A26885:296
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…
Catholic unity, or, The only way to bring us all to be of one religion by Rich. Baxter.Catholick vnity, or, The only way to bring us all to be of one religion by Rich. Baxter.
London: printed by R. W. for Thomas Underhill and Francis Tyton, 1660
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
3. And this also is another Reason of the difference. It is the Interest ⟨p. 296⟩of Satan to Divide the servants of Christ, but to Keep his own in Unity and Peace: and therefore he will do what he can to accomplish it. He knows that a Kingdom divided cannot stand: And therefore he will do his worst to Divide Christs Kingdom, and to keep his own from being divided. By a deceitful Peace it is that he keeps his servants to him. And by casting among them the matter of contentions and divisions he hopeth to get Christs followers from him. So that the Devil himself is the promoter of your Unity and Concord, but the destroyer of ours; and therefore no wonder if you have fewer differences.
4. Besides, the way that ungodly men go in, is so suited to the common corruption of nature, that it is no wonder if they be all agreed. All the world can agree ⟨p. 297⟩to eat and drink and sleep: And therefore all the sensual sinners in the world may easily agree upon an overloving of meat and drink and sleep, and so of riches and honours and pleasures. And as its easy, so it is not much desirable; no more then if you should all agree to cast your selves headlong into the Sea: when every house is infected with the Plague, there is an Agreement among them: But had you not rather be one of those that, disagree from them? But to Agree in a holy heavenly life, is contrary to corrupted nature; and therefore no marvel if it be more difficult. When a Physician hath an hundred Patients in hand, he may easily get them all to Agree to eat and drink that which they desire: But if he require them to forbear the things that they most Love, because they will hurt them, the understanding sort will agree to ⟨p. 298⟩him, but so will not the rest. In a rotten house, the fall of one bearer may occasion the fall of all the house; because their weight inclines them downward: But if you take up one stone and cast it upward, all the rest of the stones in the heap, will not fly upward with it. Its easier to draw others with us down hill, then up the hill.