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With all humblenesse of mind, and meeknesse, with long-suffering, forbearing one another in love: Endeavouring to keep the unitie of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
PYthagoras, that old Samian Philo∣sopher, who (as Justine Martyr re∣cords) was wont to veil and dis∣guise his opinions under dark speeches and mysticall symbols, having made Unitie the originall of all things, and the cause of all good that is in the world; the Father takes not his words for his meaning, but under the allegoricall veil of that Unitie discovers an undivided Deitie: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, saith he in his Cohor∣tation to the Grecians. As if that and God were so inseparably linked together, that the thought of man, although suggested but by the dictate of nature, could not possibly part them asunder. In like manner, S. Paul in this chapter exhorting the Ephesians to the endeavour of keeping the unitie of the Spirit in the bond of peace, after he hath told them, There is but one body, meaning of a Ca∣tholick Church howsoever dispersed over the whole earth; But one Spirit, of a God informing