A17384:3559
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.
And therefore this shows, that such Christians as leap into the profession of Religion so easily, and think it is no more, but to give-over ill courses, and fall to the practice of good duties, are deceived: For if by sound mortification, their sins past be not bewailed, and they soundly humbled; either their sins will after a while grow and revive again, or else the conscience of these sins will secretly throughout their lives torment them; or else the devil on a sudden may seize upon them with despair, having so manifest a reason against them, that they did never practise mortification for their sins. Besides, lamentable experience shows in those places, where Christians are not soundly formed at first in the exercise of mortification, they lead their lives in a dull course of profession, and have not the experience of the life and power of Religion in themselves for the joys of it, or towards others in the practice of it. The mourners in Zion, and such as are brokenhearted, are the most glorious, and the most fruitful Christians, Isaiah 61.1, 2, 3, 4. and continue in the greatest power of religion. And further it may be noted in the best of those, that their separation from the love of the world, is most really performed, as hath appeared, when in any special works of men, or for the help of the Church of GOD, they are called upon to show their zeal by their bounty: in such cases one poor Macedonian would shame a hundred of those rich Corinthians.1
And therefore this shewes, that such Christians as leape into the profession of Religion so easily, and think it is no more, but to giue-ouer ill courses, and fall to the practice of good duties, are deceiued: For if by sound mortification, their sinnes past bee not bewayled, and they soundly humbled; either their sinnes will after a while growe and reuiue againe, or else the conscience of these sinnes will secretly throughout their liues torment them; or else the diuell on a sudden may seaze vpon them with despaire, hauing so manifest a reason against them, that they did neuer practise mortification for their sinnes. Besides, lamentable experience shewes in those places, where Christians are not soundly formed at first in the exercise of mortification, they lead their liues in a dull course of profession, and haue not the experience of the life and power of Religion in themselues for the ioyes of it, or towards others in the practice of it. The mourners in Sion, and such as are brokenharted, are the most glorious, and the most fruitfull Christians, Esay 61.1, 2, 3, 4. and continue in the greatest power of religion. And further it may bee noted in the best of those, that their separation from the loue of the world, is most really performed, as hath appeared, when in any speciall works of men, or for the help of the Church of GOD, they are called vpon to shew their zeale by their bounty: in such cases one poore Macedonian would shame a hundred of those rich Corinthians.