A17384:3219
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.
Fourthly, it requires an universal obedience: it would have all God's commandments respected▪ and therefore Paul saith, I desired in all things to live honestly, Heb. 13.18. The allowing of one sin, shows the depravation of the Conscience, if it be a known sin, and still tolerated. As one dead fly will spoil a box of precious ointment; I say, one dead fly: tho many living flies may light upon a box of ointment, and do it no great hurt: So a godly man may have many infirmities, and yet his Conscience be sound: but ⟨p. 777⟩if there be one corruption that lives and dies there, that is, such a corruption as is known and allowed, and doth by custom continue there, it will destroy the soundness of the best Conscience of the World, and doth usually argue a Conscience that is not good.
Fourthly, it requires an vniuersall obedience: it would haue all God's commandements respected▪ and therefore Paul saith, I desired in all things to liue honestly, Heb. 13.18. The allowing of one sinne, shewes the deprauation of the Conscience, if it be a knowne sinne, and still tolerated. As one dead flie will spoyle a boxe of pretious oyntment; I say, one dead flie: tho many liuing flies may light vpon a boxe of oyntment, and doe it no great hurt: So a godly man may haue many infirmities, and yet his Conscience bee sound: but ⟨p. 777⟩if ther be one corruption that liues and dies there, that is, such a corruption as is known and allowed, and doth by custome continue there, it will destroy the soundnesse of the best Conscience of the World, and doth vsually argue a Conscience that is not good.
Fifthly, a good Conscience doth require obedience always: Thus Paul pleads, I have served God till this day. It doth not command for God by fits, but constantly,