persecuting cruelty of Herod against Christ and the Infants, in his jealousies about his Crown; of the Jews malicious and foolish opposition to Christ, of Christs disciples striving which should be the Greatest, and the aspiring request of James and John; of the short dissension of Paul and Barnabas, &c. Are not all these, unpleasant histories to us, and written to make dissentions odious? To this end ⟨p. 56⟩it is that we have the sad history of the early contentions between the Jewish and the Gentile Christians about Circumcision, and the Law, and the reconciling assembly, Act. 15. To this end we have the sad history and sharp reproofs of the factions and sidings among the Corinthians; of the false Apostles envy raised against Paul among the Corinthians and Galatians; and of those that preached Christ out of envy and in strife, to add affliction to his bonds, Phil. 1. of the many heresies that rose up even in those first Churches to trouble, defile them and disgrace them; To this end we have the abundance of sharp rebukes of contentious persons, and such as strove about words, and genealogies and the Law; and the reproofs of many of the Asian Churches, Rev. 2. & 3. and the odious description of the heretics, 2 Pet. 2. & Jud. &c. not only as corrupters of doctrine, but in a special manner as Separatists and dividers of and from the Christian Churches. To this end we have the sad predictions that two sorts should arise and tear the Churches, Act. 20. Grievous wolves that should not spare the flocks, and some of themselves that should speak perverse things to draw away disciples after them. To this use we have so many vehement obtestations, and exhortations against discord and divisions; even in those times of vigorous Love and Concord: such as