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• The Divine Feudal Law Represented
• §1.
• §2.
• §3
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• §5
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• §8
• §9
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• §11
• §12
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• §14.
• §15
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• §19
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• §24.
• §25
• §26
• §27
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• §30
• §31
• §32
• §33
• §34
• §35
• §36
• §37
• §38
• §39.
• §40
• §41
• §42
• §43
• §44
• §45
• §46
• §47
• §48
• §49
• §50
• §51
• §52
• §53
• §54
• §55
• §56
• §57
• §58
• §59
• §60
• §61
• §62
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• §64
• §65
• §66
• §67
• §68
• §69
• §70
• §71
• §72
• §73
• §74
• §75
• §76
• §77
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• §79
• §80
• §81
• §82
• §83
• §84
• §85
• §86
• §87
• §88
• §89
• §90
• §91
• §92
• §93
• §94

§91

Of the Strife about words.The second way of Reconciling Controversies, Jurieu says is this (p. 146.) If it be shown that the Dispute is only about words, and inconsiderable Matters, and which are not of so much worth as that a Division should be made about them. Where we readily grant this, that there have been many Disputes among Divines which have proceeded only from an Ambiguous Sense of Words, or in which the Difference has been about words, when they were agreed in the thing. Also after that many Philosophick Questions came to be mingled with Divinity, and especially that under the Times of the Papacy the Scholastick Theology Clouded the Christian World, there arose an infinite Crop of unprofitable Disputes which had been better buried in eternal Silence. But this also we acknowledge, if any one will examine any Controversie to the bottom; this in the first place must be enquir’d into: What things the Parties agree in, and what they differ about. For if the main Matters be agreed between them, the lesser ones may be wink’d at, provided the Strength of the Cause does not lie hid in these, nor any such thing, as from whence the rest may be indirectly overthrown, and provided the other Party does not deal unsincerely, and yield some things in show which it may elude afterwards by Reserves and Exceptions. Also if any Questions are at length drawn into such Subtlety, as that it can hardly be discern’d wherein one Opinion differs from another, certainly ’tis better to set such Questions aside altogether. Therefore if on both sides Men would deal sincerely, there might be something done, which were not to be despised, and were worth the Labour, in this way, towards at least the diminishing of the Controversies. Nor does the Reason of Jurieu seem proper why he will not insist long upon this way, which is, Because it is not accommodate enough to the Strength and Capacity of all Men.73 For so much the rather is it fitting that those few should apply their Endeavours to it who are possess of such Accurateness and Equity as is necessary for scattering the Darkness of Prejudices. Certainly they who seriously seek the Peace of the Church ought least of all to mind those Men who are of a troublesome Nature, and who cannot endure that the Matter of Debate should be taken out of their Hands; and who from their Childhood even to gray Hairs have spent their time in debating unprofitable Questions, and who have their Minds so possess’d with vain things, as that nothing can be more displeasing to them, then if one should demonstrate that they have through their whole life with great Endeavour only trifled. But we therefore think this way will not suffice, because the Controversies that we have hitherto been discoursing about, do not lie meerly in words, but concern the most weighty Matters; namely, what Conceptions Man ought to form to himself of Almighty God, and what Confidence he ought to place in his Promises: Which the Distinctions of the Secret and the Reveal’d Will, and of the Sign and the Good-pleasure do extreamly weaken.

[73.]Jurieu, De Pace, p. 150.