A17412:788
Sermons upon the ten first verses of the third chapter of the first Epistle…
Sermons upon the ten first verses of the third chapter of the first Epistle of S. Peter Being the last that were preached by the late faithful and painful minister of Gods word, Nicolas Byfield. Wherein method, sense, doctrine, and use, is, with great variety of matter, profitably handled; and sundry heads of divinity largely discussed. Published since the authors death by William Gouge.Sermons upon the ten first verses of the third chapter of the first Epistle of S. Peter Being the last that were preached by the late faithfull and painfull minister of Gods word, Nicolas Byfield. Wherein method, sense, doctrine, and vse, is, with great varietie of matter, profitably handled; and sundry heads of divinitie largely discussed. Published since the authors death by William Gouge.
London: printed by H. Lownes for George Latham, 1626
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.
3 It must be such a knowledge or vision of God, as discerns him to be the chief good, and only happiness to be desired: and so all those persons that behold any thing in this life, to be sought after as the chief felicity of their lives, are excluded from eternal life. And the things so esteemed, the Scripture calls their gods; so some make their bellies their gods, some their riches, some honour and the favour of men.
3 It must be such a knowledge or vision of God, as discernes him to be the chiefe good, and onely happinesse to be desired: and so all those persons that behold any thing in this life, to be sought after as the chiefe felicity of their lives, are excluded from eternall life. And the things so esteemed, the Scripture calls their gods; so some make their bellies their gods, some their riches, some honour and the favour of men.
4 It must be such a knowledge of God, as conceives of him in Jesus Christ (that is) that sees the way how Gods infinite justice, provoked by many sins, is pacified by the atonement made by Jesus Christ, as the Mediator between God and man, Joh. 17.3. else the knowledge of God, in respect of the contemplation of his justice, will be so far from inliving our hearts, that it would kill them if they had life. and this rule excludes all such from eternal life, as live in despair of Gods mercy, as Cain and Judas. These knowledges are such, as without which life cannot be had, but yet in themselves do not quicken the Soul, and inspire it with life.
4 It must be such a knowledge of God, as conceives of him in Iesus Christ (that is) that sees the way how Gods infinite justice, provoked by many sinnes, is pacified by the attonement made by Iesus Christ, as the Mediatour betweene God and man, Ioh. 17.3. else the knowledge of God, in respect of the contemplation of his justice, will be so far from inliving our hearts, that it would kill them if they had life. and this rule excludes all such from eternall life, as live in despaire of Gods mercie, as Cain and Iudas. These knowledges are such, as without which life cannot bee had, but yet in themselves doe not quicken the Soule, and inspire it with life.