A69028:139
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.
9. Desperation, when a man rageth, and is tormented with the 1horror of Gods Justice, without respect of Gods Glory or any hope, or desire, or prayer for Gods Mercy in Christ.
9. Desperation, when a man rageth, and is tormented with the 1horror of Gods Iustice, without respect of Gods Glory or any hope, or desire, or prayer for Gods Mercie in Christ.
- 19. Desperation.
He therefore that would try whether he have a true belief or no, must in the first place try whether none of these contraries of faith possess not his soul: for if they do, it is certain he hath not faith.
He therefore that would try whether hee haue a true beliefe or no, must in the first place try whether none of these contraries of faith possesse not his soule: for if they doe, it is certaine he hath not faith.
2. He must carefully separate and distinguish faith from such things; as have some kind of likeness, or agreement with it, and yet are not faith: In his Trial he must take heed, that he take not some other thing for faith: such as are, rash Credulity, Hypocritical profession, Presumption, opinion, humane Knowledge, experience, or Hope. For the first, there is a light kind of assent which men give unto doctrines in Religion, without any knowledge of the warrant and proof of them from Scripture: whatsoever effects this Credulity have, yet is it not faith, because that is ever grounded upon the Word of God. Nor may he mistake an outward hypocritical profession of the true Religion for faith: Profession of Religion, when it is destitute of the love of God, hatred of sin, trust in Christs merits, charity to men, and patience in afflictions, do no way commend a man to God, much less is it true faith. Thirdly, many Christians entertain Presumption instead of faith: They are resolved upon it, that God is their Father, and Christ died for them, and they are the children of God and true Christians, and all this without any word of God rightly applied. Fourthly, Opinion in matters of Religion may be taken by some for