_Direct._ XII. Obey not the solicitations of selfish, passionate disputers. Bishops and divines falling out among themselves, and then drawing princes to own their quarrels, when they find their arguments will not serve, hath been the distraction, division, and ruin of the christian world. And he that falleth in with one of the parties, to bear out that by the ruin of the other, is lost himself in their contentions. Would rulers let wrangling bishops and disputers alone, and never lend them their swords to end their differences, unless the substance of religion be endangered, they would be weary of quarrelling, and would chide themselves friends, and no such tragical consequents would follow, as do when the sword interposeth to suppress the discountenanced party, and to end their syllogisms and wranglings in blood.
_Direct._ XIII. Take heed lest an uncharitable, hurting spirit do prevail, under the name of holy zeal. As it did with James and John, when they would have fire from heaven to have revenged the contempt of their ministry: to whom Christ saith, "Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of," Luke ix. 55. The difference between a christian zeal, and an envious, contentious, censorious, hurtful zeal, is excellently described by the apostle James, chap. iii. throughout. "Where envying and strife is, there is confusion, and every evil work. The wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good works, without partiality and hypocrisy."
_Direct._ XIV. The catholic church, and particular churches, and our communion with each, must be distinguished; and a man must not be cast out of our catholic communion, because by some tolerable difference he is uncapable of communion with some particular church. If a man be impenitent in any heresy or sin, which is contrary to the common nature of christianity or godliness, and so unfit for catholic communion, he is to be cast out of christian communion: but if some particular church do impose any unnecessary doctrine or practice, and he dare not approve it, or join in it (be it right or wrong); yea, or if he withdraw himself from one church, through the badness of the minister, or through any falling out between them, and join to another that hath a minister more suitable to his case; these are not crimes to be punished with ejection from catholic communion. He that is not fit for communion with some one particular church, may be fit for communion with many others, that give him no such occasion of difference or distaste. Without catholic principles persecution will not be avoided.
_Direct._ XV. Let church union and communion be laid upon none but catholic terms, which are possible and fit for all to be agreed in.[130] Common reason will tell any impartial man, that there can be no more effectual engine to divide the churches, and raise contentions and persecutions, than to make laws for church communion, requiring such conditions as it is certain the members cannot consent to. If any man knew that my opinion is against the doctrine of transubstantiation, or of the Dominican's predetermination, and he would make a law, that no man shall have communion with that church who subscribeth not to these, he unavoidably excludeth me (unless I be such a beast, as to believe nothing soundly, and therefore to say any thing). If ever the churches agree, and christians be reconciled, it must be by leaving out all dividing impositions, and requiring nothing as necessary to communion, which all may not rationally be expected to consent in. Now these catholic principles of communion must be such as these.
1. Such points of faith only as constitute christianity, and which every upright christian holdeth; and therefore only such as are contained in our baptismal covenant or profession, which maketh us christians; and not those other which only some stronger christians believe or understand; because the weak are not to be cast out of the family of Christ.
2. Such points as the primitive churches did agree in, and not innovations, which they never practised or agreed in; for they are our pattern, and were better than we; and no more can be necessary to our concord and communion, than was to theirs.[131]
3. Such points as all the church hath some time or other at least agreed in; for what reason can we have to think that the churches should now agree in that, which they never hitherto agreed in.
4. Such points as all the true christians in the world are now agreed in; for otherwise we shall exclude some true christians from our christian communion.
5. No points of worship, much less of modes and circumstances, which are not necessary, and more necessary to the church's good, than is the communion of all those persons, who by dissenting are like to be separated or cast out, and whose omission would not do more hurt, than this separation and division is like to do.