“Besides, men like that are afflicted by an almost incurable disease. For although it makes them feel ashamed not to know something, yet they cannot bear to learn anything” (John Calvin, Concerning Scandal, p. 25).
Theological Rabies
“So that, that sweet and moderate Melancthon, usually called the differences of divines rabies Theologorum, and at his death blessed himself, that among other sins and miseries he was to be free from this rabies or fury of divines . . .” (Durham, p. 243).
Vain Janglings
“I say, rightly ordered and managed, for often the pretext of Christian fellowship is abused to the hatching and propagating of the most absurd opinions, when people turn light and frothy, taking up their time with vain janglings, and diverting from the main scope, to wit, edification” (Durham, p. 215).
Another Corollary of Unity
“For seeing the church is one city, and one lump, a little fire may hazard all, and a little leaven corrupt all, and unwatchfulness at one part, or post, may let in enemies to destroy all” (Durham, p. 166).
One or the Other
“Teachers of the truth, and corrupt teachers, cannot both together have people’s affection, and no teacher readily will have weight, if he have not affection from his hearers” (Durham, p. 151).
The Giraffe’s Head
“Every Christian school must adopt an implicit, absolute, childlike wonder at the glory of the Scriptures. We must be people of the Book, knowing it top to bottom, front to back. And we must resolve, before the fact, to have absolutely no problem with any passage of Scripture once the meaning of that passage has …
The Answer to Idolatry
“One might say that irreverence, not blasphemy, is the ultimate answer to idolatry, which is why most cultures have established means by which irreverence may be expressed — in the theater, in jokes, in song, in political rhetoric, even in holidays” [Neil Postman, Technopoly (New York: Vintage Books, 1992), p. 167].
Error as a Judicial Stroke from God
“Only from what is said, we may see that the Lord has a just hand in the overruling of such delusions; and also, that they cannot but be strong and successful which are guided so, as to be executioners of his justice. This also may make men tremble the more, considering that the opening up …
That’s Not True
“But the liberal method is to deny that there is an antithesis. ‘We are all saying the same thing really! C’mon, people, now smile on your brother, etc.’ This tendency is very popular these days, and it explains the common treatment of Christians. If there is no antithesis in the world, then the one intolerable …
In the Prosecution of Their Errors
“And the Lord may not only justly deprive of such common gifts, but even or ordinary reason and judgment, whereby men become, at least, in the prosecution of their errors, absurd and unreasonable, without all capability of seeing the weight of a reason, or receiving a conviction, or observing their own folly, and to carry …