A30242:495
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.
First, Bewail by-past unthankfulness, and unfruitfulness. O Lord, How often have I been an hearer? How long have I gone to Sermons? Yet, What a barren wilderness is my heart? I say, bewail this: For, nothing provokes God more, to curse the Ministry unto thee, then unfruitfulness. The ground that often receiveth rain, and bringeth no fruit, is nigh unto cursing, Heb. 6.7. Why is Isaiah sent with that dreadful Message, Isa. 6. To make mens eyes blind, and their hearts fat, that they might not be converted; but because seeing, they did not see, and hearing, they did not understand.
First, Bewail by-past unthankfulness, and unfruitfulness. O Lord, How often have I been an hearer? How long have I gone to Sermons? Yet, What a barren wilderness is my heart? I say, bewail this: For, nothing provokes God more, to curse the Ministry unto thee, then unfruitfulness. The ground that often receiveth rain, and bringeth no fruit, is nigh unto cursing, Heb. 6.7. Why is Isaiah sent with that dreadfull Message, Isa. 6. To make mens eyes blind, and their hearts fat, that they might not be converted; but because seeing, they did not see, and hearing, they did not understand.
Secondly, Love that Preaching, which will more discover thy self to thy self. Which will acquaint thee with thy own deformities. As sore eyes are afraid of the light, so many men, have so much guilt within, and live in so many secret corruptions, that they dare not have the Word come with all its might upon them. No wonder then, if God bless it not with increase, when thou lovest it not, and bringest it not home to thee. Can the plaster cure, if thou art afraid to lay it to the sore? They that are delivered up to Antichrist, were so punished, because they did not receive the truth in the love of it,