When men are divided, they seldom speak the truth
in love; and then no marvel they grow not up to him in all things,
who is the head.
It is a sad presage of an approaching famine (as one well observes),
not of bread nor water, but of hearing the word of God, when the
thin ears of corn devour the plump full ones; when the lean kine
devour the fat ones; when our controversies about doubtful things,
and things of less moment, eat up our zeal for the more indisputable
and practical things in religion which may give us cause to fear,
that this will be the character by which our age will be known to
posterity--that it was the age that talked of religion most, and
loved it least.
Look upon those churches where peace is, and there you shall find
prosperity. When the churches had rest, they were not only
multiplied, but, walking in the fear of the Lord and the comforts of
the Holy Ghost, they were edified; it is when the whole body is knit
together, as with joints and hands, that they increase with the
increase of God.
We are at a stand sometimes, why there is so little growth among
churches, why men have been so long in learning; and are yet so far
from attaining the knowledge of the truth; some have given one
reason, and some another; some say pride is the cause, and others
say covetousness is the cause. I wish I could say these were no
causes; but I observe, that when God entered his controversy with
his people of old, he mainly insisted upon some one sin, as
idolatry, and shedding innocent blood, &c.
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