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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
heaven_n	duty_n	zeal_n	zealous_a	25	3	9.0968	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A17384	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.	Byfield, Nicholas, 1579-1622.; Gouge, William, 1578-1653.	1623 (1623)	STC 4211; ESTC S107078	497,216	958

thus two things are implied for our information The one concerns Ministers the other concerns the hearers First Ministers may hence take notice of it that there can neuer bee hope they should perswade with all their hearers for sacrifices were heer and there once taken out of the whole herd And besides the hearers may hence see that they are neuer so effectually wrought vpon till they can giue themselues ouer to their Teachers and to GOD to obey in all things though they perswade them to leaue the world and binde them to the cords of restraint in many liberties they took to themselues before yea though they let their hearts blood by pearcing their soules with sorrow for their sins euen to the death of their sinnes 2. Cor. 8.5 and 7.15 Secondly at the day of Iudgement also Ministers shall offer vp their hearers to God so many of them as are found chaste virgins vnto Christ to whom they had espoused them before in this life 2. Cor. 11.3 And thus Ministers before they dy must make ready their accounts for the soules of their people Heb. 13.7 And thus of the sacrifices of Ministers Ministers haue another sacrifice too viz. the particular texts or portions of Scripture which they chuse out and diuide to the people as consecrated for their vse For diuers think that that phrase of cutting the Word of God aright is borrowed from the Priests manner of diuiding the sacrifices and especially from the Priests manner of cutting the little birds The little birds is his text chosen out of the rest and separated for a sacrifice which hee must so diuide as that the wings bee not cut asunder from the body that is he must so diuide his text that no part be separat from a meet respect of the whole Leu. 1.17 and 5.8 2. Tim. 1.15 Secondly the Martyrs likewise haue their sacrifices and that is a drink-offring to the Lord euen their owne bloud this part is readie to bee powred out as a drink offring to the Lord for the Church Phi. 2.17 2 Tim. 4.6 and though we cannot bee all Martyrs yet we should all deny our owne liues in the vowes of our hearts to perform our couenant with God if euer wee be called to die for Christs sake and the Gospel Thirdly the sacrifice of rich men is almes and wel-doing and those sacrifices they are bound vnto to offer them continually Heb. 13.16 Philip. 4.18 Prou. 3.9 Almes is as it were the first fruites of all our increase But then wee must remember that our almes bee of goods well gotten For else God hates robbery for burnt offering Isaiah 61.8 And in giuing wee must denie our selues and not seeke our owne praises or plenary merit in it for it is a sacrifice clean giuen away from vs and consecrated only to God and the vse of his spirituall house the Church And thus of the sacrifice proper to some Christians There are other sacrifices in the Gospel now that are common to all Christians And these are diuers For fi●st Christ is to bee offered vp daily to God as the propitiation for our sins God hath set him forth of purpose in the Gospel that so many as beleeue may daily run vnto him and in their prayers offer him vp to God as the reconciliation for al their sins and this is the continuall sacrifice of all Christians Without this there is the abomination of desolation in the temple of our hearts This is the end of all the ceremonious sacrifices the substance of those shadowes Those sacrifices serued but as rudiments to instruct men how to lay hold vpon Christ and to carry him into the presence of God and laying hands vpon his head to plead their interest in his death who was offered vp as a whole burnt sacrifice for their sinnes Wee are Christs and Christ is giuen vnto vs as our ransome wee must euery day then lay hold vpon him and see him bleed to death for our sinnes and bee consumed in the fire of Gods wrath for our sinnes Secondly a broken and contrite heart is a sacrifice God will not despise yea such hearts are the sacrifices God especially cals for from men Hee euer loued them better then all the outward sacrifices in the Law Psal. 51.17 It is the heart God cals for and yet not euery heart but a heart wounded with the knife of mortification that is cut and bleedeth in it selfe with godly sorrow for sinne and is broken and contrite with the daily confession of sinne This is required of all Christians and this very thing makes a great deale of difference between Christian and Christian Thirdly praier and thanksgiuing to God are Christian and holy Sacrifices as many scriptures shew Psal. 141.2 Heb. 13.15 Hos. 14.4 Psal. 51.21 Fourthly we must offer our selues our soules and bodies as a liuing sacrifice to God Rom. 12.2 2. Cor. 8.5 and that First in respect of obedience deuoting our selues vnto God liuing to him and wholy resolued to be at his appointment Psal. 40.6 Loe I come to doe thy will this is in stead of all burnt offerings Secondly in respect of willingnes to suffer affliction of what kind soeuer as resoluing that through many afflictions as through so many flames wee must ascend vp to heauen as the smoak of the incense or sacrifice on the Altar Acts 14.21 Hence are trials called fiery trials 1. Pet. 4.12 Thus of the kindes of sacrifices which remaine vnto Christians The lawes about those sacrifices follow For there bee many things to to be obserued by Christians in their sacrifices if they would euer haue them acceptable to God which the shadowes in the old law did euidently signify as First the sacrifice must bee without blemish Malach. 1.7 which the same Prophet expounds Malach. 3.11 Our offrings must be pure offerings wee must tender them in the sincerity of our hearts Our sacrifices are without fault when wee iudge our selues for the faultinesse of them and desire they might haue no fault Secondly it must bee presented before the Lord and consecrated to him which signified that we must walk in Gods presence and doe all in the sight of God deuoting all to his glory Genes 17.1 Mic. 6.8 Thirdly our sacrifices must bee daily some kindes of them There were sacrifices euery day in the Temple and it was an extreme desolation when the sacrifices ceased so it must bee our euery daies worke to imploy our selues in some of those spirituall sacrifices Heb. 13.15 Fourthly There must bee an Altar to consecrate the gifts Math. 23.19 This Altar is Christ who is the onely Altar of Christians Heb. 13.10 Reuel 8.3 No seruice can be acceptable to God but as the Apostle heere saith by Iesus Christ We must doe all in the name of Christ Col. 3.17 Fiftly there must bee fire to burne the sacrifice This fire is holy zeale and the power and feruencie of the spirit in doing good duties The fire on the Altar first

came downe from heauen to signify that true zeale is kindled in heauen and comes down from aboue It is no ordinarie humor nor a rash fury It is no wilde fire And it was required about this fire that they should preserue it and neuer let it goe out but put fuell still to it and so it was kept for many yeeres so must wee doe with our zeale wee must labour by all meanes to preserue the feruencie of our hearts that wee neuer want fire to burne our sacrifices Our zeale should bee as the loue mentioned Can. 7.10 that much water could not quench it Euery sacrifice must haue fire Marke 9. Sixtly The sacrifices must be salted with salt so must our Christian sacrifices as our Sauiour Christ shewes Marke 9.49 50. And thus we must haue the salt of mortification and the salt of discretion and we must looke to it that our salt lose not his saltnes but that it haue a draining power in it to extract corruption out of our sacrifices our words to God and men must bee powdred with salt Col. 4.6 and so must all our actions Seuenthly the sacrifices must be without leauen Leuit. 2.11 Leauen is wickednes or malice or sowrenes or deadnes of heart or worldly griefe euen whatsoeuer leaueneth that is infecteth or maketh the meate offring to be heauie or sowre 1 Cor. 5.8 Eightthly in the same place of Leuiticus 2.11 Honie likewise is forbidden to be mingled with their sacrifices and by hony may be meant our beloued sinnes or particular corruptions wee should especially watch against them in the time of performance of holy duties that they mingle not themselues with our sacrifices by infecting our cogitations Ninthly the offring must bee waued and shaken to and fro before the Lord Leui. 7.3 And this signified the wauing of our lips in praier to God for his acceptation our sacrifices should bee soundly tossed to and fro in praier before the Lord Iob prayed before he sacrificed Iob 42. Tenthly on the Sabbath the sacrifices were to bee doubled to signifie that in a speciall manner wee should consecrate our selues to piety and mercy on the Sabbath day Eleuenthly our sacrifices must bee offered vp with all gladnes of heart and spirituall delight Thus Gods people were said to be a free-harted and willing people Psa. 47.9 and 110.3 And this was shadowed out partly by the oile that was powred into the meat offerings which is expounded to be the oile of gladnes and partly by the feast they made at the end of their solemne sacrifices vnto which they inuited their friends to ioyne with them in reioicing before the Lord and it is likely Dauid alludes to this feast when he saith hee would take the cup of saluation and praise the name of the Lord For as yet the Lords Supper was not instituted nor doe we read of any vse of a cup in the sacrifices or sacraments themselues Exod. 18.12 1. Chr. 16.1 2 3 4. Psal. 116.13 Twelfthly If wee be called to it wee must not deny vnto God the fat of the kidneies and the inwards By the fat was meant the things which are dearest to vs most beloued and that most delight vs and if the seruice of God and the Church and the poore require it wee must deny our selues and sacrifice what is most deare to vs. Thirteenthly the Apostle to the Hebrewes Chap. 13.13 addes that we must not leaue off wel-doing for reproach sake but be contented to bee like Christ who suffered without the gate as scorned of men and like the sacrifice was burnt without the campe Though all men hate vs and speake euill of vs and cast vs out of their companies yet wee must persist in our intention to sacrifice still to God Fourteenthly In the Sacrifices God had a great respect of mercy that cruelty were not shewed as Leuit. 22.27 When he enioyned that the creature must be seuen dayes vnder the damme and that no damme with the young one was to be slaine the same day Certainly God abhorreth that cruelty should bee exercised vnder pretence of piety Cursed be those long praiers that will deuoure widowes houses Matth. 23. In one thing we differ from the sacrifices For the sacrifices were dead or consisted of things without life but wee must be liuing sacrifices wee must do what we will do while we are aliue and must do it liuely with the affections that belong to the duties to be done Vse The vse may be briefly twofold for partly it should humble vs for our neglect of praiers and thanksgiuing and almes and contrition Wee omit the maine duties of our generall calling when we omit these It was the abomination of desolation when the temple was without sacrifices and how can it but be exceeding vncomely with Gods spiritual house that hath not sacrifices in it We are Christians but in name when pietie and mercy is neglected But especially we should be instructed from hence to mind our worke and to striue to answere our high calling by a continuall care day and night to exercise our selues herein the smoke of our incense should daily ascend vnto God The Apostle Paul beseecheth the Romans by the mercies of God to look to their sanctifying Rom. 12.1 Which shewes it is of wonderfull necessity and would make vs in some measure walke worthy of the Lord. And to the Hebrewes he bids them take heede of forgetting these sacrifices importing that vsually our deficiency in these seruices are from forgetfulnes we forget to pray and forget to shew mercy euen after we haue purposed both And thus much of the worke of a Christian. Now his honour followes Acceptable to God by Iesus Christ. Wherein three things may be noted First that howsoeuer piety and mercy and weldoing find little acceptation in the world yet it shall neuer want honour and great esteeme with God Pious and mercifull Christians shall neuer faile of the loue and fauour of God Their workes are accepted It is true that God may change his minde concerning the Ceremoniall Sacrifices but the acceptation of Christian Sacrifices is a thing established with God Heb. 10.9 These offerings shall be pleasant vnto the Lord Malach. 3.4 They are well-pleasing in his sight Heb. 13.16 They are a sweet sauour vnto the Lord Phil. 4.18 God hath a booke of remembrance Mal. 3.17 and our fruit shall certainly remaine Ioh. 15.16 And thus Cornelius his prayers and almes came vp before the Lord Acts 10. Secondly that it is not enough to doo good duties but wee must striue so to doo them that God may accept them Heb. 12.28 Esay 1.11 12 13 14. Thirdly that now our best works are made acceptable to God onely by Iesus Christ Reu. 8.3 4. It is from the presenting of Christ that wee are found holy and without blame in Gods sight Col. 1.22 Therefore we must doo all in the name of the Lord Iesus Col. 3.17 Vse The vse of all should be to teach vs with all care to

affections vpon riches pleasures and fauour of men Some of them haue made their belly their god and some haue giuen their bodies to harlots Thirdly in opposing Gods glory they haue likewise offended grieuously they haue spoken euill of the good way of God they haue abused his seruants and so despised him they haue set themselues against his Sabbaths c. To omit that they haue opposed Gods glory in their hearts by setting vp Idols there and by allowing and striuing to maintaine Atheisticall conceits against God The second vse should be therefore to beget in vs a care to vse all meanes to dispose of and fit our selues that we might make God glorious and so amend and redresse our wayes herein and that we may the more effectually be wrought vpon herein I will consider of two things First I will briefly shew the reasons should stirre vs to all possible care and diligence heerin Secondly I would shew how we may distinctly attain to the glorifying of God in all the three waies before mentioned For the first Diuerse considerations should moue vs to the care of magnifying or glorifying of God by all the waies we can First it is a great honour that God doth vnto vs to account himself to receiue glory any way from our endeauours Shall the creature bee admitted in any sense to that glory to make his Creator to make him I say in his excellency or glory God doth account himself to receiue a new Being as it were by those inward conceptions of his glory and by those outward honours done vnto him Shall the King of glory vouchsafe to dwell in our hearts and shall we not be exceedingly desirous to entertain him Secondly Not to glorifie God is to sinne grieuously it is not arbitrarie but most dangerous to allow our selues either in inward neglects of God or in outward vnfruitfulnesse Shall wee attribute so much euery day to the creatures we deal with and shall we knowe or acknowledge so little of the Creator It cannot be safe to slight God Thirdly it is one of the first things that breaks out in the new Conuerts so soone as any of the Gentils are visited of God in the same day they glorifie him by conceiuing gloriously of him and by magnifying God in himselfe and his seruants and seruice c. And therefore without singular danger of losing our euidence of our calling wee must attend to this Doctrine how hard soeuer it seeme Fourthly wee are bought with a price and are God's and therefore now both in soule and body wee should be wholy deuoted to his glorie 1. Cor. 6. vlt. As God hath glorified vs in our creation and the many treasures hee hath giuen vs in Iesus Christ and wee hope the accomplishment of matchlesse glorie in heauen and shall we not bee zealous for the glorie of the Lord Many glorious things bee spoken of vs through his grace and shall wee thinke or speake meanely of God Fiftly the Lord our God exceedes all things in glorie and therefore we should extoll his praise aboue the heauens and the whole earth should shewe it selfe to be full of his glorie Sixtly he is our heauenly Father and can wee thinke too well of him or doe too much to winne him praise Mat. 5.16 Lastly thinke with our selues What make wee in Gods Vineyard or Orchard If wee be trees of his planting ought wee not to bee filled with the fruits of righteousnes that the Lord may bee glorified Esay 61.3 Thus of some motiues The maine care should bee to learne what to doo that GOD might bee made glorious by vs and so wee should distinctly consider how to make him glorious in our selues or in others In our selues wee should learne how to make him glorious first in our hearts by a glorious conception of him in our minds secondly in our words and works by acknowledgement The first question then is What should we doe that we might conceiue more gloriously of God For answer hereunto we must looke to our hearts in diuers particulars for that wee may conceiue of God according to his excellency we must proceed by these degrees 1. Wee must striue to bring God into our minds for naturally wee liue without God and wee may obserue that at the best we are wonderfull prone to forget God and therefore wee must learne how to bring our hearts to the meditation of God For not to think of God or forget him is a grieuous offence aswell as to think of him after a base manner 2. It is not enough to bring God into our thoughts but we must then bee wonderfull carefull that wee bring not in an Idole of our owne forming in stead of God wee must learne how to think of God as hee is described to vs in his Word for fearefull Idolatrie may bee committed in the heart of a man as well as in his outward adoration and therefore wee must learne soundly to conceiue aright of the nature of God 3. When we haue God there in his owne likenes we must inlarge his roome in our hearts For the true knowledge of God comes in but by sparkles and God will bee magnified Wee must make him great and inlarge the thoughts of God when wee conceiue of him This is that that is so often required in Scripture vnder the terme of magnifying God 4. When wee haue attained to this to thinke of God with an abilitie to make him great in our hearts then wee must yet proceed to the establishment of this conception of GOD for else the thoughts of God will passe thorow our heads like lightning and be gone and therefore we must be carefull to establish the thoughts of God in vs. 5. We must then labour to cloath the thoughts of God with glorie and maiesty this is that which is heere intended wee must not onely make him in our hearts and nourish the sparkles of his knowledge but wee must make him glorious also 6. Yea yet farther when God is conceiued of according to his excellencie we must loue the Lord thus conceiued of our hearts must cleaue vnto him esteeme him aboue all things So that heer are six distinct things to be heeded of such as will conceiue of God aright Now how these things may bee attained to by vs followeth to bee considered of Now for the first to bring God into our minds two things are of excellent vse First the inforcing of our selues to consider of Gods works and so to striue still to read in that great booke of the Creatures Secondly the exercising our selues daily in the Word of God Without these two helps carefully vsed experience shewes that GOD neuer comes into mens thoughts And by the way heere may be framed an answer to that sorrowfull complaint of many Christians that they cannot meditate Now if they would bee taught to meditate or would at any time haue their thoght set a work let them lay before them either of these bookes

these come to their places without the prouidence of God Prouerbes 8.15 Now God keepes this busines in his owne hands to see to the calling of Magistrates because of the seruice by them hee can execute For a great part of his Kingdome is managed by their deputation By them God scourgeth the sinnes of the wicked yea of the whole world either by suffering them to be publike miseries or by guiding thē to punish offenders by the sword of Iustice and by them he manie times brings many common blessings vpon worlds of people as the next words shew Vses The vses are diuers some particular some generall In particular it should teach vs First by praier to s●eke Magistrates of God subiects may get great blessings of this kind if they would pray hard for them For GOD it is that sends Magistrates Secondly with patience to beare the wrongs of euil Magistrates seeing there is a hand of God in it Thirdly with thankfulnes to giue the praise to God for good Magistrates seeing it was hee that sent them as a common blessing Fourthly in all suits about the liues or duties or successions of Magistrates to trust vnto God For though wee know not where to bee prouided in earth yet God can send one from heauen as it were The word sent importes that God can raise him vp beyond expectation In general it shold stir vs vp in al things done by outward meanes in this world to striue for the skill to finde out and acknowledge Gods hand and prouidence in it seeing in these things which are apparantly done by meanes for the most part yet Gods prouidence is in it Thus of the Authour of their calling the end followes For the punishment of euill doers Diuers things may bee noted from hence First that in all Common-wealths in the world there will be euill doers though there be a King gouernours and Gods commandements lye hard vpon mens consciences yet there will bee euill doers And the point shewes the horrible strength of the poison of naturall corruption which no Lawes of God nor man nor experience of euill nor example can restraine or dry vp and withall it shewes their folly and weakenes that will forsake Christian assemblies for the wickeds sakes whereas the Apostle improues that euen in Christian Common-wealths there will bee this part of a Magistrates vertue to punish the euill doers such as are knowne to bee so and therefore such curious persons must goe out of the world if they will goe from euill doers And withall it should breed in men a greater care to look to themselues that they bee not infected by them since there is no society of men in which this plague-sore of sinne runneth not we must redeeme the time because the daies are euill And further it should breed in vs a loathing of this wicked world of this present euill world and a desire of heauen since we shall neuer liue in a place where the people wil bee all righteous till we come to heauen And finally it confutes their folly that from the vitiousnes of some men conclude the faultinesse either of the doctrine lawes or gouernment Secondly that euill dooers must bee punished Rom. 15. and great reason for first euill dooers in any society are infectious many may bee defiled by them Secondly they work much disquietnes and trouble humane societies Thirdly if they escape without punishment they may bring down the iudgements of God vpon the place where they liue Vses Which may serue for terrour to other offenders First the very sight of Magistrates should affright them considering that God sent those very Magistrates to punish them It importeth that though they escape the hands of men they shall not escape the hands of God Secondly it should teach men if they would liue out of the danger of the Magistrates punishment to take heed they be not euill dooers Quest. Now if you aske who are euill doers Ans. I answer Such as liue in notorious offences such as are swearers drunkards whoremongers railers theeues idle persons murtherers Sabbath-breakers sowers of discord and the like The original word doth point at some speciall sort of offendors For naming euill doers such especially must not scape as 1. Inuent euill where it is not 2. Or sinne not out of ignorance but wilfully 3. Or are leaders of other men to euill 4. Or make a trade of offending by custome in sinne 5. Or studie how to doe mischiefe gathering together as things might further their euil courses All this may bee included in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3. Thirdly there are from hence many to bee blamed that speake euill of such as take any course to reforme abuses 4. Fourthly Magistrats must look to their calling and Gods commandement to see abuses amended or else they must account to God for it 3 The third doctrine which may bee noted from hence is That all euill doers are to be punished without respect of persons they are to looke vpon mens workes and not on their persons great men must bee punished if they bee euill doers as well as poore men many men as well as one man yea if good men do euill they must beare the punishment of their sinne Christians as well as Pagans 4. That euill doers are not accounted safe members of any society and therefore are distinguished from good subiects as not fit to bee of that order 5. That such as transgresse the lawes of men are accounted by the Apostle euill dooers as well as such as transgresse the Lawes of God for he heer speaks especially of such as are euil doers in respect of humane ordinances which may be a warning to such as securely liue in the transgression of the commandements of Christian Magistrates and withall it may impair the honour of their condition that liue in the breach of the lawes of God without repentance For if it be so hatefull a thing to bee a breaker of the lawes of men in what case are they in that haue so grosly broken the Laws of God 6 That punishment of euill doers is in the power of the Magistrate priuate men cannot reforme publicke abuses they may pray for reformation they are not to execute it but by authoritie 7 That there are diuers euils which men cannot punish for the Magistrate can onely punish euill doers that is such as offend in word or deed euill thinkers they cannot meddle withall Which may warne Magistrates to be wary how they punish men onely vpon suspition or presumption without proofe that they are euill doers and withall it shewes that God hath reserued the iudgement of mens workes also to himselfe For God hates the sinnes of the heart as well as the sinnes of life and therefore since for these euils men answer not to men they must prouide to answer before God 8. That a Magistrate that punisheth sinnes doth but execute the commission hee receiued from God hee was sent of God to