A69028:2012
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
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.
1. That we here read of one that repented at his latter end, that no man might despair; and yet but one, that no man might presume.
1. That we here reade of one that repented at his latter end, that no man might despaire; and yet but one, that no man might presume.
2. That the conversion of this Thief was an immediate work of the divine power of Christ, and so a dreadful miracle: and though this one man was saved so extraordinarily without means, yet that doth not prove that God will do so to other men: if Christ do convert thee at thy latter end, he doth as great a work, as to raise ⟨p. 406⟩the dead, or darken the Sun, and cleave the rocks, or the like. And what warrant hast thou that thou shalt be saved by miracle?
2. That the conuersion of this Theefe was an immediate worke of the diuine power of Christ, and so a dreadfull miracle: and though this one man was saued so extraordinarily without meanes, yet that doth not proue that God will doe so to other men: if Christ doe conuert thee at thy latter end, he doth as great a worke, as to raise ⟨p. 406⟩the dead, or darken the Sunne, and cleaue the rocks, or the like. And what warrant hast thou that thou shalt be saued by miracle?
3. That men have as much reason to be afraid they shall not repent, because the other Thief did not repent at his latter end, as to think they shall, because this Thief did repent.