A69028:1647
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 4 › TenetTHE CREEDE. › Article 4 › Tenet
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.
It remains now that I enter upon the explication of the sufferings of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, and so there be Six things of great weight and profit to be distinctly considered of: 1. Who suffered. 2. From whom he suffered. 3. For whom he suffered. 4. Why it was needful he should suffer. 5. What he suffered. 6. How he suffered.
It remaines now that I enter vpon the explication of the sufferings of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ, and so there be Six things of great weight and profit to be distinctly considered of: 1. Who suffered. 2. From whom he suffered. 3. For whom he suffered. 4. Why it was needfull he should suffer. 5. What he suffered. 6. How he suffered.
For the first, he that suffered is described in the words next before in the Creed, it was Jesus Christ, the only Son of God our Lord, who was so wonderfully conceived and borne. For the understanding whereof, we must conceive that the Passion of Christ belongs to his Person, and so is attributed in respect of the Person to both Natures, for though in his divine Nature he cannot suffer, because he is Immutable, ⟨p. 305⟩nor can die, because he is Immortal, and therefore properly suffers but in his humane Nature; yet in respect of the Person suffering, his sufferings belong even to the divine Nature: for if the flesh be the flesh of the Word, then must also the sufferings of the flesh, be the sufferings of the Word also: for neither was the Word disjoined from the flesh, nor the flesh severed from the Word. Nor was there any hurt done to the Nature that is inviolable, by that which was to be suffered in the Nature passible. If the Sun shine upon a piece of timber, though an axe cut the timber, yet the Sun remains impassible; so is it when the Divinity is joined to the suffering flesh of Christ: yet I say in respect of the personal union, the suffering is also attributed to the divine Nature. Thus the Scripture saith, God redeemed the Church with his blood, Act. 20. 28. and the Lord of glory was crucified,