A30242:734
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.
Now that the written word of God is the only foundation of our Christian faith, appeareth by these Reasons,
1First, A Christian faith ought to be a divine, supernatural faith, not a bare humane faith. Now nothing can be the ground of a divine faith, but a divine authority, a divine Argument suggested by God himself. Most men that call themselves Christians have no more than an humane faith in matters of Religion. They believe thus, because their parents did so, because the Laws of the Land compel them to do so. Thus they have no other grounds of faith, then the Turks or Papists have for themselves; but as copper is not gold, so neither is this humane faith, that holy and Christian persuasion, which the Spirit of God through the Word works in man, because revealed in the Word, 1 Thess. 1. They are commended, That they did not receive the Word preached, as the word of men, but as indeed the word of God, 1 Thess. 1.13. So that whosoever hath an holy faith, he must have a divine persuasion for this, from the Authority of God; that as an humane faith is, because humane authority speaks it: so a divine faith, because God revealeth it in the Scripture. But (alas) generally our people can no more look into these things, then an Owl in the dazzling Sun. How few are persuaded of the true Doctrine of Christ from this Divine Authority, because God hath said thus, God hath spoken thus? Oh then believe no longer as men! Do not think, or speak as men, but as those who have God persuading you.
1First, A Christian faith ought to be a divine, supernatural faith, not a bare humane faith. Now nothing can be the ground of a divine faith, but a divine authority, a divine Argument suggested by God himself. Most men that call themselves Christians have no more than an humane faith in matters of Religion. They believe thus, because their parents did so, because the Laws of the Land compell them to do so. Thus they have no other grounds of faith, then the Turks or Papists have for themselves; but as copper is not gold, so neither is this humane faith, that holy and Christian perswasion, which the Spirit of God through the Word works in man, because revealed in the Word,