A30242:526
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.
1That the best and most able Ministry is nothing without Gods power giving the increase.
- 1Observa.
As in natural things, the Sun could not shine, the fire burn, without God the Author of nature; so neither in supernatural things can the Ministry enlighten or convert, without God the Author of grace. You might wonder, why the Apostle should in several verses press this point; But the necessity of it may justly challenge a frequent inculcation. For even in our days, we shall see, that one main reason, why Gods word doth not pluck up all sin by the root, and plant all godliness among a people, it's because men pray not to God, seek not to God; they provoke him by unfruitfulness, by a profane contempt of the means of grace, and so he turneth even a garden into a wilderness to them, and bread into stones.
As in natural things, the Sunne could not shine, the fire burn, without God the Authour of nature; so neither in supernatural things can the Ministry enlighten or convert, without God the Authour of grace. You might wonder, why the Apostle should in several verses presse this point; But the necessity of it may justly challenge a frequent inculcation. For even in our dayes, we shall see, that one main reason, why Gods word doth not pluck up all sinne by the root, and plant all godlinesse among a people, it's because men pray not to God, seek not to God; they provoke him by unfruitfulnesse, by a prophane contempt of the means of grace, and so he turneth even a garden into a wildernesse to them, and bread into stones.
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