A17384:3211
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.
Christian love doth put, as it were, natural heat into the Conscience, and makes it (now receiving life by faith) to bestir it self in all the works either of service to God, or duty to men, 1. Tim. 1.5. Heb. 9.24. Knowledge bringing it light, Mortification making it clean, Faith curing it, and putting life into it, by sprinkling it with the blood of Christ, and love infusing or rather inflaming it with the heat of life. All these things are requisite, though I stand not upon the precise order of the working of every one of these.
Christian loue doth put, as it were, naturall heat into the Conscience, and makes it (now receiuing life by faith) to bestir it selfe in all the works either of seruice to God, or duty to men, 1. Tim. 1.5. Heb. 9.24. Knowledge bringing it light, Mortification making it cleane, Faith curing it, and putting life into it, by sprinkling it with the blood of Christ, and loue infusing or rather inflaming it with the heate of life. All these things are requisite, though I stand not vpon the precise order of the working of euery one of these.
Thus how conscience may be made good. Now I might add a direction or two, how Conscience may do her work aright, that is, a good Conscience, and not do ill offices in the soul. Two things, I say, are of great use for the guiding of a good Conscience.1 First, that in all her proceedings she must follow the warrant of Gods word. Secondly, that she do not mistake in judging of particular actions, she must be sufficiently informed about our Christian liberty: For unless the conscience discern, that we are freed from the malediction of the Law, and from the rigorous perfection of obedience, and have restored unto us a free use of all things indifferent, and the like; she may be over-busy and troublesome, disquieting the hart, and restraining the joys should refresh and support a man.