Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A44671
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The carnality of religious contention in two sermons preach'd at the merchant's lecture in Broadstreet / by John Howe ...
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Howe, John, 1630-1705.
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1693
(1693)
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Wing H3019; ESTC R1703
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46,035
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129
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Character But if it appear that any Word of a doubtful signification is misunderstood by many creates offence and through some fixed immovable Prejudice or Prepossession that some other Notion of it hath obtained in the minds of many it will always be otherwise understood by them than we intend let it rather go for a Nehushtan than that the Peace of the Church should be broken and Men's minds be disturbed and disquieted by it This is the Case when any such Words that might be arbitrarily used or laid aside are made so necessary or so destructive as if all Religion were saved or lost by them When one so cries up such a Word as if he would say The Heavens must fall if I have not my Word And another decries it as much as if he said They must fall if it be admitted or if I have not mine Sure there must be in this Case that forbidden 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of which the Apostle speaks in that 1 Tim. 6. 4. which they are usually most apt to be guilty of that are also guilty of what is put in Conjunction therewith perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds with these falls in this strife of words Whether that be to be understood objectively or instrumentally Strife about words or wordy strifes I shall not here determine But that whole Context is worth our considering ver 3 4 5. If any man teach otherwise do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 teach other or alien things or after another or alien manner and consent not to the words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the Doctrine which is according to Godliness 4. He is proud knowing nothing but doting about Questions and strife of Words whereof cometh Envy Strife Railings Evil Surmisings 5. Perverse Disputings of men of corrupt Minds and destitute of the Truth supposing that Gain is Godliness from such withdraw thy self And therewith agrees what we find also mentioned with the Charge of avoiding them 2 Tim. 2. 23. Foolish and unlearned Questions that gender strifes Some may fancy they make themselves considerable for Learning by such Altercations But the Apostle slurrs that Conceit calling them unlearned So I remember Seneca says of the Greeks calling it their Disease that they made much ado with certain idle Questions as How many Rowers belong'd to the Vessel that carry'd Ulysses and such like that he there mentions whereby says he they did not appear more learned but only more troublesom 3. When we consider with too little Indulgence one anothers mistakes and misapplications in the use even of Scripture words placing them as some may do upon things to which they do not properly belong when yet they agree about the things themselves There are Words in the Scripture-revelation that it may be the one or the other of disagreeing Persons may apply to one thing when the other perhaps truly thinks they belong more properly to another There is an Inconvenience in this the Case is much as if one should have an Idea of all the Streets of London in his Mind as they lie but he mistakes the Names and transposes them As for Instance calls Cheap side Cornhill or Cornhill Cheap-side He does not speak so intelligibly to another but at the same time may have the same Idea in his Mind of London that another has And this however when it occurs in Religious Disceptations ought to be considered though there be an Inconvenience in it with Indulgence as knowing we are all liable to mistakes in greater matters And as it is possible there may be somewhat of Carnality some Perverseness some Cloud arising from infirm Flesh that darkens the Mind and occasions it so to mistake so 't is much greater not to be able to bear in another such a mistake 4. When there is an agreement about the main and principal things that the Scripture-Revelation contains and carries in it but there is not that agreement about their mutual respects and references unto one another This is a matter indeed of greater Importance there can be no true Scheme given of Gospel-Truths and Doctrines if such their references and respects to one another be not rightly understood But an entire true Scheme of Christian Doctrines will not enter into all minds and for the most part they are particular Passages or particular Truths that strike Hearts and that God makes use of to do Souls good by And if so entire a Scheme will not enter into the minds of many whether through their Darkness or Ignorance or whether through any thing of Prejudice that was as it were forelaid in their Minds nothing remains but to be patient of it and to do them what good we can even upon their own Terms and in the way wherein they are capable of it There was such an Obstruction in Minds among these Corinthians even upon this very account of their Carnality as we we see in that 3d. of the 1st Epistle That the Apostle tells them I could not speak to you as Spiritual it must be understood comparatively but as unto Carnal and therefore as a wise Instructer thought it needful to keep back to with-hold some things from them that he reckoned might be Meat to them solid Meat strong Meat because they had been hitherto unable to bear it nor were yet able It is in that case needful rather somewhat to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to with-hold some things or suspend than by a continued and too urgent Inculcation to frustrate ones own design and while we would have all enter into less capable Minds to have nothing enter It may sometimes be that when too much is endeavoured at once to be born in upon them against an invincible Obstruction we only engage them to fortifie the more strongly and shut out all and so we defeat our selves They gain nothing and our whole Design is frustrated and lost In all our Applications to the Souls of Men there must be patient waiting and very gradual Endeavours used without force and furious striving yea in our having to do with such as are yet the very Vassals and Captives of the Devil So the Apostle speaks 2 Tim. 2. 24. The Servant of the Lord should not strive but be patient towards even all men and wait even in reference to them that are hitherto altogether impenitent when God will give them repentance that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the Devil that are led Captive by him at his will Much more are such Methods to be used towards them who call on the Name of our Lord out of a pure Heart as he speaks a little above in the same Context ver 23. And consider the Extent and Endearingness of this Character 'T is to be deplor'd that it extends not further But so far as it doth extend God forbid it should not have a most perswasive Efficacy and Power upon our Spirits to make us follow Righteousness Faith Charity Peace even with all them that bear that
and Derision most probably to every one else In this case every Man is however most commonly innocent in his own Eyes or still thinks he is in the right amidst the so vast a variety of Apprehensions and Sentiments no one suspects himself to be in the wrong All are for the Truth and they are all for Peace and Vnion By which some indeed more gently mean they hope all will quit their former mistaken Opinions and ways as in great kindness to themselves they take for granted all Men's are but their own and come wholly over to them Others that have not Breasts capable of even so much Charity as this not only are as much Lovers and Admirers of themselves but so vehement Haters of all that presume to differ from them that they think them not fit to live in the World that durst adventure to do so The meaning therefore of their being for Peace is that they would have all destroy'd that are not of their minds And then as the Roman Historian speaks Quando solitudinem fecere appellant pacem When they have made a Desolation so that they themselves are left alone in the World that they will call Peace But you will say What is to be done Or what would I perswâ—de in this case of differing Apprehensions and ways still remaining among Christians I answer Not presently to unbelieve all that ever a man hath believed before or to abandon on the suddain his former Sentiments or to find fault with himself for having thought them right For 't is a Contradiction to be of any Opinion and not then to think it right Nor therefore is it Scepticism by any means that I would advise to as if there were nothing to be thought certain But this That whereas the greatest and most necessary things in Religion are most plain that is either most plain in themselves or most expresly revealed in the Word of God Here let us be stedfast our selves without being severe towards other men Other things that are more matter of doubt and dispute by how much the less plain they are we should count so much the less necessary In reference therefore to these loss momentous things about which there is with us most of Jangling there ought always to be great modesty and distrust of our own Understandings and a continued readiness to receive Information with constant looking up to the Father of Lights for further Illumination and a Resolution wherein we with others have attained to walk by the same Rule minding the same agreed things hoping God will reveal his Mind to the otherwise minded in his own time as the Apostle in 3 Phil. 16 17 But to hasten to a Close I further add in the Last place Such Carnality greatly shews it's self in an Affectation and Desire of having such Disputes still kept a-foot and the Contests continued without either Limit or rational Design This shews a deep Tincture and is a plain Indication of a Mind to a very great degree carnaliz'd when a mighty pleasure is taken to see the Saw drawn and the Ball kept up And if the Question be ask'd Pray how long So little of reasonable Answer can be given that it might as well be said in plain terms Till all Words be spent till Speech or Language fail till Elias come or Dooms-day come So that if there were never so much reason to commend the having said somewhat in defence of this or that disputed Point we might yet say as Seneca did of Cicero's so much overpraising his own Consulship I blame him not for praising it without Cause but for doing it without End or that he could never give over or tell when he had said enough Upon the same Terms upon which it is now so much desired such Disputes should be continued when what is truly enough is already said they might as well wish they always should Which signifies that when we say we would have Men contend for Truth we wish it not so much for Truth 's sake as for the Contention 's sake By all means say they strive for the Truth Not that they care so much for Truth as for the Strife For in some Circumstances there is not an End in view that is rationally to be designed or served by it on this side the End of all things Nor consequently any good Principle that is to be exercis'd or gratify'd thereby What is needful to be said in the matters already referr'd to for the informing and satisfying of tractable Minds sincerely willing to understand the Truth lies within a little Compass And when in Controversie that is once said which truly belongs to the very Point in question the rest is commonly trifling and reflexion or the perplexing of the matter more and darkning Counsel by words without knowledge If Love to Truth be alledged for the Principle that prompts Men to covet so continual Altercations about it I would say this shews more want of love to it For hereby they are diverted from that which renders it most of all amiable and for which it ought chiefly to be loved As it is the Truth according to Godliness and by which we are to be sanctify'd and begotten more and more as of an Immortal Seed into the Divine Likeness Experience shews how little Disputes better Men's Spirits If we love Divine Truth why do we not feed and live upon it and enjoy it's pleasant Relishes But relish Gravel more or Chaff and Bran. For thither the Agitation of continued Controversies about it doth soon sift it the Grain or Floure the Kidney of the wheat being pass'd away and gone from us Can none remember when the Disputative Humour had even eaten out the Power and Spirit of Practical Religion and Godliness Thither things are again tending if either by Severity or Mercy one may say rather than not otherwise by merciful Severity God do not prevent and repress that Tendency As yet I fear the Humour is violent when the Fervour of Men's Spirits is such as to carry them over all Scripture directions and Animadversions that they signifie nothing with them Only make it their business each one to animate the more vogued Champions of their own Party into the highest Ferments and cry Dispute Dispute Write Write Preach Preach one against another let not the business go over so do not keep silence Thus are many as the Apostle speaks puft up for one against another 1 Cor. 4. 6. And what has such a Text of Scripture as that no Edge no Point by which to lance to pierce such a Tumour No when the Humour is once up and has inwrapt Men's Hearts is settled there and hath obdur'd them to a brawny hardness Such Texts of Scripture though so mighty pat and apposite are esteemed by them but as Leviathan esteems Spears and Swords like Straw and rotten wood they do not enter into Men's Heares A strange kind of Obduration And how supposeable is it that they who are so