A30242:671
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.
Doct. That particular Churches are, or should be Gods house, Gods building.
Gods house, or a Church,1 is not properly the building made of timber and stones. When we call that place a Church, or the house of God, it is only by a Trope, the persons contained put for the place containing; and we can hardly in the New Testament find it so called; yea some learned men say not at all: to be sure, there is but one place (1 Cor. 11.22) contended for, that Church is put for the place where believers meet. It is true, some other places are pressed for this sense, but with great constraint. But in our common speech we call the material building a Church figuratively; as Civitas is sometimes put for the place, whereas properly it signifieth the Community of men met together by some orderly way. So Synagogue doth properly signify the company gathered together, or their gathering together, though afterwards for the place, as in the Scriptures often. Thus custom hath authorized it about the word Church.
Gods house, or a Church,1 is not properly the building made of timber and stones. When we call that place a Church, or the house of God, it is onely by a Trope, the persons contained put for the place containing; and we can hardly in the New Testament find it so called; yea some learned men say not at all: to be sure, there is but one place (1 Cor. 11.22) contended for, that Church is put for the place where believers meet. It is true, some other places are pressed for this sense, but with great constraint. But in our common speech we call the material building a Church figuratively; as Civitas is sometimes put for the place, whereas properly it signifieth the Community of men met together by some orderly way. So Synagogue doth properly signifie the company gathered together, or their gathering together, though afterwards for the place, as in the Scriptures often. Thus custome hath authorized it about the word Church.