A17384:394
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.
Eighthly, We must take heed of all such things as hinder our growth, as namely: 1. Hypocrisy,1 When men advance a profession of Religion only for carnal ends, and seek more the praise of men then of God. These mens hearts will be fearfully blasted. 2. Errors in opinion of strange doctrines, 2. Pet. 3.17, 18. Hebrews, 13, &c. 3. Spiritual pride, 2. Cor. 12.6, 7. For God gives grace to the humble, Jam. 4.7. 4. Headstrong affections, as the passions of anger, or the like: these pull men back, and hinder the growth marvellously, 1 Cor. 3.2, 3. Eph. 4.30.31. 5. Living in places, where we have not powerful means for our souls, Eph. 4.13. For ⟨p. 86⟩where vision fails, they perish, must needs faint, and be starved in the famine of the word. 6. Discord with such as fear God. For if we grow, we must grow up in love, holding communion with the body of Christ, Eph. 4.15.16. 7. Domesticall unquietness, and disorder: For that will hinder not only prayer, 1 Pet. 3.7, but all other parts of piety. 8. Worldliness. This was the sin did undo Demas. 9. Sinister judgement of our own practices in godliness when we are either just overmuch, that is, think too highly of what we do; or wicked over-much, that is, think too vilely of the grace of God in us, or the good we do: both these hinder Christians extremely. 10. The love of any particular sin. For if once we dally with any corruption, grace is dulled, and the spirit of grace grieved and vexed in us.