A17384:2320
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.
Now for the first, to bring God into our minds, two things are of excellent use,
Now for the first, to bring God into our minds, two things are of excellent vse,
1First, the enforcing of our selves to consider of Gods works, and so to strive still to read in that great book of the Creatures.
1First, the inforcing of our selues to consider of Gods works, and so to striue still to read in that great booke of the Creatures.
- 1By what means God may be brought into our minds.By what meanes God may bee brought into our mindes.
Secondly, the exercising our selves daily in the Word of God: Without these two helps carefully used, experience shows, that GOD never comes into mens thoughts. And by the way, here may be framed an answer to that sorrowful complaint of many Christians, that they cannot meditate. Now if they would be taught to meditate, or would at any time have their thought set a work, let them lay before them, either of these books of ⟨p. 529⟩God, either the great Book of the creatures, or little book of the Scriptures; and so, praying God to direct them, take those things that easily offer them selves from thence. The other way of meditating without book, as I know not whether it be absolutely required, so can it not be so fruitfully performed, nor so comfortably. But to return: the viewing of GODs workman-ship in his creatures, and of his wisdom & rule in his Word, will help us in the first point, which is, to bring God into our minds.