A17384:3030
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.
Seventhly, sometimes God by his hand doth ⟨p. 721⟩abase some men only, as a trial, if they fall into poverty, and so to the necessity of working for others by no sinful courses of their own: but by the inevitable hand of God, as by piracy, shipwreck, fire, thieves, or the like: and these are so humbled, either to warn others, and show the power of God, or to bring them to repentance, or else for trial of God's grace in them.
Seuenthly, sometimes God by his hand doth ⟨p. 721⟩abase some men onely, as a triall, if they fall into pouerty, and so to the necessity of working for others by no sinfull courses of their owne: but by the ineuitable hand of God, as by pyracy, shipwrack, fire, theeues, or the like: and these are so humbled, either to warne others, and shew the power of God, or to bring them to repentance, or else for triall of God's grace in them.
Eighthly, some men are brought to this misery by the cruelty, and unjust dealing of other men: and so that power the Masters took over their bondmen to dispose of their very lives, was not of God or nature, but merely an oppression. For why should they have power to take away life, that could not give it? And so, many a man is brought to poverty and servitude, by oppression and cruel Landlords, or by the fraudulent dealings of other men, that falsify their trust, or cozen them in bargaining.
Eightthly, some men are brought to this misery by the cruelty, and vniust dealing of other men: and so that power the Masters tooke ouer their bondmen to dispose of their very liues, was not of God or nature, but meerely an oppression. For why shold they haue power to take away life, that could not giue it? And so, many a man is brought to pouerty and seruitude, by oppression and cruell Landlords, or by the fraudulent dealings of other men, that falsify their trust, or coozen them in bargaining.