The dying man's testament to the Church of Scotland, or, A treatise concerning scandal…

5. There are some Divisions, which (to say so) are negative, and are in the manner and circumstances ⟨p. 280⟩of doing some duties. Thus men may differ and take diverse ways, yet both of them be endeavouring the thriving of the work of the Gospel, and no way labouring to cross each other, or to make one another less weighty and successful. Thus Paul and Barnabas, after their contention, did indeed differ in their manner of prosecuting the work of the Gospel, yet both of them did continue faithful therein, and neither of them did counter plot nor counteract to others. Again, some divisions are positive (to say so) when men do not only differ from each other, but do oppose each other, and do not set themselves singly to prosecute the work, which possibly their opposite may be prosecuting with them; but there is an endeavour to lessen the authority and mar the actings of the other, and to engage men in the approbation of that particular wherein they do differ, which savoureth of division and faction properly, and is more hurtful and intolerable, when as the first is more tolerable amongst men who have their infirmities; and it's like, that such were the divisions of Corinth when there was an endeavour to cry up one, and down another.

5. There are some Divisions, which (to say so) are negative, and are in the manner and circumstances ⟨p. 280⟩of doing some duties. Thus men may differ and take diverse wayes, yet both of them be endeavouring the thriving of the work of the Gospel, and no way labouring to crosse each other, or to make one another lesse weighty and succesful. Thus Paul and Barnabas, after their contention, did indeed differ in their manner of prosecuting the work of the Gospel, yet both of them did continue faithfull therein, and neither of them did counter plot nor counteract to others. Again, some divisions are positive (to say so) when men do not only differ from each other, but do oppose each other, and do not set themselves singly to prosecute the work, which possibly their opposit may be prosecuting with them; but there is an endeavour to lessen the authority and mar the actings of the other, and to engage men in the approbation of that particular wherein they do differ, which savoureth of division and faction properly, and is more hurtfull and intolerable, when as the first is more tolerable amongst men who have their infirmities; and it's like, that such were the divisions of Corinth when there was an endeavour to cry up one, and down another.