A69028:65
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.
Answ. I answer that the main substance of the doctrine of the Creed was known and taught by the Prophets in the Old Testament, as in general concerning one God, and the Messiah, and eternal life, &c. but there are some things peculiar in the Creed unto the Christian Church, and of necessity to Salvation: as the more open and clear doctrine of the Trinity: the particulars about the Humiliation and Exaltation of Christ, and the estate of the Catholic Church, these being clearly revealed are now necessary to Salvation.
Answ. I answer that the maine substance of the doctrine of the Creed was knowne and taught by the Prophets in the Old Testament, as in generall concerning one God, and the Messias, and eternall life, &c. but there are some things peculiar in the Creed vnto the Christian Church, and of necessity to Saluation: as the more open and cleare doctrine of the Trinity: the particulars about the Humiliation and Exaltation of Christ, and the estate of the Catholique Church, these being cleerely reueiled are now necessary to Saluation.
Quest. Some one will say; but how came the Creed then into the Church, who made it, or when was it made?
Answ. I answer, that it seems clear that it came not in all at once, but that in the Apostles days it was much shorter: It is manifest, that our Lord and Saviour commanded to baptize men in the Name of the Father, of the Son, and of the holy Ghost. Whence came the custom of examining those that were baptized about their faith: Who in the first times answered briefly, and for the most part, but concerning the Trinity or concerning Christ, which was chiefly then in question: We may observe that Philip would not baptize the Eunuch, till he had confessed his faith, Acts the 8. which imports that it was the manner then to admit none of years to baptism, till they had professed their faith, and that some kind of short form was then in use: What the precise form was, cannot be certainly known: but it is likely, their confession went not further then the Trinity: Now these Articles concerning the Trinity, were enlarged for the prevention and repressing of sundry Heresies, as they did or were likely to spring up in the Church. But that the whole Creed as it is now, was not verbatim in the