A69028:2664
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 last words of the definition describes the form of the Church, the essential inward form, which is that union with Christ by faith: they are really members of the Church, that are united to Christ, as their head by faith: without this faith it is impossible to please God; and faith comprehends all that, which essentially God requires of us to justification and adoption, Joh. 3. 16. I add their union one with another by love, because brotherly love is an inseparable fruit of faith, for faith worketh by love, Gal. 5. 6. and is such a Characteristical sign of a true member of the Church, that the Apostle saith, thereby we know we are translated from death to life, because we love the brethren, 1 Joh. 3. 14. and the same Apostle seems to make Love a kind of form of the true Christian, Eph. 1. 4.
The last words of the definition describes the forme of the Church, the essentiall inward forme, which is that vnion with Christ by faith: they are really members of the Church, that are vnited to Christ, as their head by faith: without this faith it is impossible to please God; and faith comprehends all that, which essentially God requires of vs to iustification and adoption, Ioh. 3. 16. I adde their vnion one with another by loue, because brotherly loue is an inseparable fruit of faith, for faith worketh by loue, Gal. 5. 6. and is such a Characteristicall signe of a true member of the Church, that the Apostle saith, thereby we know we are translated from death to life, because we loue the brethren, 1 Ioh. 3. 14. and the same Apostle seemes to make Loue a kinde of forme of the true Christian, Eph. 1. 4.