A17384:3182
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.
Thirdly, in some men the evil of Conscience lieth in this, that it is over-busy, and sins too much: and so in two sorts of men, first, the superstitious; or secondly, the desperate. The superstitious person is many times disquieted by his Conscience in doing well, or when he doth that which is not ⟨p. 765⟩unlawful, as the Popish priest is troubled for coming to our Churches; or the Christian, that is carried with preposterous zeal, is troubled for obeying the Magistrate in using his liberty in things indifferent: in the desperate, the evil of Conscience is the horrible tormenting of them, beyond the bounds of the offence of Conscience, and that in two things. First, in that it presents the wrath of God to them, without the hope of mercy in Christ, as did the Conscience of Cain. Secondly, in that it drives them to do that against themselves, which is desperately wicked, as to make away themselves, as the desperate Conscience of Judas, and Ahithophel did.
Thirdly, in some men the euill of Conscience lieth in this, that it is ouer-busy, and sins too much: and so in two sorts of men, first, the superstitious; or secondly, the desperate. The superstitious person is many times disquieted by his Conscience in doing well, or when hee doth that which is not ⟨p. 765⟩vnlawfull, as the Popish priest is troubled for comming to our Churches; or the Christian, that is carried with preposterous zeale, is troubled for obeying the Magistrate in vsing his liberty in things indifferent: in the desperate, the euill of Conscience is the horrible tormenting of them, beyond the bounds of the offence of Conscience, and that in two things. First, in that it presents the wrath of God to them, without the hope of mercy in Christ, as did the Conscience of Cain. Secondly, in that it driues them to doe that against themselues, which is desperately wicked, as to make away themselues, as the desperat Conscience of Iudas, and Achitophel did.
Fourthly, in some men there was a temporary goodness in the Conscience, of which they made shipwreck, and so utterly lost the goodness they had for a time. And thus many hypocrites do, that for a time get the form of Religion even into their Consciences, but afterward falling into the immoderate love of the world, or the lust of some particular sin, fall clean away from Religion, and so lose the goodness which they had, 1. Tim. Chap. 1. verse 19.