A30242:470
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, This watering lieth not only in advancing our knowledge, but in giving further and clearer Arguments to confirm our faith, and to make us unshaken and steadfast. Oh we see for want of this particular, how many reeds there are that be shaken with every wind! They were indeed planted, but not well rooted, and what hath not a deep root, will immediately wither. Thus the Apostle exhorteth often to stand steadfast and immovable in the work of tho Lord:1 How can that be, but by being strengthened more and more in believing. We read of the Disciples, that sometimes when any great miracle was wrought by our Saviour, it's said, His Disciples believed, Joh. 2.11. Why, did they not believe before? Yes, but now they were more confirmned; establishment and confirmation either in the truth, or in godliness, is a great matter, yea it is all in all. We read of a glorious likely building, but because it was upon the sands, therefore it fell down immediately, and the fall was great, Mat. 7.27. The third kind of ground miscarried after all the hopes it gave, because it had no deep root, Mat. 13. So that a choice part of the Ministers work, is to see, that whatsoever faith, whatsoever holiness there is, this be so confirmed, that it waver or wither not. We read of the Apostle going even to those places that were already planted, that they might confirm those that believed: Alas the things of Christ meet with so much subtlety to undermine them, and so much open violence to prostrate them, that there needs daily confirming and following them! We are subject to many strong winds, and violent blasts, that unless deeply rooted, we cannot subsist.
Secondly, This watering lieth not only in advancing our knowledge, but in giving further and clearer Arguments to confirm our faith, and to make us unshaken and stedfast. Oh we see for want of this particular, how many reeds there are that be shaken with every wind! They were indeed planted, but not well rooted, and what hath not a deep root, will immediately wither. Thus the Apostle exhorteth often to stand stedfast and immoveable in the work of tho Lord:1