A17384:2548
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.
First, some men attribute too much to the ordinances of men, and that divers ways: as, when they account mens ordinances, in the observation ⟨p. 599⟩of them, to be a worship to God, or to be meritorious, or to be necessary to salvation, or in themselves simply to bind consciences: and also when more care is had for the keeping of mens ordinances, then of Gods commandments: or when Gods service is hindered, or transgressed, or neglected for mens traditions.
First, some men attribute too much to the ordinances of men, and that diuers waies: as, when they account mens ordinances, in the obseruation ⟨p. 599⟩of them, to be a worship to God, or to bee meritorious, or to bee necessary to saluation, or in themselues simply to binde consciences: and also when more care is had for the keeping of mens ordinances, then of Gods commandements: or when Gods seruice is hindred, or transgressed, or neglected for mens traditions.
Secondly, some men offend in the defect: as, 1. Such Christians as deny obedience to the ordinances of men in the indifferent or only inconvenient things. 2. Such Christians as in the manner show no scruple, nor fear, nor trouble of mind for breaking Gods express Law, in requiring obedience to Magistrates, while they are ignorant, whether it be a sin or no to obey; and yet on the other side, are extremely fearful, and troubled in themselves, to vary from the advice or example of such men, as they account godly, or fathers to them or others in Religion, & so are more fearful to break mens traditions, then Gods commandments. Tradition is ill, aswell when it comes from good men, as when it comes from bad men. 3. The Jesuits, that maintain that horrid Doctrine of deposing: or murdering of Princes, so far are they from obeying them; persons rather to be confuted by strokes, then by arguments, as men that offend not only against the Laws of God, but the Laws of nations, and the Law of nature.