Filter authors and titles

A17385:1487

A commentary upon the three first chapters of the first Epistle general of St.…A commentary upon the three first chapters of the first Epistle generall of St.…

Name: A commentary upon the three first chapters of the first Epistle general of St.…
Author: Nicholas Byfield

A commentary upon the three first chapters of the first Epistle general of St. Peter Wherein are most judiciously and profitably handled such points of doctrine as naturally flow from the text. Together with a very useful application thereof: and many good rules for a godly life. By Nicholas Byfield preacher of Gods Word at Isleworth in Middlesex. To which is now newly added an alphabetical table, not formerly published.

:1485p. 118

Verse 15. But as he which called you is holy, so be you holy in all manner of conversation.

:1486p. 118

Hitherto of the first branch of the description of Gods image in us, as his children: viz. our conformity to God in holiness, and so the image of God in us is our endeavour to be like God in all things in holiness.

HItherto of the first branch of the description of Gods image in us, as his children: viz. our conformity to God in holinesse, and so the image of God in us is our endevour to be like God in all things in holinesse.

:1487p. 118

There are three great considerations in this verse, 1. whom we must imitate, viz. him that hath called us. 2. In what we must imitate him, viz. in holiness, 3. how, viz in all manner of conversation.

There are three great considerations in this verse, 1. whom we must imitate, viz. him that hath called us. 2. In what we must imitate him, viz. in holinesse, 3. how, viz in all manner of conversation.

:1488p. 118

In general and from the coherence we must note,

Ingenerall and from the coherence we must note,

:1489p. 118¶1

¹1. That it is not enough that we approve our selves to be Gods children, that we avoid sin, but we must also be employed in doing good. Hence we are compared to trees, in which barrenness is as gr•at a fault, as ill fruit.

1Of the […] of Gods […].Of the 〈…〉 of Gods 〈…〉.

:1490p. 118¶2

2. That the pattern of all holiness is God himself, or Christ, or rather God in Christ. For whither else should we go for example? If to the dumb creatures, they have not natures capable of holiness. If to Angels, they are invisible, and so we cannot behold them, and in Scripture little is recorded of them; and besides, we know many of them fell away. If to man, they are all fallen in Adam, and there is none that doth good, and good men have their both errors and sins. Therefore we may say, whom have we in heaven but God,¹ and there is none in earth with him. Use. Therefore we should labour, 1. To know God. 2. To observe the specialty of his praises, that are imitable both in his word and works. 3. We must carry our selves with that humility and piety, that we may walk with God, else we cannot set him a• a pattern before us.

2. That the patterne of all holinesse is God himselfe, or Christ, or rather God in Christ. For whither else should we goe for example? If to the dumbe creatures, they have not natures capable of holinesse. If to Angels, they are invisible, and so we cannot behold them, and in Scripture little is recorded of them; and besides, we know many of them fell away. If to man, they are all fallen in Adam, and there is none that doth good, and good men have their both errors and sins. Therefore we may say, whom have wee in heaven but God,¹ and there is none in earth with him. Vse. Therefore wee should labour, 1. To know God. 2. To observe the specialty of his prais•s, that are imitable both in his word and works. 3. Wee must carry our selves with that humility and piety, that we may walke with God, else we cannot set him a• a patterne before us.

1Use.Vse.

:1491p. 118¶3

3. That there are two pictures as it were presented to the soul, and for both there is gre•t pleading for entertainment and liking: The one is the picture of sin, even of sins repented of, which are n•w varnished, and with many plausible motives commended by b•th the world and the devil, not without the good liking of the flesh. The other is the picture as it were of the most holy God, portrayed out in the Gospel, especially in the glory o• hi• holiness. Now here we are taught what to avoid and what to follow, a•d the rather, because here we are put in mind of the experience we have of Gods goodness: for it is he that ha•• called us. Now of the former lusts, t•ere can be assigned no good that we •ave gotten by them: The devil may lyingly tell us of some good to come, but we know, that for the time past, we got no•hing but shame and sorrow by them.

3. That there are two pictur•s as it were presented to the soule, and for both there is gre•t pleading for entertainment and liking: The one is the picture of sinne, even of sinnes repented of, which are n•w varnished, and with many plausible motives commended by b•th the world and the devill, not without the good liking of the flesh. The other is the picture as it were of the most holy God, pourtraied out in the Gospell, especially in the glory o• hi• holinesse. Now here we are taught what to avoid and what to follow, a•d the rather, because here we are put in minde of the experience we have of Gods goodn•sse: for it is he that ha•• called us. Now of the former lusts, tere can be assigned no good that we ave gotten by them: The devill may lyingly tell us of some good to come, but wee know, that for the time past, we got nohing but shame and sorrow by them.

:1492p. 118

Thus of the general.

Thus of the generall.

:1493p. 118

As he that hath called you.

:1494p. 118

The first thing i• whom we must imitate, a•d that is here expressed by […], to be he, that hath called us, viz. God; and the Lord doth of purp••• […] o• descriptions of himself for divers reasons.

The first thing i• whom we must imitate, a•d that is here exprest by 〈…〉, to be he, that hath called us, viz. God; and the Lord doth of purp••• 〈…〉 o• descriptions of himselfe for divers rea•ons.

:1495p. 118–119¶1

1. […] our disability to conceive of God, as he is fully; and therefore he […] his knowledge into us by drops or sparkles as it were; so far is our nature swerved from the knowledge of God, that the doctrine o• God in the whole i• a doctrin• too transcendent for us. 2. This God d•th to excite affection in us toward him, as taking no delight in a dull contemplation of him, and therefore by such periphrases he doth with some […] consideration either gore us (if it be a phrase of terror or suddenly […] with some divine spa••les, that like lightning force our att••d••••. 3. The •ord doth use such descriptions out of choice of […] which is most pertinent to the question in hand: The Lord thr•ugh•ut the whole Scripture is every where respective of the names he giveth […]: ⟨p. 119⟩therein showing us, what care we should have in taking up the name or title of God. 4. It is a most forcible kind of speaking; for compendiously it importeth abundance of matter, usually more then the bare title it self would import: as here thi• phrase (He that called you) doth not only show, that it is God that is to be imitated, but it also gives an excellent reason why; taken from his free grace in calling us: and it expresseth also the manner of imitation, viz chiefly to follow God, as he is revealed in the Gospel in our calling, or when we come truly to see him in the state of grace. It is out of question, the Lord mentions our calling as one of the chiefest and excellentest benefits bestowed upon us, as that which should much stir us, & inflame, and hath great force to prevail upon us.

1. 〈…〉 our disability to c••ceive of God, as he is fully; and there••re he his knowledg into us by drops or sparles as it were; so far is our nature swarved from the knowledge of God, that the doctrine o God in the whole i a doctrin too transcendent for us. 2. This God dth to excite affection in us toward him, as taking no delight in a dull ctemplation of him, and therefore by such priphrases he doth with some consideration either gore us (if it be a phrase of terror or suddnly with some divine spales, that like lightning force our attd. 3. The ord doth use such descriptions out of choice of which is most pertinent to the question in hand: The Lord thrughut the whole Scripture is every where respective of the names he giveth :

:1496p. 119

In general from hence we may note,

In generall from hence we may note,

:1497p. 119¶1

1. That the consideration of our calling and election out of the world, should be put to this use, to fire us so much the more to holiness of life and conformity to God.

1. That the consideration of our calling and election out of the world, should be put to this use, to fire us so much the more to holinesse of life and conformity to God.

:1498p. 119¶2

2. That he that hath true grace, is as much stirred with the consideration of his calling, as any one thing whatsoever ordinarily: It cannot but affect us to thi•ke in how sinful a case God found us, and how freely he loved us; how great mercy he called us unto, and how unexpected it was either for matter or m•anes▪ and how ready he was to forgive, and how he passed by others worthier and likelier then we, &c.

2. That he that hath true grace, is as much stirred with the consideration of his calling, as any one thing whatsoever ordinarily: It cannot but affect us to thi•ke in how sinfull a case God found us, and how freely he loved us; how great m•rcy he called us unto, and how unexpected it was either for matter or m•anes▪ and how ready he was to forgive, and how he passed by others worthier and likelier then we, &c.

:1499p. 119¶3

3. That of all the benefits bestowed upon us by God, the works of grace are the best. It is more that God hath called us, then that he hath given us treasures, or honour, or pleasure, or whatsoever of outward things; yea and every true Christian doth in his affections so account it.

3. That of all the benefits bestowed upon us by God, the works of grace are the best. It is more that God hath called us, then that he hath given us treasures, or honor, or pleasure, or whatsoever of outward things; yea and every true Christian doth in his affections so account it.

Reformers309

Puritans1,782

Westminster Assembly24

Evangelicals36

Verse 15. But as he which called you is holy, so be you holy in all manner of conversation.