A17384:228
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.
Verse 2. As new borne babes desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby.
Hitherto of the things to be avoided: Now follows the second thing, and that is, what we must do, that we may profit by the word, namely that we must get tender and constant affections to the word, if we would ever grow by it in knowledge and grace: and this is set out metaphorically by the comparison of appetite and desire in new born babes unto milk. The meaning ⟨p. 50⟩is, that Christians, that would profit, must be like children in their affections to the word: they must love it, and long for it, and delight in it, and have their hearts set upon it, as affectionately, as children do naturally thirst after the breast: This is a point of singular use, and such, as all of us ought to take notice of, to get our harts rightly framed, and firmed herein. The disease of the most hearers lieth in the defect of this: and the happiness of such, as do thrive apace in godliness, is to be ascribed to this affectionate love of the word.
HItherto of the things to be auoided: Now followes the second thing, and that is, what wee must doe, that wee may profit by the word, namely that wee must get tender and constant affections to the word, if wee would euer grow by it in knowledge and grace: and this is set out metaphorically by the comparison of appetite and desire in new born babes vnto milk. The meaning ⟨p. 50⟩is, that Christians, that would profit, must be like children in their affections to the word: they must loue it, and long for it, and delight in it, and haue their hartes set vpon it, as affectionately, as children doe naturally thirst after the brest: This is a point of singular vse, and such, as all of vs ought to take notice of, to get our harts rightly framed, and firmed heerein. The disease of the most hearers lieth in the defect of this: and the happiness of such, as doe thriue apace in godliness, is to bee ascribed to this affectionate loue of the word.