A69028:37
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.
When the Apostle exhorts Timothy to the keeping of this pattern, he may be understood to speak to him as a Minister, 1or as to a Christian in general. As a Minister he is enjoined with all care to endeavour to preserve the purity of Doctrine, and with great respect to teach often, and powerfully those points of Doctrine which were expressed in the pattern, as the principal truths he should aim at in the course of his Ministry. He should not through desire of vain glory affect Curiosities, or Novelties, but build up his Hearers in all the knowledge he could infuse into them by continual teaching of those doctrines. If he speak to him as a Christian in general, then this is the ⟨p. 6⟩point of Doctrine the Apostle aims at, that all Christians be exceeding careful to get the distinct knowledge of the main Articles of the Christian faith, and above all Doctrines keep those as a great treasure. And so in particular, since we have in the Creed such an excellent frame of the Doctrines of faith, we must hence learn that it is our duties to regard these Doctrines with all respect.
When the Apostle exhorts Timothie to the keeping of this patterne, he may be vnderstood to speake to him as a Minister, 1or as to a Christian in general. As a Minister he is inioyned with all care to endeuour to preserue the purity of Doctrine, and with great respect to teach often, and powerfully those points of Doctrine which were exprest in the patterne, as the principall truthes hee should aime at in the course of his Ministerie. He should not through desire of vaine glory affect Curiosities, or Nouelties, but build vp his Hearers in all the knowledge he could infuse into them by continual teaching of those doctrines. If hee speake to him as a Christian in generall, then this is the ⟨p. 6⟩point of Doctrine the Apostle aimes at, that all Christians bee exceeding carefull to get the distinct knowledge of the maine Articles of the Christian faith, and aboue all Doctrines keepe those as a great treasure. And so in particular, since we haue in the Creed such an excellent frame of the Doctrines of faith, we must hence learne that it is our duties to regarde these Doctrines with all respect.