A30242:854
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.
Thirdly, Christ is preached as a foundation, when he is exalted in our Ministry, to be the head of the Church, and he that governeth all things. The head is for direction and government, and also for lively influence and nourishment. And thus Christ is 1 Col. 1. to the 15. What divine and admirable exaltations are there of Christ, setting him up above all things, and making him the head of the Church, which is his body? Oh, the preaching of Christs Head-ship and supremacy is of great consequence! There had never been such bold presumption, to be an universal head in the Church; never such tyrannical government therein; never such Angel-worship, and invocation of Saints, and a thousand of those derogatory Doctrines, had Christ been exalted as Head. Paul saith, They brought in worship of Angels, because they held not the Head, Col. 3.19 And that blasphemous Doctrine, of making the Pope an head of the Church, though they would extenuate it, by calling him a ministerial head, is a gross invasion of Christs right. Though Christ thought it no robbery to be equal with God, yet the Pope ought to think it robbery to be equal with Christ. Who then can excuse Bellarmine from blasphemy, who is not afraid to apply that promse of Isaiah, Behold I lay in Zion a foundation stone, to the Pope, though secondarily? Look we then, that are Ministers, and you that are people, To keep this Doctrine pure. Christ is the head of the Church: All direction and government must be from him: All vivificall influence into the Churches is by his spirit. So that as the body cannot live or move without the soul, so neither can the Churches of Christ spiritually ⟨p. 147⟩move, without life received from him. The Scripture doth often delight to use this similitude.
Thirdly, Christ is preached as a foundation, when he is exalted in our Mi•istry, to be the head of the Church, and he that governeth all things. The head is for direction and government, and also for lively influence and nourishment. And thus Christ is 1 Col. 1. to the 15. What divine and admirable exaltations are there of Christ, setting him up above all things, and making him the head of the Church, which is his body? Oh, the preaching of Christs Head-ship and supremacy is of great consequence! There had never been such bold presumption, to be an universal head in the Church; never such tyranical government therein; never such Angel-worship, and invocation of Saints, and a thousand of those derrogatory Doctrines, had Christ been exalted as Head. Paul saith, They brought in worship of Angels, because they held not the Head,