They would carry on their differences in Christian meekness, charity and moderation: and at the worst our Agreement would be greater then our disagreement. But when we have to deal with haters of holiness, or at least with men that are strangers to the sanctifying work of the Spirit, we have predominant Pride, and Selfishness, and Covetousness to strive against: We have radicated Infidelity, and enmity to God and holiness, giving life and strength to all their errors, and making them stubborn, and wilful, and scornful, against the clearest truths that can be showed them. There is no dealing effectually with a carnal heart, for any but God himself. Unless we can create light in them, as well as reveal the truth to them, what ⟨p. 41⟩good can we do them? What good doth the Sun to a man that is blind? They have understandings left, and therefore they can err: but they have no heavenly light in them, and therefore they cannot choose but err: They have wills, and therefore are capable of sin: but they have no holy rectitude of them, and therefore sin they will with obstinacy. When we dispute with the godly, that err through weakness, we deal with men that have eyes in their heads, and life in their souls, and some favour and experience of the matters of God. But when we dispute with the ungodly, we deal with the blind, we talk to the dead, we offer the bread of life to men that have no appetite, or savour of it: yea we speak for God, to enemies of God; and for truth, to the natural enemies of such truths; and the more obstinate enemies, because they know ⟨p. 42⟩it not. Had we nothing but mistakes to argue against, and had we but to do with men that have the free use of their reason, we should do well enough with them. But when we must persuade the deaf, the distracted and the dead; when we must dispute with Pride, and Passion, and Enmity, and persuade a Lyon to become a Lamb, and a Serpent to lay by his venom, no wonder if we find a difficult task of it. Had we none but the Godly to deal with, we should have abundant advantage for success; we should deal with men that Love the truth, and are willing to use right means to discover it: They would pray with us for truth, as well as dispute; they would with meekness search the Scripture, and see whether these things be so or not: They would yield to light when it appeareth to them, and not in prison it in unrighteousness.
They would carry on their differences in Christian meekness, charity and moderation: and at the worst our Agreement would be greater then our disagreement. But when we have to deal with haters of holiness, or at least with men that are strangers to the sanctifying work of the Spirit, we have predominant Pride, and Selfishness, and Covetousness to strive against: We have radicated Infidelity, and enmity to God and holiness, giving life and strength to all their errours, and making them stubborn, and wilful, and scornful, against the clearest truths that can be shewed them. There is no dealing effectually with a carnal heart, for any but God himself. Unless we can create light in them, as well as reveal the truth to them, what ⟨p. 41⟩good can we do them? What good doth the Sun to a man that is blind? They have understandings left, and therefore they can err: but they have no heavenly light in them, and therefore they cannot choose but err: They have wills, and therefore are capable of sin: but they have no holy rectitude of them, and therefore sin they will with obstinacy. When we dispute with the godly, that err through weakness, we deal with men that have eyes in their heads, and life in their souls, and some favour and experience of the matters of God. But when we dispute with the ungodly, we deal with the blind, we talk to the dead, we offer the bread of life to men that have no appetite, or savour of it: yea we speak for God, to enemies of God; and for truth, to the natural enemies of such truths; and the more obstinate enemies, because they know ⟨p. 42⟩it not. Had we nothing but mistakes to argue against, and had we but to do with men that have the free use of their reason, we should do well enough with them. But when we must perswade the deaf, the distracted and the dead; when we must dispute with Pride, and Passion, and Enmity, and perswade a Lyon to become a Lamb, and a Serpent to lay by his venom, no wonder if we find a difficult task of it. Had we none but the Godly to deal with, we should have abundant advantage for success; we should deal with men that Love the truth, and are willing to use right means to discover it: They would pray with us for truth, as well as dispute; they would with meekness search the Scripture, and see whether these things be so or not: They would yield to light when it appeareth to them, and not in prison it in unrighteousness.
