A17384:357
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, as the Ministry of Gods servants doth more declare the sincerity of the word, so we should be more in love with it: we should like prayer, preaching; I mean, not witless and unlearned preaching, but such preaching as maketh demonstration to the conscience, out of the pure word of God, in things that concern the good of the souls of men, and the glory of God. The word doth ever profit men most, when it is most sincere, that men only speak the words of God.
Fourthly, as the Ministery of Gods seruants doth more declare the sincerity of the word, so we should bee more in loue with it: wee should like praier, preaching; I mean, not witlesse and vnlearned preaching, but such preaching as maketh demonstration to the conscience, out of the pure word of God, in things that concerne the good of the soules of men, and the glory of God. The word doth euer profit men most, when it is most sincere, that men onely speak the words of God.
Fifthly, to stick to the word of God, without going to the right hand or the left. There can be no sin but what is condemned in the word: nor can there be duty not commanded therein: nor can there be matter of faith not propounded therein. Oh how happy were we if we could stick to the old foundation, even the sincere word of God, and not add nor diminish! The hatefulness of departing from the word on the left hand, is in most places discovered. But Oh the deceitfulness of mens hearts; and the wretched proneness of men to sin, by finding out many inventions! Men run out, and that very fast on the right hand: we have new opinions & strange fancies coined every day. Little do the better sort of people (many of them) think of traditions on the right hand. Their faith is led into bondage, when they can yield no better reason, than It is such a mans judgement, or else he thinketh so himself:1 or the reasons brought are urged without any demonstration from the ⟨p. 77⟩word of God, and Scripture. Happy, above the most Churches under heaven, were this nation, if this point were understood and carefully observed, if we could stick to our first grounds in parting from the Church of Rome; viz. to admit no opinions, nor charge our conscience with more obligations, but out of the word of God.