The rule of faith, or, An exposition of the Apostles Creed so handled as…

3. We must believe, explicitly, not implicitly: It was one principle in the Kingdom of Antichrist to the intent that ⟨p. 20⟩the people might be kept in blindness, to teach them, that it was enough for them to believe, as the Church believed, without inquiring into particulars: and therefore they tell a tale to this end, how the devil tempting a man, and urging him to tell how he believed, the man answered, as the Church believed; and the devil asking him how the Church believed, he answered as I do, and hereupon the devil ran away and was vanquished. And it m•y well be, the devil durst ask him no more questions, for fear least he should get out of his Snare, now that by these answers, he had made it manifest he was fast in: for he that takes not in the doctrine of faith particularly, takes it not in at all: for as the Child may starve though you set before it a whole loaf of bread or other provision, if you cut it not for him, bit by bit, so is it with us in believing: To set the body of faith before us, and not teach us how, after it is divided, to take any part, is to starve our souls. To be short then, we must look to it, that we understand and believe these Articles not in the whole lump only, but in the parts; not by trusting to other mens judgements, but distinctly taking notice of each doctrine of faith our selves.

3. We must beleeue, explicitely, not implicitely: It was one principle in the Kingdome of Antichrist to the intent that ⟨p. 20⟩the people might be kept in blindnesse, to teach them, that it was inough for them to beleeue, as the Church beleeued, without inquiring into particulars: and therefore they tell a tale to this end, how the diuell tempting a man, and vrging him to tell how he beleeued, the man answered, as the Church beleeued; and the diuell asking him how the Church beleeued, he answered as I doe, and hereupon the diuell ranne away and was vanquished. And it m•y well bee, the diuell durst aske him no more questions, for feare least he should get out of his Snare, now that by these answers, he had made it manifest he was fast in: for hee that takes not in the doctrine of faith par•icularly, takes it not in at all: for as the Childe may starue though you set before it a whole loafe of bread or other prouision, if you cut it not for him, bit by bit, so is it with vs in beleeuing: To set the body of faith before vs, and not teach vs how, after it is diuided, to take any part, is to starue our soules. To bee short then, we must looke to it, that we vnderstand and beleeue these Articles not in the whole lumpe onely, but in the partes; not by trusting to other mens iudgements, but distinctly taking notice of each doctrine of faith our selues.