CHAP. V. What occasionall means may have influence upon division amongst the godly.
VVE come now in the third place to consi∣der, what occasionall means may have influence upon this division amongst godly men; And such may be, 1. Some talebearers* 1.1 and secret whisperers, who may have much influence to alienate good mens affections, by misrepresenting the words and actions of others, under pretext of re∣spect to them, when, in the mean time, it may be some particular discontent that putteth them on: It is marked, that one Serapion had much influence to alie∣nate Chrysostome and Severinus, who formerly were exceeding intire, who suggesting to the first, many evidences of the others disrespect to him, as if he had been endeavouring to draw the peoples affections from him; and for that cause, picked out some words of Severinus, which being considered alone, did sound grosly, but being considered in the Sentence as spoken by him▪ they were not of such a meaning. 2. Often when differences arise amongst honest men, there wanteth not many, who out of particular designs do