A69028:2441
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.
The sixth sign, is a fearful corruption of manners in the men of the world, foretold, 2 Tim. 3. 1, 2, 3. This I reckon as a sign, because I see all sorts of Writers have a great mind to it: but I take it to be so, not because the sins there mentioned shall be then found in the world, for they have been always in the world, but in a threefold respect: First, because all those sorts of sin shall reign at once in the world. Secondly, because men shall grow in a high degree abominable in sinning, so as to over-pass the former times in the unheard excess in sinning. Thirdly, because the corruptions of manners shall be found in all estates and degrees of men, and this sign I think belongs to this age: I suppose there was never any age wherein men were grown generally so monstrous, drunkenness, whoredom, swearing, falsehood, and deceit, besides the sins mentioned in the Apostles catalogue: and these things do so provoke the Judge, and dare him to his face, that sure his coming cannot be long deferred, but he will hasten the rest of the signs, to be revenged of so wicked a world.
The sixt signe, is a fearfull corruption of manners in the men of the world, foretold, 2 Tim. 3. 1, 2, 3. This I reckon as a signe, because I see all sorts of Writers haue a great minde to it: but I take it to be so, not because the sinnes there mentioned shall be then found in the world, for they haue been alwaies in the world, but in a threefold respect: First, because all those sorts of sinne shall reigne at once in the world. Secondly, because men shall grow in a high degree abhominable in sinning, so as to ouer-passe the formet times in the vnheard excesse in sinning. Thirdly, because the corruptions of manners shall bee found in all estates and degrees of men, and this signe I thinke belongs to this age: I suppose there was neuer any age wherein men were growne generally so monstrous, drunkennesse, whordome, swearing, falshood, and deceit, besides the sinnes mentioned in the Apostles catalogue: and these things do so prouoke the Iudge, and dare him to his face, that sure his comming cannot be long deferred, but he will hasten the rest of the signes, to be reuenged of so wicked a world.