A17384:3112
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.
Doct. 1. First, that God takes notice of the faults of Superiors, as well as he requires duties of Inferiors: he sees frowardness in masters, as well as disobedience in servants; and the reason is, both because God is no respectre of persons, and also because he gives his Law to all men. And therefore Superiors must make conscience of their duties: for, though in all things they are not to give accounts to their Inferiors, yet they must give accounts of all they do, to God, Col. 3.24.
Doct. 1. First, that God takes notice of the faults of Superiours, as well as hee requires duties of Inferiours: he sees frowardnes in masters, as well as disobedience in seruants; and the reason is, both because God is no respecter of persons, and also because hee giues his Law to all men. And therefore Superiours must make conscience of their duties: for, though in all things they are not to giue accounts to their Inferiours, yet they must giue accounts of all they doo, to God, Col. 3.24.
Doct. 2. That God sees and dislikes such faults, as the laws of man take not notice of. If a Master should kill his hired servant, mens laws would take hold of him: but if he be never so froward with him, he may escape mens laws. But though ⟨p. 738⟩the laws of men punish not frowardness, yet God will. So we see in the exposition of Christ given unto divers commandments, Mat. 5. man failed in killing, adultery, purity, &c. not once thinking of anger, lust, filthy speaking, reviling, &c. yet God forbids even these things also: which serves to reprove the folly of such, as justify themselves for very just men, because they offend not the laws of men; but never consider, that God can find a world of faults in them, that mens laws cannot; because God sees the heart, and by his Laws requires obedience of the inward man, and condemns all swerving from the right temper of heart and carriage: And therefore we should all look to our ways, to approve our selves not only to men, but to God, and so to confess the imperfections of mens laws, as to admire the perfection of Gods Word.