A17384:3073
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.
To your masters.]
The parties to whom they owe subjection, are their masters: where three things may be observed.
The parties to whom they owe subiection, are their masters: where three things may bee obserued.
First, that though servants are under subjection, yet it is not to all men, or to other men, but only to their masters: which may warn men to take heed that they abuse not other mens servants, or ⟨p. 731⟩speak basely of them: for, though in respect of their masters, they are servants; yet, in respect of them, they are as free as themselves. And, in particular, it should teach divers, to meddle less with other mens servants, by way of complaint to their masters. It was Solomon's Rule; Accuse not a servant to his master, lest he curse thee, and thou be found guilty, Pro. 3.10. He gives two reasons of his advice. The one is, that his complaining may so vex the servants over whom he hath no jurisdiction, that it may cause them in their impatience to vex him with their reproaches of him; which, an ingenuous mind should strive to avoid. The other is, that in such complaints most an end there is much mis-taking, when men meddle with such things as belong to other mens families: and then it is a foul shame to be found faulty. To conclude this point, we should remember that of the Apostle; What hast thou to do to judge another man's servant? he standeth or falleth to his own master, Rom. 14.
First, that though seruants are vnder subiection, yet it is not to all men, or to other men, but onely to their masters: which may warne men to take heed that they abuse not other mens seruants, or