A69028:857
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.
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.
Secondly, he lays up for us as Fathers do for their children, Psal. 89. 28. & 31. 19. and appoints us the inheritance of Sons to be enjoyed when we be of full years, Rom 8. 16.
Secondly, he layes vp for vs as Fathers do for their children, Psal. 89. 28. & 31. 19. and appoints vs the inheritance of Sons to be inioyed when we be of full yeeres, Rom 8. 16.
Before I pass from this point one thing must be added, and that is, that howsoever God be the Father of all men in respect ⟨p. 134⟩of the Creation of their souls, yet Faith looks upon him as a Father in Christ, and so by Adoption and regeneration, and therefore we must diligently examine our selves whether we be sons and daughters to God by grace in Christ or no: for all such as are by grace truly the Children of God have in themselves such signs as these.
Before I passe from this point one thing must be added, and that is, that howsoeuer God be the Father of all men in respect ⟨p. 134⟩of the Creation of their soules, yet Faith lookes vpon him as a Father in Christ, and so by Adoption and regeneration, and therefore wee must diligently examine our selues whether we be sons and daughters to God by grace in Christ or no: for all such as are by grace truely the Children of God haue in themselues such signes as these.
1. They were borne by promise: the preaching of the Gospel did mightily work upon them to the renewing of their natures, and infusing spiritual life into their souls, Gal. 4. 29. Rom. 9. 8.
1. They were borne by promise: the preaching of the Gospell did mightily work vpon them to the renewing of their natures, and infusing spirituall life into their soules, Gal. 4. 29. Rom. 9. 8.
2. They are all believers; they come to Christ for happiness and rely upon him, and so have power to be the Sons of God John 1. 12.
2. They are all beleeuers; they come to Christ for happinesse and rely vpon him, and so haue power to be the Sons of God Iohn 1. 12.
3. They lay hold upon Gods covenant, and consecrate themselves to his service, and love his name, and to be his servants, and in particular are careful to keep his Sabbaths, Isaiah 56. 4. 5. 7.
3. They lay hold vpon Gods couenant, and consecrate themselues to his seruice, and loue his name, and to be his seruants, and in particular are carefull to keepe his Sabboths, Esay 56. 4. 5. 7.
4. They are children that will not lie: they are no Hypocrites, they desire to be as good as they seem to be, they abhor counterfeiting and dissimulation, their spirits are without guile, Isaiah 63. 8.
4. They are children that will not lie: they are noe Hypocrites, they desire to be as good as they seeme to bee, they abhorre counterfeiting and dissimulation, their spirits are without guile, Esay 63. 8.
5. They are led by the spirit and mortify the deeds of the flesh, Rom. 8. 13. 14.
5. They are led by the spirit and mortifie the deeds of the flesh, Rom. 8. 13. 14.
6. They cry Abba Father: they have the spirit of prayer, they can call upon God in secret, with affection and confidence, esteeming nothing more then the Love and favour of God: And thus how God is a Father and to whom. The Uses follow and so.
6. They cry Abba Father: they haue the spirit of prayer, they can call vpon God in secret, with affection and confidence, esteeming nothing more then the Loue and fauour of God: And thus how God is a Father and to whom. The Vses follow and so.
In the first place this should teach Gods children many lessons: as,
1. To give this glory to God, to acknowledge him as a Father, and daily so to call him from their hearts. The first thing a child speaks in nature usually is the name of his parents, and so the first thing in Religion should be to call God Father: we can do nothing in Religion till we can call upon God, as upon a Father: this is the very foundation of the Church, because all effectual Religion is built upon this principle that God is our Father, 2. Thes. 1. 1. Rom. 8. 15.
1. To giue this glory to God, to acknowledge him as a Father, and daily so to call him from their hearts. The first thing a childe speakes in nature vsually is the name of his parents, and so the first thing in Religion should bee to call God Father: we can doe nothing in Religion till we can call vpon God, as vpon a Father: this is the very foundation of the Church, because all effectuall Religion is built vpon this principle that God is our Father, 2. Thes. 1. 1. Rom. 8. 15.
2. We should live without care: as our Saviour shows, Mat. 6. for we have a Father to care for us, and he is a heavenly Father, and therefore both knows what we need, and is fully able to help us, and besides he daily feeds the fowls of the air, and yet he is not a Father to them, how therefore can he neglect us, whom he hath begotten as children to himself, ver. 26. 32.
2. We should liue without care: as our Sauiour shewes, Mat. 6. for we haue a Father to care for vs, and hee is a heauenly Father, and therefore both knowes what wee need, and is fully able to helpe vs, and besides he daily feedes the foules of the ayre, and yet he is not a Father to them, how therfore can hee neglect vs, whom hee hath begotten as children to himselfe, ver. 26. 32.
3. If God be our Father then we must honour him: for we are bound to honour our father and mother: all our care should be to obey him, and honour him, and please him, and do our work so as others might glorify our Father which is in heaven, Mal. 1. 6. Mat. 5. 16. living […] •as we shame not our fathers house.
3. If God be our Father then we must honour him: for wee are bound to honour our father and mother: all our care should be to obey him, and honour him, and please him, and doe our worke so as others might glorifie our Father which is in heauen, Mal. 1. 6. Mat. 5. 16. liuin• 〈…〉 •as we shame not our fathers house.
4. If God be our Father, we must stri•• •• be like him, and to imitate his nature, and carriage, and so we are urged to follow and imitate him in mercy, Mat. 5. 45. 48. in Love Ephes. 5. 1. 2. and in holiness, 1. Pet. 1. 14, 15.
4. If God be our Father, we must stri•• •• be like him, and to imitate his nature, and carriage, and so we are vrged to follow and imitate him in mercie, Mat. 5. 45. 48. in Loue Ephes. 5. 1. 2. and in holines, 1. Pet. 1. 14, 15.
5. If God be our Father, we should be quickened unto prayer, we should run to him to make our moan in all our wants: But withal it imports two things we should look to in prayer: first, that we avoid vain babblings, and repetitions and affectation of length of prayer and the like: for we pray to a Father that needs not vain and tedious discourses. The words of a child should be humble and earnest and direct to the point, but not tedious as our Saviour shows, Mat. 6. 7. 8. secondly, that we pray in faith and not waver, because we ask of a father: If earthly fathers can give good gifts to their children, what will the heavenly father deny to his children, Mat. 7. 7. 16. Yea, if God himself should fight against us with his terrors, yet we must in prayer stick fast to this, that he is our father, and always keep this in our pleadings to wrestle with God by this Argument, as the Church did in those straits mentioned, Isaiah 64. 8. 4.
5. If God be our Father, wee should be quickned vnto prayer, wee should runne to him to make our moane in all our wants: But withall it imports two things we should looke to in prayer: first, that we auoide vaine bablings, and repetitions and affectation of length of prayer and the like: for wee pray to a Father that needs not vaine and tedious discourses. The words of a childe should bee humble and earnest and direct to the point, but not tedious as our Sauiour shewes, Mat. 6. 7. 8. secondly, that wee pray in faith and not wauer, because wee aske of a father: If earthly fathers can giue good gifts to their children, what will the heauenly father denie to his children, Mat. 7. 7. 16. Yea, if God himselfe should fight against vs with his terrors, yet we must in prayer stick fast to this, that he is our father, and alwaies keepe this in our pleadings to wrestle with God by this Argument, as the Church did in those straites mentioned, Esay 64. 8. 4.
6. If God be our father, we must then patiently bear his corrections, seeing we endure correction at the hands of the fathers of our bodies, who many times correct us for their own pleasure, therefore much more should we submit our ⟨p. 136⟩selves to the father of spirits, who never corrects us but for our profit. And to desire to be without correction, is to be in the condition of bastards and not of sons: if we would have God to love us we must be willing to let him correct us, Heb. 12. 4. to the 10.
6. If God bee our father, wee must then patiently beare his corrections, seeing we indure correction at the hands of the fathers of our bodies, who many times correct vs for their owne pleasure, therefore much more should we submit our ⟨p. 136⟩selues to the father of spirits, who neuer corrects vs but for our profit. And to desire to be without correction, is to be in the condition of bastards and not of sonnes: if we would haue God to loue vs we must be willing to let him correct vs, Heb. 12. 4. to the 10.
7. If God be our father, then nothing should more grieve us, then that we have offended him by our sins, Jer. 31 18. Luke 15. 18.
7. If God be our father, then nothing should more grieue vs, then that wee haue offended him by our sinnes, Ier. 31 18. Luke 15. 18.
