A30242:1280
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.
To open this Truth, viz. God will destroy such a defiler.
First, This is to be understood Conditionally; unless that man see and bewail his errors, and forsake them. No doubt but Luther and many of the first Reformers, who came out of Popery, were great defilers of the Temple of God; but when God did open their eyes, and discover the truth, then none were more zealous then they, to make the Church, that was a den of thieves, an House of Prayer. How often did Luther bewail that blindness, and that damnable error which was upon him in the time of his Popery, and Melanchthon also, yet recovered from it? So that this threatening is to be interpreted as all other places against any wicked man. Ezek. 18.21. If the unrighteous or wicked man leave his sins, he shall live. God will not remember his former iniquities: Yea, God many times taketh those who were once plunged into damnable ways, and maketh them great Instruments to publish his truths. As Paul, once a blasphemous persecutor of Christianity, afterwards a zealous prosecutor of it. Austin once a damnable Manichee, afterwards escaping their snares, was greatly instrumental to the Conversion of others from those damnable Opinions. So that all those who lye in damnable heresies, are not therefore desperate and hopeless, for the great Shepherd may reduce these wandering sheep.
First, This is to be understood Conditionally; unlesse that man see and bewail his errours, and forsake them. No doubt but Luther and many of the first Reformers, who came out of Popery, were great defilers of the Temple of God; but when God did open their eyes, and discover the truth, then none were more zealous then they, to make the Church, that was a den of thieves, an House of Prayer. How often did Luther bewail that blindnesse, and that damnable errour which was upon him in the time of his Popery, and Melan•tho• also, yet recovered from it? So that this threatning is to be interpreted as all other places against any wicked man.