A30242:555
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.
Lastly, These divisions do wonderfully harden and confirm the Papists in their way. They say, how doth the Lutheran and Calvinists spirit agree; that which one saith, the other contradicts. Now although the same may be retorted on them, the manifold differences in Popery, and that about a necessary point of faith, viz. Whether the Pope be above a Council, or the Council above the Pope; yea several Popes have at the same time pretended, and in arms fought to be head of the Church: Though I say, these may be retorted on them, and stop their mouths, yet it cannot be denied, but that such differences do wonderfully scandalize and harden people, especially those that consult not with Scripture, and seek to be antidoted against such temptations. And for that, take these prescripts:
Lastly, These divisions do wonderfully harden and confirme the Papists in their way. They say, how doth the Lutheran and Calvinists spirit agree; that which one saith, the other contradicts. Now although the same may be retorted on them, the manifold differences in Popery, and that about a necessary point of faith, viz. Whether the Pope be above a Councel, or the Councel above the Pope; yea several Popes have at the same time pretended, and in arms fought to be head of the Church: Though I say, these may be retorted on them, and stop their mouths, yet it cannot be denied, but that such differences do wonderfully scandalize and harden people, especially those that consult not with Scripture, and seek to be antidoted against such temptations. And for that, take these prescripts:
1. Do not thou by thy pragmatical m•dling, widen the difference, 1and raise more dust. In this Chapter, you have the Apostle laying down Arguments against divisions, and sometimes they belong to the Teachers, and sometimes to the Hearers. The indiscretion, and hot busy carriages of the Disciples, do sometimes make a greater distance among the Teachers. You see Johns Disciples out of emulation and envy▪ did what they could to stir up Johns spirit against Christ; but how graciously did he quench those sparks by that humility of his? I must decrease, but he must increase,