A17384:3076
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.
Secondly, that all masters have authority over their servants: though the master be a poor man, or an ignorant man, or a cruel man, or a froward man▪ or a hard man, yet the servant must be subject to him, and bear himself as reverently and obediently, as if he were the richest, or wisest, or worthiest master in the world; and the reason is, because the subjection is due, not to the masters riches, or gifts, or greatness, but to the authority which God hath given him as a master: and therefore servants must look to this point; and the rather, because it will be ⟨p. 732⟩the greater trial of their subjection and singleness of heart, when neither fear, nor reward, nor any outward respect doth compel or constrain them, but simply the conscience of God's Commandment, and the masters authority.
Secondly, that all masters haue authority ouer their seruants: though the master be a poor man, or an ignorant man, or a cruell man, or a froward man▪ or a hard man, yet the seruant must bee subiect to him, and bear himself as reuerently and obediently, as if he were the richest, or wisest, or worthiest master in the world; and the reason is, because the subiection is due, not to the masters riches, or gifts, or greatnes, but to the authority which God hath giuen him as a master: and therefore seruants must look to this point; and the rather, because it will be ⟨p. 732⟩the greater triall of their subiection and singlenesse of heart, when neither feare, nor reward, nor any outward respect doth compell or constrain them, but simply the conscience of God's Commandement, and the masters authority.
Thirdly, we may here inquire, how masters come by this authority over servants: by nature they have it not, and therefore must have it by law. The laws of men cannot make one man a servant, and another a master:1