A30242:836
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.
1. He hath not a Magistery, but a Ministry committed to him. He may not be a Master to dictate and affirm what he pleaseth, but his Office is a Ministry, to deliver nothing but what he reads. Thus Paul, That which I have received of the Lord, I deliver unto you, 1 Cor. 11. If among men, Judges must not make new Laws, but are strictly bound up to the Laws made to their hands: Then much more are the Ministers of God bound up to their Rule, the Scripture; truth is committed to our charge, we must be sure to render that in kind, which was betrusted to us. And as Aristotle observeth, He that is unfaithful in any thing deposited with him, is worse than an open unjust, or unrighteous man, because he wrongs the good thoughts and opinion the other man had of him, he thought him faithful and honest, but he proveth not so. Now every Minister hath the truths of God deposited (as it were) in his faithful custody.
1. He hath not a Magistery, but a Ministry committed to him. He may not be a Master to dictate and affirm what he pleaseth, but his Office is a Ministry, to deliver nothing but what he reads. Thus Paul, That which I have received of the Lord, I deliver unto you, 1 Cor. 11. If among men, Judges must not make new Laws, but are strictly bound up to the Laws made to their hands: Then much more are the Ministers of God bound up to their Rule, the Scripture; truth is committed to our charge, we must be sure to render that in kind, which was betrusted to us. And as Aristotle observeth, He that is unfaithfull in any thing deposited with him, is worse than an open unjust, or unrighteous man, because he wrongs the good thoughts and opinion the other man had of him, he thought him faithfull and honest, but he proveth not so. Now every Minister h•th the truths of God deposited (as it were) in his faithfull custody.
2. He is accountable for all the sin and error people run into through his neglect. If he indeed sound the trumpet, and warn the sinner, then he hath delivered his soul, and the blood of wandering sheep will never be required at his hand; if he hath used all means to keep them in the sheepfold, and they would not. It behoveth us therefore to take heed how we build, for herein we do not only endanger our own selves, but others. The blind lead the blind, saith our Saviour, and both fall in the ditch,