Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A33215
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A paraphrase with notes upon the sixth chapter of St. John with a discourse on humanity and charity / by W. Claget.
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Clagett, William, 1646-1688.
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1693
(1693)
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Wing C4389; ESTC R24224
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72,589
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201
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Christ's speaking to them so much about it as he did For if it was not their own fault that they were not inwardly prepared and if it was impossible for them to do any thing considerable towards it his Reproof had seemed something unreasonable and unjust and if they had so understood it they had not been wanting to tell him so 41. But the People were by no means pleased with what Jesus said for they expected he would give them Bread from Heaven as Moses had done for their Fathers v. 34. but now they plainly perceived that by the Bread of Life coming down from Heaven which he spake of he meant Himself and his Doctrine v. 35. and that instead of feeding their Bodies he promised them everlasting Life which they were not greatly concerned about And upon this disappointment they again set themselves to disparage him all they could 42. And said one to another Why does this Man whom we know to be the Son of Joseph and Mary pretend such high things of himself How could he come from Heaven who was born into this World as other Men are and in as mean Circumstances as the most 43. To these Cavils Jesus answered Do not lose time by raising Difficulties about my Person and Doctrine There is another Work that lies upon your Hands which is at present more seasonable and necessary for you than to strain for Objections against what I say and that is to mend your Tempers to shake off your worldly Spirits to make eternal Life your End and sincerely to desire the Knowledge of that Way which leads to it 44. For if you are not thus qualified all my Sayings and Works will never convince you of the Truth For the Father did not send me into the World with any other Charge than that I should do what is abundantly sufficient to save Men of plain Honesty and sincere Intention which Dispositions therefore you should endeavour after and if by the Grace of God you obtain them then you will readily understand and embrace the Truth But till then you do but entangle your selves to no purpose And therefore I advise you to leave off objecting and disputing till you have learnt plain Duties and to become honest Men. And I tell you again I will take care that no such Persons shall want abundant means of Conviction and Salvation but they shall be my peculiar Charge from the time that they are so disposed till I shall raise them up at the last Day V. 44. St. Chrysostom observes that upon this saying the Manichees confidently affirmed that nothing was in our own Power For said they If a man comes to him what needs he to be drawn But says he this does not take away all power over our own Actions but rather shews that we stand in need of God's help and that not every negligent Person but he that takes great pains with himself will come to Christ The true sence of this Verse is more largely expressed in the Paraphrase and in Notes upon V. 37. 45. And these Admonitions I give you are warranted by the Prophets who have foretold that when the Kingdom of Christ shall begin to be established upon the Earth Men shall not want any reasonable means of Conviction for the saving of their Souls because God will then vouchsafe to appear more remarkably to instruct Men than ever he did since the World began And therefore if any Man remains in Unbelief or refuses to obey it cannot be for want of means to make him wise unto Salvation but for want of an humble and an honest Mind and a sincere Intention without which God's speaking to Men by his own Son will have no success upon them but will leave them as bad as they were before But because God is a Master in whom nothing can be wanting to instruct every one that desireth to know the Truth and to be saved will submit to the Doctrine of his Son and become his Disciple V. 45. The 54th Chapter of Isaiah containeth a Description of God's gracious Care and Providence over his Church one Instance whereof v. 33. is this And all thy Children shall be taught of God Which must needs imply these two things 1. That God would reveal that Truth which the Church should profess and this was eminently done by the Son of God himself coming down from Heaven to make it known and by the Holy Ghost inspiring the Apostles afterward 2. That God would abundantly satisfie Men by Divine Testimonies that he had sent his Son into the World for that purpose For these Reasons all that believe in Christ are taught of God Now the force of our Saviour's Argument from this Prediction lies in this If God hath promised to reveal to Men the knowledge of saving Truth and to convince them that he doth reveal it then no Man to whom this Revelation is made shall want sufficient means of Instruction and Conviction and consequently every Man that is not under the power of worldly Lusts and Interests will be effectually wrought upon by them And this freedom from such Prejudices our Lord here calls hearing and learning of the Father which is the same with being given or drawn to Christ the Phrase used before and this intimates that it is something we do towards the preparing our selves and that we may also hinder it For Hearing and Learning are voluntary Actions A Man may stop his Ears against Instruction and alienate his Mind from what is suggested to him Therefore something Men may do to attain that honest Heart which the Divine Inspiration worketh They may also quench this Work of the Holy Spirit The meaning of the whole is as if our Lord had said You must have God for your Master before you can be the Disciples of the Son You must be prepared by those qualities which there is no need of a new Revelation to teach you before you are fit to receive that Doctrine which the Son brings And now it is plain that these very Speeches and Reasonings of our Saviour tended to prepare them for Conviction and Faith For by shewing them the great need of a teachable Spirit in hearing and learning of God and what Blessings the want of this Disposition would bereave them of and by repeating and inculcating upon them that great Concernment of the Resurrection at the last Day he did what was most proper in it self to dispose them to a better Mind to weaken their Prejudices and to make them attend to those Testimonies of his coming from God which they had already seen instead of desiring more Signs which in the temper they were in at present would have done them no good if they had been granted 46. The meaning of which Scriptures is not that any Man shall be immediately taught by the Father For the Will of the Father is not thus to be manifested to any of you it being the Priviledge of the only begotten Son intimately to know his Mind