A17384:1139
A commentary
A commentary: or, sermons upon the second chapter of the first epistle of Saint Peter wherein method, sense, doctrine, and use, is, with great variety of matter, profitably handled; and sundry heads of divinity largely discussed. By Nicholas Byfield, late preacher of God's Word at Isle-worth in Middlesex.A commentary: or, sermons vpon the second chapter of the first epistle of Saint Peter vvherein method, sense, doctrine, and vse, is, with great variety of matter, profitably handled; and sundry heads of diuinity largely discussed. By Nicholas Byfield, late preacher of God's Word at Isle-worth in Middlesex.
London: printed by Humphrey Lownes for George Latham, 1623London: printed by Humfrey Lownes for George Latham, 1623
Title page typeset from the transcription.
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, that of all judgements in this life, spiritual judgements are the worst; which appears from hence in this, that when the LORD would declare his special displeasure upon wicked men, he threatens these in this place as the most fearful. Now, for explication of this point. All judgements in this life are either spiritual or temporal. By temporal judgements, I mean such as have their proper effects on the outward man, such as are, poverty, disgrace, sickness, imprisonment, losses in mens estates, and the like. By spiritual judgements, I mean such as have their proper effects upon the soul; as for example, hardness of heart, the spirit of slumber, desertion, or the absence of GOD, the taking away of the gifts of the mind, the with-holding of the Gospel, the delivering of men up to the power of Satan, or to the love of lies, terrors of despair, or taking of offence; of which later, in this place.
Thirdly, that of all iudgements in this life, spirituall iudgements are the worst; which appears from hence in this, that when the LORD would declare his speciall displeasure vpon wicked men, he threatens these in this place as the most fearfull. Now, for explication of this point. All iudgements in this life are either spirituall or temporall. By temporall iudgements, I meane such as haue their proper effects on the outward man, such as are, pouerty, disgrace, sicknes, imprisonment, losses in mens estates, and the like. By spirituall iudgements, I mean such as haue their proper effects vpon the soule; as for example, hardnes of heart, the spirit of slumber, dissertion, or the absence of GOD, the taking away of the gifts of the minde, the with-holding of the Gospell, the deliuering of men vp to the power of Satan, or to the loue of lies, terrours of despaire, or taking of offense; of which later, in this place.
Now,1 these spiritual judgements are much worse than any of the former temporal crosses; first, because these judgements light upon the best part of man, which is the soul: and by how much the soul is better than the body, by so much it is worse to be distressed in soul than in body. Secondly, because they with-hold from us the best Good, which is God or Christ: now, that which straightens us in the best things, must needs be the worst kind of restraint. Thirdly, because these crosses are more hardly cured: it is much easier to heal a sickness in the body, than