A30242:406
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.
Secondly, Because it's the ordinary means, therefore it's the necessary means to which all are tied. We cannot be without it; if a man enjoy it not, his soul becomes like a barren wilderness, yea like a noisome dunghill. Hence the Ministers are compared to those servants, that distribute convenient bread to others. As a house or family cannot be without bread, so neither can the Church without the preaching of the Word. The Ministry is frequently compared to rain, the same word in its root for to rain and to teach, and the preaching of it, to the plentiful seasonable showers that came upon the parched ground; so that as • Land or Kingdom cannot subsist without the rain from heaven, so neither people without these means, Isa. 5. When God commanded the clouds to rain no more upon his vineyard, his meaning was, he would take away the Pastor, and the Teacher from them, and then woe be to that land.
Secondly, Because it's the ordinary meanes, therefore it's the necessary meanes to which all are tied. We cannot be without it; if a man enjoy it not, his soul becomes like a barren wilderness, yea like a noisome dunghill. Hence the Ministers are compared to those servants, that distribute convenient bread to others. As a house or family cannot be without bread, so neither can the Church without the preaching of the Word. The Ministery is frequently compared to rain, the same word in its root for to rain and to teach, and the preaching of it, to the plentifull seasonable showers that came upon the parched ground; so that as • Land or Kingdome cannot subsist without the rain from heaven, so neither people without these meanes, Isa. 5. When God commanded the clouds to rain no more upon his vineyard, his meaning was, he would take away the Pastor, and the Teacher from them, and then woe be to that land.
Thirdly, This instituted means is very unlikely for such glorious effects to a carnal••ie. Hereupon it's very despicable and contemptible to humane reason. The Apostle calls it the foolishness of preaching,