A30242:1007
The Scripture directory for church-officers and people, or, A practical commentary upon the whole…
The Scripture directory for church-officers and people, or, A practical commentary upon the whole third chapter of the first Epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians to which is annexed The godly and the natural mans choice, upon Psal. 4, vers. 6, 7, 8 / by Anthony Burgess ...The Scripture directory for church-officers and people, or, A practical commentary upon the whole third chapter of the first Epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians to which is annexed The godly and the natural mans choice, upon Psal. 4, vers. 6, 7, 8 / by Anthony Burgesse ...
London: printed by Abraham Miller for T.U., 1659
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
1Secondly, There are no foolish builders that thus deform Gods Temple, but they are by Gods permission; in his wrath and anger, because men have abused his truth, and waxed wanton under it, therefore hath he sent the spirit of delusion and errors amongst men, 2 Thess. 2.10. For this you must know, though God be not the Author of any evil, and it were blasphemy to ascribe sin to him, as the cause of it; yet, as a just Judge he doth not only suffer, but also order, that heresies and corruptions shall be in the Church. They are of the Lord by permission and ordination, though not efficiency and approbation. Thus in Deut. 13.3. If there arise a false Prophet, I the Lord do it to try you. And in Ahab's time, you may read of many lying spirits in the false Prophets, yet they could not go to delude such or such, till God gave them leave, 2 Chron. 18.21. Thus 1 Cor. 11. There must be heresies: Why must there be so? God to punish mens corruptions, their pride, their ignorance, their wilful abuse of his knowledge, will suffer such things to be. Though he hath a gracious end, That the approved may be made manifest; That as all the persecutions, which have been in the Church were from God as a just Judge, to exercise the patience of it: So all the heresies and errors which have been, were to exercise the wisdom and true faith of the Church. So that howsoever times of overflowing of errors be dark and uncomfortable times, yet to consider the cause, is far more uncomfortable, for these came from mens corruptions, and Satan's instigations, as also from a provoked God in Heaven, who punisheth our former unthankfulness and disobedience, with corrupt ends and practices: As it's said, Because men did not receive the truth in love, God gave them up to believe a lie, 2 Thess. 2.10. So that it's hard to say, whether is more sad to consider the nature of the errors, that dishonour God, or the ⟨p. 175⟩cause of them, which is Gods anger against a people for barrenness and unthankfulness. God then hath his times, when for the sins of a people he lets Satan loose, and suffers this red Dragon to vent his dreadful poison