A17384:3036
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.
Thirdly, it should teach servants especially two things; the one is humility: they should run a race fitted to their condition, they should conquer pride and aspiring, remembering that God hath abased them. The other is, they should keep themselves in their places and callings, and not shake off the yoke by running away, &c. seeing God hath taken them bound to serve: But the former is most proper to this place; seeing they are but servants, they should be content with such diet, apparel, labour, & usage, as is convenient to their condition.
Thirdly, it should teach seruants especially two things; the one is humility: they should run a race fitted to their condition, they should conquer pride and aspiring, remembring that God hath abased them. The other is, they should keep themselues in their places and callings, and not shake off the yoake by running away, &c. seeing God hath taken them bound to serue: But the former is most proper to this place; seeing they are but seruants, they should be content with such diet, apparell, labour, & vsage, as is conuenient to their condition.
Fourthly, it may serve for great humiliation to such servants, as are wicked men: These are of three sorts: some of them are brought to this condition by their own wickedness of life: some of them are wicked servants too, as well as wicked men: some are tolerable, and sometimes profitable servants, though evil men: all are in ill case. For this is but the beginning of evil to them, if they repent not; For if they live in their sins, as they serve men now, they shall serve devils hereafter; and so their bondage shall be invested upon them without end.
Fourthly, it may serue for great humiliation to such seruants, as are wicked men: These are of three sorts: some of them are brought to this condition by their owne wickednes of life: some of them are wicked seruants too, as well as wicked men: some are tolerable, and sometimes profitable seruants, though euill men: all are in ill case. For this is but the beginning of euill to them, if they repent not; For if they liue in their sinnes, as they serue men now, they shall serue diuels hereafter; and so their bondage shall be inuested vpon them without end.