Catholic unity, or, The only way to bring us all to be of one…Catholick vnity, or, The only way to bring us all to be of one…

19. Moreover, they that have the Spirit of Holiness, have a dear and special Love to Truth as well as unto Peace. And therefore they have a great advantage for the receiving of it in all debates: and consequently they are fairer for a just Agreement. They are friends with the most searching spiritual truths: But the ungodly have at enmity to all that Truth that would show them their sin and misery and duty, and make them holy ⟨p. 275⟩and lead them up from the creature unto God. And as the Proverb is, He that would not know, cannot understand. When you deal with a wicked graceless heart, you do not set Reason against Reason (for it that were all, we should soon have done) but you set Reason against Will and Passion and Appetite and fleshly Interest: and when you have convinced them, you are little the nearer prevailing with them. You may as well think to satisfy a hungry belly with Reasons, or to tame a wild beast with Reasons, or to humble the Proud, and bring the sensual person to self-denial, by all your Reasons, For they Love not the Truth, because they Love not the Duty that it would persuade them to, and because they Love the sin that it would take from them. There are two sorts of Satan in a wicked man that none but God can batter, ⟨p. 276⟩so as to win them: that is, A Proud and Ignorant mind, and a Hard and sensual Heart. Many a year have I been battering them by the Word of God, from this place, and yet with many can do no good. But the sanctified heart that Loveth the Truth will meet it, and welcome it, and thankfully entertain it. Love maketh a diligent hearer, and a good scholar, and giveth us hope that informations and debates may be successful. A godly man is so far from hating truth and flying from it, that he would give all the riches of the world to purchase it: He prays and reads and studieth for it: and therefore hath great advantage to attain it.

19. Moreover, they that have the Spirit of Holiness, have a dear and special Love to Truth as well as unto Peace. And therefore they have a great advantage for the receiving of it in all debates: and consequently they are fairer for a just Agreement. They are friends with the most searching spiritual truths: But the ungodly have at enmity to all that Truth that would shew them their sin and misery and duty, and make them holy ⟨p. 275⟩