A17384:3577
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. True mortification doth not encounter one sin only, but sins in the plural number and indefinitely. It notes, that in true repentance there is a respect had to amendment of all sins. To mend only one or two faults, is not true repentance: For he that is truly dead, is dead to sins: there is no sin, but the true Convert desires and endeavours to be rid of it, so far as he knows it to be a sin. Herod did mend in some things, but yet was not sound, because in one sin he minded no repentance. And this point doth give an infallible rule of trial of mens estates in Christ: for no wicked man in earth doth so much as in true desire forsake all sin. There be some corruptions, he knows, that he would upon no conditions part with. To desire and endeavour to be rid of all sins, is an infallible mark of a child of God.
Doct. 5. True mortification doth not incounter one sinne onely, but sinnes in the plurall number and indefinitely. It notes, that in true repentance there is a respect had to amendment of all sinnes. To mend onely one or two faults, is not true repentance: For hee that is truly dead, is dead to sinnes: there is no sinne, but the true Conuert desires and endeuors to bee rid of it, so far as hee knowes it to bee a sinne. Herod did mend in some things, but yet was not sound, because in one sin hee minded no repentance. And this point doth giue an infallible rule of triall of mens estates in Christ: for no wicked man in earth doth so much as in true desire forsake all sinne. There bee some corruptions, hee knowes, that hee would vpon no conditions part with. To desire and endeuour to bee rid of all sinnes, is an infallible mark of a childe of God.
Doct. 6. Mortification makes a man dead only to sins: it doth not make him of a dead and lumpish disposition in doing good duties, Heb 9.14. nor doth it require that it should destroy his nature or natural temper, or the parts of his body, but his sin only: nor doth it kill his contentment in the creatures of God, and the use of lawful things, nor doth it destroy his liberty in lawful delights and recreations: it kills his sin only.
Doct. 6. Mortification makes a man dead onely to sinnes: it doth not make him of a dead and lumpish disposition in doing good duties, Heb 9.14. nor doth it require that it should destroy his nature or naturall temper, or the parts of his body, but his sinne onely: nor doth it kill his contentment in the creatures of God, and the vse of lawfull things, nor doth it destroy his liberty in lawfull delights and recreations: it kils his sinne onely.