A69028:122
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
THE CREED. › Article 1 › I Believe.THE CREEDE. › Article 1 › I Beleeue.
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.
6. Cast out such as have but a temporary faith. And in them consider: first, what they have in their faith, and then by what things it may be manifest that their faith is insufficient: for the first, these men are not altogether without faith, they have knowledge of the meaning of the doctrine of the Gospel, they assent to it and are assured it is the truth and can prove it, and they hate not the doctrine but rather like it and love it. And besides, their belief of these things worketh much upon them: for they hear the Word with Joy, Mat. 13. yea and are moved and persuaded to reform their lives, and by it escape much filthiness which is in others and was in themselves, 2. Pet. 2. 20. and they do join themselves to, and keep company openly with such as fear God, as Judas and Demas did with the Apostles: and do spend much time in reading the Scriptures and good books, and may be forward to reprove or punish vice and wickedness in other men as Jehu was, and yet all this notwithstanding▪ their faith is vain: which will appear to their consciences if they consider these things in them:
6. Cast out such as haue but a temporarie faith. And in them consider: first, what they haue in their faith, and then by what things it may be manifest that their faith is insufficient: for the first, these men are not altogether without faith, they haue knowledge of the meaning of the doctrine of the Gospell, they assent to it and are assured it is the truth and can proue it, and they hate not the doctrine but rather like it and loue it. And besides, their beliefe of these things worketh much vpon them: for they heare the Word with Ioy, Mat. 13. yea and are moued and perswaded to reforme their liues, and by it escape much filthinesse which is in others and was in themselues, 2. Pet. 2. 20. and they do ioyne themselues to, and keepe company openly with such as feare God, as Iudas and Demas did with the Apostles: and doe spend much time in reading the Scriptures and good books, and may be forward to reproue or punish vice and wickednesse in other men as Iehu was, and yet all this notwithstanding▪ their faith is vaine: which will appeare to their consciences if they consider these things in them: