A17384:1408
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.
Secondly, divers instructions may be here gathered: for, if we be God's Favourites, and his treasure, it should teach us, 1. To live comfortably, even to live by faith, to trust upon God's favour for life and salvation; nor need we doubt our pardon, nor question our preferment. 2. To live humbly, to be ever ready to acknowledge, that it was God's free grace that hath rai•ed them up from the very dung hill, as it were, to such high preferment: we must confess, ⟨p. 316⟩that we hold all from him: we must humble our selves, seeing we have this honour to walk with our God. Pride is one of the first things destroys the Favourites of the world. 3. To live holily, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, and living religiously, and soberly, and righteously in this present world: since he hath redeemed us to be a people peculiar to himself, we should be zealous of good works. An exactness of living is required of such as must live in Princes presence: and since GOD hath bought us at so dear a rate, we must not live to our selves, but to him that died for us, 2. Cor. 5.15. Tit. 2.12, 14. 4. To submit our selves to God's disposing: we are his treasure: it is reason he should do with his own what he will; and the rather, because he will never employ his treasure, but for advantage. He that blamed the evil servant for not gaining by his talent, will certainly himself gain by all the ways he employs his own treasure.
Secondly, diuers instructions may be heer gathered: for, if we be God's Fauourites, and his treasure, it should teach vs, 1. To liue comfortably, euen to liue by faith, to trust vpon God's fauour for life and saluation; nor need we doubt our pardon, nor question our preferment. 2. To liue humbly, to bee euer ready to acknowledge, that it was God's free grace that hath rai•ed them vp from the very dung hill, as it were, to such high preferment: wee must confesse, ⟨p. 316⟩that we hold all from him: wee must humble our selues, seeing we haue this honor to walk with our God. Pride is one of the first things destroies the Fauourites of the world. 3. To liue holily, denying vngodlinesse and worldly lusts, and liuing religiously, and soberly, and righteously in this present world: since he hath redeemed vs to bee a people peculiar to himself, wee should bee zealous of good works. An exactness of liuing is required of such as must liue in Princes presence: and since GOD hath bought vs at so dear a rate, wee must not liue to our selues, but to him that died for vs,