A17384:2409
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.
So that the Apostle, having taught all Christians before, how to behave themselves in their general ⟨p. 559⟩calling, he now undertakes to teach some sorts of Christians in particular, how to order themselves in their particular callings; and so he teacheth them in some things that concern the Politics, and in some things that concern the Economics. Unto order in a Common wealth belongs the duty of Subjects: and unto household government belongs the duty of Servants, Wives, and Husbands.
So that the Apostle, hauing taught all Christians before, how to behaue themselues in their generall ⟨p. 559⟩calling, hee now vndertakes to teach some sorts of Christians in particular, how to order themselues in their particular callings; and so hee teacheth them in some things that concern the Politickes, and in some things that concerne the Oeconomickes. Vnto order in a Common wealth belongs the duty of Subiects: and vnto houshold gouernment belongs the duty of Seruants, Wiues, and Husbands.
From the coherence, and the general consideration of the whole exhortation, divers things may be noted before I break open the particulars of the Text.
From the coherence, and the generall consideration of the whole exhortation, diuers things may be noted before I breake open the particulars of the Text.
1 The Word of God must be the warrant of all the actions of our life: it not only gives order about the businesses of Religion, but it prescribes matter of obedience in all our conversation; it tells us what to do in our houses, and in the Common wealth, as well as what to do at Church, which shows us the perfection of the Scripture. Theology is the Mistress of all Sciences: it perfects the sound knowledge of the Ethics, Politics, or Economics, and it should teach therefore in our callings, whether general or particular, to seek warrant from the Word, which warrant we may find either expressed particularly, or else implied in general directions; and withal we should take heed, that we make not more sins in any estate of life, then are made in Scripture, and so not affright or disquiet our selves with vain fears that way.