A69028:93
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.THE CREEDE. › Article 1 › I Beleeue.
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.
Belief or Faith is diversly accepted: sometimes it is taken for fidelity or faithfulness, or assent: and this sense it hath among the Philosophers aswellas among the Divines that are Christians, but all the other senses following it hath only among Christian Divines. And so it is taken sometimes for the doctrine of faith, 1. Cor. 13. 13. Phil. 1. 27. sometimes for the profession of faith, and so Simon Magus believed: sometimes for the things believed, 1. Tim. 1. 19. Jude 3. But most usually for the gift by which we believe, and so it is taken here.
Beliefe or Faith is diuersly accepted: sometimes it is taken for fidelity or faithfulnesse, or assent: and this sense it hath among the Philosophers aswellas among the Diuines that are Christians, but all the other senses following it hath onely among Christian Diuines. And so it is taken sometimes for the doctrine of faith, 1. Cor. 13. 13. Phil. 1. 27. sometimes for the profession of faith, and so Simon Magus beleeued: sometimes for the things beleeued, 1. Tim. 1. 19. Iude 3. But most vsually for the gift by which we beleeue, and so it is taken heere.
But what is it to believe these Articles? 'tis not to guess at them that they are true, or to conceive some probable hope that they may be justified; nor is it, to say them over; nor is it only to live in such places where such doctrines are taught and defended: but to believe, must have these six things distinctly in it: for to believe, is,