A17384:3348
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. 5. There was very great need of Christs example to teach us by. The world is so generally fallen away from the care of obedience, and the doctrine of well-doing is entertained so dully, as a very matter of form and for outward show, and the examples of the godly are so imperfect, that it was necessary, after so many hundreds of years, in which sound practice was neglected, that the Christian world should be fired with the incitations of so exquisite a pattern of obedience, as Christs was.
Doct. 5. There was very great need of Christs example to teach vs by. The world is so generally falne away from the care of obedience, and the doctrine of well-doing is intertayned so dully, as a very matter of forme and for outward shew, and the examples of the godly are so imperfect, that it was necessary, after so many hundreds of yeers, in which sound practice was neglected, that the Christian world should bee fired with the incitations of so exquisite a patterne of obedience, as Christs was.
Doct. 6. Christs example is to be imitated by degrees. God doth not look we should follow the copy exactly at the first: which similitude imports a great deal of encouragement to the weak, but willing Christian, and withal shows the doubtful estate of such Christians, as in a short time and with little labour think they have learned the substance of all Christianity.
Doct. 6. Christs example is to bee imitated by degrees. God doth not looke we should follow the copy exactly at the first: which similitude imports a great deale of incouragement to the weak, but willing Christian, and withall shewes the doubtful estate of such Christians, as in a short time and with little labour think they haue learned the substance of all Christianity.
Doct. 7. In that he saith, Leaving us an example, it imports, that many good works tarry behind the godly in the world. For though it be true, that their works follow them to heaven, yet it is true also, they are left behind. They follow them to heaven, in respect of GODs remembrance and acknowledgement of them, and they tarry behind them, in respect of the example of them, and the praiseful memory of them amongst men. Welldoing