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.
Nicholas Byfield 1579–1622London: printed by G.M. for Philemon Stephens and Christopher Meredith, 1626
[8], 563 [i.e. 535], [23] p. · 212k words · STC 4233.3 · ESTC S113882
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.
2 How innumerable his own sins are, of omission and commission, of ignorance, of knowledge, in his infancy, or riper age, at home or abroad, in his prosperity or adversity, against God, other men, or himself, Psal. 40. 2.
2 How innumerable his owne sinnes are, of omission and commission, of ignorance, of knowledge, in his infancy, or riper age, at home or abroad, in his prosperity or aduersity, against God, other men, or himselfe, Psal. 40. 2.
Again, a mans estate by nature hath wonderful need of mending and alteration, if we consider the misery to which it is exposed in respect of punishment, for we have all lost Paradise. 2. And all the creatures about us are worse then they were at first for our sakes, Rom. 8. 20. 3. God is horribly wroth with all of us, Joh. 3. 36. 4. The glory of our understandings is lost, we are very beasts, and have not the understandings of men in us, Prou. 30. 2. 5
Againe, a mans estate by nature hath wonderfull neede of mending and alteration, if we consider the misery to which it is exposed in respect of punishment, for wee haue all lost Paradise. 2. And all the creatures about vs are worse then they were at first for our sakes, Rom. 8. 20. 3. God is horribly wroth with all of vs, Ioh. 3. 36. 4. The glory of our vnderstandings is lost, we are very beasts, and haue not the vnderstandings of men in vs, Prou. 30. 2. 5. The Deuill doth in a manner what he will with vs, Ephes. 2. 2. 2 Tim. 2. 26. 6. Our selues are senselesse and dead, Ephes. 2. 1. The life of God is a most strange thing to vs, Ephes. 4. 18. 7. Armies and changes of sorrowes assault vs in our bodies and estates, Deut. 28. 8. Good things are restrained from vs, euen blessings of all sorts, Ierem. 5. 25. 9. And the good things we haue, they doe not prosper with vs, or they doe vs hurt, Mal. 2. 2. Ier. 12. 13. 10. Horrible feares either of death or shame, or judgement of men, or God, doe many times cruelly torment vs, Esay 33. 14 & 65. 13, 14. Heb. 2. 15. Besides, all that which wee are in danger of: for strange punishments may be to the workers of iniquity in this life, Iob 31. 3. and we may dye miserably, and who can recount the terror of the last Iudgement, and the violent fire may deuoure vs in Hell for euer, Heb. 10 27. Mat. 25. 41. Thus of our need of a Redeemer.
For the second point, man becomes capable of happiness by the Redeemer, by virtue of a new Covenant which God tenders unto man by the Redeemer. The first Covenant was a Covenant of works, where perfect happiness was promised ⟨p. 206⟩to man, upon condition of perfect obedience to the Law, to be performed by man in his own person: This condition (man being fallen through his own default) was impossible to be performed, and so the covenant being broken, all mankind was undone for ever. Now God is pleased to alter the first agreement, and to offer new Articles in this Covenant of grace, by which man might recover out of the aforesaid misery and be saved. Now concerning this new agreement we are to consider.
For the second point, man becomes capable of happinesse by the Redeemer, by vertue of a new Couenant which God tenders vnto man by the Redeemer. The first Couenant was a Couenant of workes, where perfect happinesse was promised ⟨p. 206⟩to man, vpon condition of perfect obedience to the Law, to be performed by man in his owne person: This condition (man being fallen through his owne default) was impossible to be performed, and so the couenant being broken, all mankinde was vndone for euer. Now God is pleased to alter the first agreement, and to offer new Articles in this Couenant of grace, by which man might recouer out of the aforesaid misery and be saued. Now concerning this new agreement we are to consider.
1 Who procured it.
2 Upon what terms he obtained it.
3 What he hath done to establish it.
4 What good comes to us by it.
5 What cause we have to be wonderfully affected and comforted by it.
1 Who procured it.
2 Vpon what termes he obtained it.
3 What he hath done to establish it.
4 What good comes to vs by it.
5 What cause we haue to bee wonderfully affected and comforted by it.
For the first, this agreement and new Covenant was obtained from God only by the Mediator, who alone was Jesus Christ, 1 Tim. 2. 5. The Son of God, became a suitor for the sons of men, and obtained of God these new Articles, with Gods infinite good liking, through his abundant mercy to man, Mat. 3.
For the first, this agreement and new Couenant was obtained from God only by the Mediatour, who alone was Iesus Christ, 1 Tim. 2. 5. The Sonne of God, became a sutor for the sonnes of men, and obtained of God these new Articles, with Gods infinite good liking, through his abundant mercy to man, Mat. 3.
For the second, God yields to his motion for a new Covenant upon two conditions. The one, that he should pay all mens debts, and so make satisfaction to the Justice of God, Isaiah 53. 6. 1 Tim. 2. 6. The other was, that he should perform such an absolute obedience and righteousness as might serve to justify the ungodly, 2 Cor. 5. 21. 1 Cor. 1. 30. Rom. 5. 18, 19. Jer. 23. 6.
For the second, God yeelds to his motion for a new Couenant vpon two conditions. The one, that he should pay all mens debts, and so make satisfaction to the Iustice of God, Esay 53. 6. 1 Tim. 2. 6. The other was, that hee should performe such an absolute obedience and righteousnesse as might serue to iustifie the vngodly, 2 Cor. 5. 21. 1 Cor. 1. 30. Rom. 5. 18, 19. Ier. 23. 6.
For the third, what Christ hath done to establish all this, is reported in these Articles of the Creed, contained in the middle part of it, describing both his Incarnation, and Humiliation and Glorification.
For the third, what Christ hath done to establish all this, is reported in these Articles of the Creed, conteined in the middle part of it, describing both his Incarnation, and Humiliation and Glorification.
For the fourth, the good that we shall have by this new Covenant, is reported in the last Articles of the Creed, Holiness, Communion of Saints, forgiveness of sins, resurrection of the body, and everlasting life.
For the fourth, the good that wee shall haue by this new Couenant, is reported in the last Articles of the Creed, Holinesse, Communion of Saints, forgiuenesse of sinnes, resurrection of the body, and euerlasting life.
1 Because it was utterly impossible for us to be any way ⟨p. 207⟩happy, or escape eternal damnation, if we had continued still under the old Covenant, Gal. 3. 13.
1 Because it was vtterly impossible for vs to bee any way ⟨p. 207⟩happy, or escape eternall damnation, if we had continued still vnder the old Couenant, Gal. 3. 13.
5 Because this Covenant is everlasting and unchangeable, there is no forfeiture, Isaiah 54. 10. God hath sworn to keep this Covenant for ever, Heb. 6. 18.
5 Because this Couenant is euerlasting and vnchangeable, there is no forfeiture, Esay 54. 10. God hath sworne to keepe this Couenant for euer, Heb. 6. 18.
