Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n
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A61221
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Of happiness wherein it is fully and particularly manifested that the great happiness of this life consisteth in the fear of God and keeping his commandments in opposition to the pleasures of sin or the pretended conveniency of disobdience / by Richard Stafford.
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Stafford, Richard, 1663-1703.
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1689
(1689)
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Wing S5128; ESTC R29533
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599,907
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686
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power that we may do the things he doth require of us they are made known in Scripture which is given by inspiration of God 2 Tim. 3. 16. We are to believe him to be true and then all must be so which is contained in that Book God doth encourage to his service with a Reward so that he who labours to please him acts after the very same manner tho in a much more eminent and greater degree as another who studies to recommend himself to the â—avour of the Kâ—ng or any Superiour The utmost visible greatness is Low and but a shadow of Majesty in comparison of this High and Lofty One dark as to his Brightness and soon passeth away when He inhabiteth Eternity However Religion which is our whole Duty towards God is looked upon as a little contemptible thing laughed at by the Ignorant Scornful and Proud Men yet is as much greater then any Temporal Design or Business as God is greater then Man Heaven then Earth Eternity beyond time a most perfect and everlasting Happiness above the fading imperfect trivial conveniencies here We may as well trust God for the great things to come and labour after them as we do for our daily Food and those little things that are present And though he now gives common Mercies to the unthankful yet they must use some means after them but for the better hope the exceeding great and precious promises of unseen and future things those are only for them who glorifie him here and seek after them Faith makes these things as absolutely true and certain as those now before us Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed Rom. 10. 11. Faith towards God is reckoned among the Principles of the Doctrine of Christ Heb. 6. It being that upon which not only those there recited but whatsoever is said throughout the whole Book of God doth depend Which whosoever believeth stedfastly must necessarily be a Christian not in Name and Profession but in manner of Life or otherwise he will act more unreasonably and foolishly then ever any one yet did as to the things of this World. The Scripture doth contain things to be believed and things to be done The first are comprized in a brief form of sound Words commonly called the Apostles Creed which is believed as it stands upon certain and eviâ—ent places of Scripture and the outward confession of them is necessary to Salvation according to what may be gathered from John 5. 24. Rom. 10. 9. Mat. 16. 16. John 3. 15 16 17 18 36. Luke 6. 47. The great danger in not believing any Scripture is what the Apostle Speaks He that believeth not God hath made him a Lyar 1 John 5. 10. Which is more provoking then living in known Sin and Wickedness But this none that believes other things will dare to do the General Question and debate is what God intended in such a place It is agreed on both sides of the Truth of some sence and meaning but what that is is the rise of controversie and dispute In Paul's Epistles are things hard to be understood which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest as they do also the other Scriptures unto their own destruction 2 Pet. 3. 16. But since we have had those who were learned and resolute in their way who have done the same to carry on an interest to maintain the grandeur and infallibility of such a Church to espouse and propagate all the errours of such and such parties There hath been horrible pervâ—â—ting and seeking out Evasions not to the establishment but ovâ—rthrow of the Truth The pure and true Word of God hath beâ—â— made use of to defend corruptions and mâ—iâ—tain errour abâ—â—dance of this kind of iniquity will be disclosed at the revelation of all things It is sad to reflect that the only thing necessary in Religion is the only thing neglected how people fly about the skirts and borders not coming into the substance thereof The Church is pulled asunder into this or that parcel of Christians every little difference in Opinion must forthwith make a distinct party they cursing and damning one another It is the greatest part of the Christianity of some to be exclaiming against such a Sâ—ct or Communion so that if our merciful God should proceed according to the Anathemas Excommunications Wishes and Impretions of one against another No flesh would be saved What is the cause of all this stir and madness The VVisdom from above is fiâ—st Pure then Peaceable Gentle and Easie to be intreated full of Mercy and good Fruits without Partiality and without Hypocrisie Jam. 3. 17. The Gospel is good and plain made up of simplicity and purity so that is not the occâ—sion thereof But an enemy hath sown these tares of division who works mightily in the hearts of Men to deceive and hath taken this course to hinder the good seed to stiâ—le those practical truths which would bring forth fruit unto everlasting life Men rightly think they must have something to do with the things of God and some falsly think these vain disputations will serve the turn These are speculative not falling upon lust and they hope a zeal for this one way or another it is something for God and therefore shall come in for atonement of other sins And in conclusion tends to that he fain would save himself by condemning others What else makes him so extraordinary zealous for such a way and against such an opinion when himself in the mean while lives in Habitual sin and unrighteousness which is more dangerous to Souls then errours of the understanding if they were really such Here some drive on an interest of their own but who do not are led by such an impulsive cause In those that have set up for Guides and Teachers there hath been Doting about Questions and Strifes of words whereof cometh Envy Strife Railing evil Surmisings perverse disputings of Men of corrupt minds and destitute of the Truth supposing that gain is Godliness 1 Tim. 6. 4 5. This was their end but the silly people were by them told that was most for Salvation which made for their own profit and thus they have came to that height of zeal and giddiness Do they not place more in their petty differences then in the weightier matters of Law Judgment Mercy and love of one another That all this is a meer delusion may be further seen because it quite vanishes when the Man approaches near to Death and apprehends things according to sincerity and Truth How earnestly doth the Apostle express himself against these disputes even at their first beginning Rom. 14. 1. Phil. 2. 14. 1 Tim. 1. 6 7 6. 20 21. 2 Tim. 2. 14 23. But what would he say if he had lived at this day to see so many volumes of controversie to have heard of so many go about as have troubled Christians with words subverting their Souls Acts 15. 24. Shattering if not making to fall the
and that is life indeed But whatsoever pertains to this dream to this dream of a Shadow which hath no substance is declining and makes haste and therefore what consults only for the conveniencies of this signify not so much in comparison to the other as a tale that is told is to the greatest affairs It is granted by all that the Bible is the most wise and excellent Book in the World all Christians acknowledge it to be the very Word of God and those who have either studied or taught Holy Things refer all to that Yet here again the subtle Enemy of Mankind hath found out a way even to deceive the Learned and Disputers of the World who pick out every thing that is less material and by their own spinning it out render it unprofitable Who omit the one thing needful and seek after every thing they may turn into nice speculation or vain jangling Every thing of curiosity or doubtful disputation is sifted out to the utmost but the great things that belong to our Peace are not so much made known as they should â—e A wise Man begins from the end and then those important Truths of temporal Peace and eternal Salvation should be perfectly understood and pressed home to the Consideration of the World before those things which float in the Brain and not sink into the Heart which are unless when known and hinder from fighting the good Fight of Faith keeping the Commandments of God and laying hold of eternal Life The Pillar and Ground of Truth seems to shake by those high tottering and needless Superstructions Those School-niceties have made to be thought more incredible the things we believe The Absurdities and Fopperies of Superstition have strangely prejudiced against the very Worship of God. That Controversie and Humour of disputing have called the Fundamental Truths into question it being an easie inference for ignorant Souls to deny that in which the Contenders are not agreed and to conclude all is feigned and false because Additions and Corruptions are so That squabbling about trifles hath very much taken off from the Gravity of Religion and undiscerning People have thence imagined it a light thing An Enemy doth craftily work in the minds of Men but it is their Sin and Folly that when they do already or might know this yet still they are instrumental in carrying on his design That wise Men should be taken in this Snare as it is a sign of his exceeding subtlety so of their inconsideration and want of Prudence for this is another thing then what is commonly called Wisdom When those who should turn many to Righteousness turn aside to vain jangling instead of instructing and exhorting them in the few things to be believed and many things to be done they fill the Head with idle Opinions confound with endless Arguings and not touch upon Practice but in a general and superficial way here is a Stratagem to deceive themselves and those that hear them Besides the word of Truth which doth clearly convince of this mistake they might look into themselves attend unto the frame and desire of their own Soul for that aspires after Happiness and Perfection having a Complacency in those things which tend to it and a dislike of the contrary It gladly receives all Divine and substantial Truths to be nourished up by them and shews an Aversation to what doth not mediately or immediately promote this end As an Evidence of its immortality it earnestly desires after those things which are not to be found here but have Relation to an endless Life She is for knowing those things which are to be known that she may fix upon Rest and blessed Expectation be safe as to the doubtful uncertainty and have strong hopes for better things hereafter Then she is truly pleased when things are done in pursuance to this great end She craves after knowledge and truth as the Stomach after food but in Disputings it is long before attained and then proves hungry and empty Whereas the practical and useful kind is both sutable and satisfies the understanding One may run over many Volumes of Controversie and yet neither be wiser nor better and perhaps he had a more true and clear apprehension of the thing in Dispute then after he sees it so perplexed and obscured The necessary Truths explicitly to be believed are few and plainly revealed and further in all Mysteries a Captivating of Reason unto the Obedience of Faith is more acceptable in the sight of God then curious prying into unsearchable things One may be sooner saved in a general belief and particular Practice then by minutely Contesting about every thing and a general observance of Gods Law which as it is commonly inculcated and used is next to downright Disobedience In Truth all Men are in an imperfect State but then they Act only half way of their imperfection and will not stretch that out as they might Let them wind up to the very top their Principles of Action Would Man use the Powers of Soul according to that degree God hath given and put them forth he could never miss of Happiness If he would lift up his Eyes and see beyond the common end of things think of something that may be after this short time be as desirous of future Happiness and Safety as he is of present Good and Conveniency which slides away then he may do what he shall judge fit to be done If we would put the question to our immortal Soul as we have regard to the Body which fades as a Leaf What will it avail me to teach or study this or that thing when I shall put off this Tabernacle When I must for a while live separate from it and afterwards assume it for evermore If such kind of thoughts were put home to our minds we might come to the same resolution with the Apostle Yea doubtless and I count all things but loss for the Excellency of the knowledge of Jesus Christ my Lord Phil. 3. 8. To fully understand and declare what he hath revealed in the Gospel is a knowledge that passeth knowledge more then all wise Men of this World could discover and extends further then this place which takes in all the Good of this present time which is the utmost of all great and generous Actiâ—ns but then leaves them and reaches forward to Immortality and Glory to infinitely greater things both in degree and Duration then what are admired and eagerly sought after here So that either he must teach what he doth not believe or is a Fool in that he doth not know nor understand if he is ashamed of the Gospel of Christ Or thinks it a lessening which is the highest Honour That publisheth Peace that bringeth good Tidings of Good that publisheth Salvation Isa 52. 7. To acquaint the World what they are so impatiently desirous after where they may find Rest to their Souls How they may live in Hope and comfortable Expectation of that immutable