A69028:867
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.
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.
8. If God be our father, then we must sort our selves with his children, and avoid all needless societies, and unequal yoking with the wicked of this world, who are as like the devil as ever child was like his father, John 8. 2. Cor 6. 14 18.
8. If God be our father, then wee must sort our selues with his children, and auoid all needlesse societies, and vnequall yoaking with the wicked of this world, who are as like the diuell as euer childe was like his father, Iohn 8. 2. Cor 6. 14 18.
9. We should in all welldoing rest in his praise, as being our father that seeth in secret. A child seeks no more then to be accepted of his father, Mat. 6. 1. 4.
9. We should in all welldoing rest in his praise, as being our father that seeth in secret. A childe seekes no more then to be accepted of his father, Mat. 6. 1. 4.
10. We need not therefore the help of Saints or Angels to bring us to God. He is our father, we may go to him our selves, Isaiah 63. 16.
10. We need not therefore the helpe of Saints or Angels to bring vs to God. He is our father, wee may goe to him our selues, Esay 63. 16.
11. Therefore we should call no man father upon earth, having so great and gracious a father in heaven, Mat. 23. 9.
11. Therefore we should call no man father vpon earth, hauing so great and gratious a father in heauen, Mat. 23. 9.
12. Therefore also we should live in peace one with another, seeing we have all one heavenly father, Ephes. 4. 4▪ 6.
12. Therfore also we should liue in peace one with another, seeing we haue all one heauenly father, Ephes. 4. 4▪ 6.
Thus for instruction.
Secondly, many consolations arise from hence, if we believe that God is our father: for then,
Secondly, many consolations arise from hence, if we beleeue that God is our father: for then,
1. He will spare us as a father doth his son that serveth him, he will bear with our infirmities, Mal. 3. 17.
1. He will spare vs as a father doth his son that serueth him, he will beare with our infirmities, Mal. 3. 17.
2. Though he should correct us, yet he will not take his mercy from us. 2. Sam. 7. 14.
2. Though hee should correct vs, yet hee will not take his mercy from vs. 2. Sam. 7. 14.
3. We have right to Gods house: we may with great encouragement resort to all Gods ordinances, because it is our fathers house: and if hard times befall us in respect of the means of Religion, and that the enemies of the Church do invade the Sanctuary, we must then go to God and plead our right, seeing his house belongs to us and not to them: thus did the godly, Isaiah 63. 16. 18. 19.
3. We haue right to Gods house: we may with great incouragement resort to all Gods ordinances, because it is our fathers house: and if hard times befall vs in respect of the meanes of Religion, and that the enemies of the Church do inuade the Sanctuarie, we must then go to God and pleade our right, seeing his house belongs to vs and not to them: thus did the godly, Esay 63. 16. 18. 19.
