The moderator

Now as it was with James and John in this case, so it is with many godly men in like cases. For in these times of controversy, wherein divisions are heightened to the utmost, it doth often fall out, that men being of different parties, for far lesser causes then Jews and Samaritans were divided; yet look upon one another with no less animosity then did the Jews upon the Samaritans, and the Samaritans upon the Jews; that is, with so much prejudice, that if they find a man but looking towards that party to which they have set themselves in opposition, as the Samaritans found Christs face set towards Jerusalem, they will be ready to deal with him as the Samaritans dealt with Christ, and his Disciples, refuse him civility, use him inhumanely, and perhaps offer injuries both in deeds and words. These injuries will sometimes be taken as reflecting upon the Truth of the profession; sometimes upon the justice of the cause and the innocency of the party which we favour; and if withal (as oft-times it falleth out) some private concernment of our own is mixed with the public interest; that will mainly heighten the sense of those injuries, and transport us unto some excess of zeal: For when any degree of passion for self concernment doth meet in our affection with any object of true zeal, and a ground of public interest, to mix withal and raise it self upon; then it becometh a mighty one, and a giant-like passion; as when in the first world, the Sons of God came in into the fairest of the daughters ¹of men, and those bore children unto them, they were mighty ones and men of renown: so it falleth out here, that in the Spirits of men, mighty resolutions and purposes of high revenge are begotten upon such occasions: and when Satan doth find us in any such distemper, he hath a fit opportunity to infuse his poison into our aims to cause us forget the end of our spiritual calling which is not to destroy but to save the lives of men, by rectifying ⟨p. 37⟩them and building them up in the Spirit of meekness and of love, with all long-suffering and Forbearance.

Now as it was with Iames and Iohn in this case, so it is with many godly men in like cases. For in these times of controversie, wherein divisions are heightned to the utmost, it doth often fall out, that men being of different parties, for farre lesser causes then Jewes and Samaritanes were divided; yet look upon one another with no lesse animositie then did the Jewes upon the Samaritanes, and the Samaritanes upon the Jewes; that is, with so much prejudice, that if they find a man but looking towards that partie to which they have set themselves in opposition, as the Samaritanes found Christs face set towards Ierusalem, they will bee ready to deale with him as the Samaritans dealt with Christ, and his Disciples, refuse him civilitie, use him inhumanely, and perhaps offer injuries both in deeds and words. These injuries will sometimes bee taken as reflecting upon the Truth of the profession; sometimes upon the justice of the cause and the innocencie of the partie which we favour; and if withall (as oft-times it falleth out) some private concernment of our owne is mixed with the publick interest; that will mainly heighten the sense of those injuries, and transport us unto some excesse of zeale: For when any degree of passion for self concernment doth meet in our affection with any object of true zeale, and a ground of publick interest, to mixe withall and raise it self upon; then it becommeth a mightie one, and a giant-like passion; as when in the first world, the Sonnes of God came in into the fairest of the daughters