A17384:3138
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. 8. Inferiors, being wronged even in blows by the Superior, ought not to resist, but endure it: servants may not resist the correction of their masters, nor strike again; that is horrible, and egregiously sinful. Which shows the grievous pride and naughtiness of divers servants, that boast or threaten, that they will take no blows: their resolution shows, they are void of knowledge in the fear or conscience of God's will. And so it is alike sinful in children, wives, or subjects, to resist, or return blows for blows, or evil for evil: ⟨p. 749⟩neither doth this embolden masters or other superiors to do wrong, because (as was heard before) they shall receive of GOD according to all the wrongs they have done.
Doct. 8. Inferiours, beeing wronged euen in blowes by the Superiour, ought not to resist, but endure it: seruants may not resist the correction of their masters, nor strike again; that is horrible, and egregiously sinnefull. Which shewes the grieuous pride and naughtiness of diuers seruants, that boast or threaten, that they will take no blowes: their resolution shewes, they are void of knowledge in the feare or conscience of God's will. And so it is alike sinnefull in children, wiues, or subiects, to resist, or return blowes for blowes, or euill for euill: ⟨p. 749⟩neither doth this embolden masters or other superiours to do wrong, because (as was heard before) they shall receiue of GOD according to all the wrongs they haue done.
Doct. 9. To suffer grief and wrong, is profitable: for, besides that it is all fruit to them when it makes them more humble, and takes away their sin, it makes them judge themselves before God for the sins they are guilty of, and weans them from the world, and breeds a greater desire of heaven, and the like fruits. Besides all these, this Text tells us of one commodity more, that is praise or thanks: it is an honourable thing, To suffer wrongfully: it wins them a great deal, not only of compassion, but also of reputation among men. As it makes the evil more hateful: so doth it procure love to him that suffers wrongfully. It is a virtue worthy thanks, yea, the coherence with the next verse, seemeth to import, that GOD will give him thanks that suffers wrong, if he endure it patiently: not that God is bound to do so, or that such suffering merits any such thanks of God; but God is so good and compassionate, and he likes this virtue so well, that he is pleased to crown this patience with that high degree of liking it. It is thank-worthy, not because it deserves thanks, but because it declares the party to be such and so worthy in God's gracious acceptation, that he will of his own grace yield him that encouragement.