A69028:1033
The rule of faith, or, An exposition of the Apostles Creed so handled as…
The rule of faith, or, An exposition of the Apostles Creed so handled as it affordeth both milk for babes, and strong meat for such as are at full age / by ... Nicholas Bifield ; ... now published ... by his son, Adoniram Bifield.The rule of faith, or, An exposition of the Apostles Creed so handled as it affordeth both milke for babes, and strong meat for such as are at full age / by ... Nicholas Bifield ; ... now published ... by his sonne, Adoniram Bifield.
London: printed by G.M. for Philemon Stephens and Christopher Meredith, 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.
5 Poor men, and men oppressed and pursued in the world, should not repine at their distresses: what if thou want house or harbour, so long as thou hast liberty to dwell in this fair house, where thou hast the Heavens for a roof, and the Stars for windows, and the earth for a foundation; though hard Land-lords oppress thee in thy artificial dwellings, yet thou art Tenant to such a Land-lord, for the use of his great house of the world, as while thou livest will not put thee out of possession of his house. Yea, such as have great houses to dwell in, made by the Art of man, should yet take more pleasure in their liberty to dwell in this house made by God, because it excels theirs, more then a Princes Palace can do a Cottage.
5 Poore men, and men opprest and pursued in the world, should not repine at their distresses: what if thou want house or harbour, so long as thou hast liberty to dwell in this faire house, where thou hast the Heauens for a roofe, and the Starres for windowes, and the earth for a foundation; though hard Land-lords oppresse thee in thy artficiall dwellings, yet thou art Tenant to such a Land-lord, for the vse of his great house of the world, as while thou liuest will not put thee out of possession of his house. Yea, such as haue great houses to dwell in, made by the Art of man, should yet take more pleasure in their liberty to dwell in this house made by God, because it excels theirs, more then a Princes Palace can doe a Cottage.
6 God himself hath given us certain Caveats, by way of prevention which we must look to, when we read in this great Book. The one is, that we take heed we liken not God to any of the creatures which are but the work of his hands, Deut. 4. 19. Isaiah 40. 22, 25. The other is, that we reserve all worship to God, and not worship any of the Host of Heaven or Earth, and therefore we must not so much as swear by Heaven or Earth, or any thing that is not God, Mat. 5.