A69028:626
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 1 › I Believe in God.THE CREEDE. › Article 1 › I Beleeue in God.
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.
As for instance, the goodness of God is not communicated to good Angels or men, but the effect of it, which makes them good. If God should communicate nothing, there would be nothing at all: and if he should communicate his own essentials, he should make as many Gods as he produced things. In short, these Attributes are affirmed of God in the Abstract, ⟨p. 97⟩but of men or Angels in the Concrete, God is Goodness, Wisdom, Justice. Men are only good, wise, Just.
As for instance, the goodnesse of God is not communicated to good Angels or men, but the effect of it, which makes them good. If God should communicate nothing, there would be nothing at all: and if he should communicate his owne essentialls, hee should make as many Gods as hee produced things. In short, these Attributes are affirmed of God in the Abstract, ⟨p. 97⟩but of men or Angels in the Concret, God is Goodnes, Wisedome, Iustice. Men are onely good, wise, Iust.
The incommunicable Attributes are so in God, as they can be found in no creature, nor any likeness of them. And these are three, (viz.) his infinite greatness, his eternity, and his immutability. And these three as they are not found in any thing but God, so are they as it were spread and poured out through all the Attributes of the first sort: for God is Infinite. Eternal, and Immutable, in Wisdom, Holiness, Life and Glory. And so these Proprieties are as it were the Adjuncts or proprieties of the other Attributes.
The incommunicable Attributes are so in God, as they can be found in no creature, nor any likenesse of them. And these are three, (viz.) his infinite greatnesse, his eternity, and his immutability. And these three as they are not found in any thing but God, so are they as it were spread and powred out through all the Attributes of the first sort: for God is Infinite. Eternall, and Immutable, in Wisedome, Holinesse, Life and Glory. And so these Proprieties are as it were the Adiuncts or proprieties of the other Attributes.