A17384:3141
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.
Before I leave the verse, there are divers things ⟨p. 750⟩to be considered of about Conscience. For, where this verse mentions conscience towards God, it giveth us occasion to think what that conscience should be, and to inform ourselves in divers things about it.
Before I leaue the verse, there are diuers things ⟨p. 750⟩to be considered of about Conscience. For, where this verse mentions conscience towards God, it giueth vs occasion to think what that conscience should be, and to inform ourselues in diuers things about it.
1There are many reasons may be assigned, why men should be carefully instructed about Conscience: it is a necessary doctrine: for first, we see by experience, that of most things that concern us, men know least about Conscience; many men knowing little more of it, than the bare use of the word Conscience. Secondly, men through this ignorance do many notorious injuries and abuses to their conscience, by resisting the motions of conscience, not knowing what to make of them, and by smothering the scruples of conscience, and by deading the conscience, or else by vexing them, and many other ways. Thirdly, God hath given men a great charge about the keeping of their consciences, which he placed in their souls as a great treasure; and God would have it respected and looked to with as much care as any thing he hath given us, 1. Tim. 1.19. Fourthly, God doth require, that men should get grace and goodness into their consciences, as well as into their hearts, or words, or lives; which they can never do, if they be not taught. Fifthly, God's Word, in all the directions and precepts of it, doth bind & oblige mens consciences to see to the obedience of them: now, what can conscience do, if men know not what belongs to their consciences, and the natures and works of conscience? But, above all things, it