A17384:2411
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.
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.
1 The Word of God must be the warrant of all the actions of our life: it not onely giues order about the businesses of Religion, but it prescribes matter of obedience in all our conuersation; it tells vs what to doe in our houses, and in the Common wealth, as well as what to doe at Church, which shewes vs the perfection of the Scripture. Theologie is the Mistresse of all Sciences: it perfects the sound knowledge of the Ethicks, Politickes, or Oeconomickes, and it should teach therefore in our callings, whether generall or particular, to seeke warrant from the Word, which warrant we may finde either expressed particularly, or else implied in generall directions; and withall we should take heed, that wee make not more sinnes in any estate of life, then are made in Scripture, and so not affright or disquiet our selues with vaine fears that way.
2 The Apostle would have Christians in a special manner careful that they offend not the laws ⟨p. 560⟩of the Princes of this world; this appears, in that he enjoins them the duties of Subjects first, and in that they do teach them the duty of submission, both in this and other Scriptures with great force and violence (as it were) of arguments: which shows, that they were wonderful desirous to charge and instruct the Christians so, that if it were possible, they might not offend that way, and the reasons are divers & many, why Christians should be above all men careful to keep the laws of Princes: first, because by breaking the laws of men, they sin against God. Secondly, because evil minded men have in all ages watched godly Christians, to see whether they could find any fault by them in the matters of the kingdom. Thirdly, because if earthly Princes be provoked, it may cause a general trouble of the Churches, the offenders many times suffer not alone, but many others upon displeasure raised by them. Fourthly, because if earthly Princes be good, the careful obedience of their Subjects may encourage them to be great helps to religion, even to be Nursing fathers and nursing mothers to the Churches,