The Pattern of Wholesome Words, Title page – Table of contents
THE PATERNE OF WHOLSO… WORDS.
Or a collection of such Truths as are of necessity to be belieued …nto saluation, separated o…t of …he body of all Theologie
Made euident by infallible an… plaine proofes of Scripture.
And withall, The seuerall vses such Principles should be put to, are abundantly shevved.
A Proiect much desired, and of singular vse for all sorts of Christians.
By N. Bifeild, Preacher of Gods Word at Isleworth in Middlesex.
2. TIM 1.13.
Keepe the true paterne of wholesome words, whic…, thou hast heard of me in faith and louelove… which is Christ Iesus.
AT LONDON, Imprinted by F. K. for Samuel Ma… dwelling in Pauls Church yard, at the signe of the Swan. 1618.
To the most Noble Ladie, the Ladie DOROTHIE, Countesse of Northumberland. And to the highly honoured Ladies her Daughters, The Ladie DOROTHIE SYDNEY, and the Ladie LVCIE HAY: N. BYFEILD Wisheth the abundance of true grace and peace.
Right Honourable,
I HaueHave long since vndertaken (as in the course of my Ministerie you hauehave often heard) to extract out of al Theologie conteined in the Scriptures, the Principles, that is, such doctrines which are fundamentall, and absolutely necessarie to be knowne of as many as are to be saued. This Proiect ought to bee well accepted of all sorts of Christians, that wish their owne good; partly in respect of the necessitie of the doctrines here collected vnderunder their seueral heads; and partly in respect of the apparant euidence of the proofes of Scripture, which are such, as make infallible demonstration to the conscience, by the expresse light cōteined in them; and partly, because the Vses which may be made of the seuerall Principles, are eueryevery where abundantly shewed.
And in as much as the Lord hath been pleased, to giuegive some testimonie to my indeuors herein in the publike preaching; I am not out of hope, but that the printing of those Principles may be profitable to many godly and plaine-hearted Christians, that desire in the plainest manner to vnderstand the meaning of their heauenly Fathers will.
I humbly dedicate this worke vntounto your Honours, and pray your acceptation, and the patronage of it: and to giuegive me leaue in the view of the world to signifie this way, both my obseruance of the many noble and excellent vertues, which are eminent in each of your Honours, as also my vnfained thankefulnesse for the many fauours I hauehave receiued, and for the countenance and incouragement of my Ministery; accounting it a singular mercy of God, that any labours of mine should find acceptation with persons of so high place and quality, or any way be successeful to the prospering of any part of the worke of Gods grace in your hearts.
Now the God of all consolation, fill your Noble breasts with all riches of the true grace that is in Iesus Christ; that you may abound in the knowledge of the mysteries of his Kingdome in all iudgement, and louelove of the truth which is according to godlines, and in all those gifts which may be found vntounto honor, and praise, and glory in the reuelation of Iesus Christ.
Your Honours in all seruice N. Bifeild. Isleworth, March 27. 1618.
CERTAINE OF THE chiefest things contained throughout the whole Booke.
Chap. 1.
THree things intended in this worke distinctly.
Page 1.2.
Three waies to know a principle.
p. 6.6.
An excellent course for catechising, shewed,
p. 7.
Chap. 2.
The method of all the principles.
p. 8.9.
Chap. 3.
The principles that concerne the Scriptures.
p. 10.11. &c.
That the Scriptures are the very word of God proued by sixe testimonies externall, as also by the internall testimonie of the spirit.
p. 11.12.13.
That they are perfect.
p. 13.
Six duties vrged from thence. p. 14. 15. &c. the Papists reproued in foure things. p. 19.20. and the carnall Protestant in 4. things. p. 21.22. and many godly men in 4. things also.
p. 22.
Chap. 4.
Foure principles concerning God.
p. 24.
That there is a God, proued by three testimonies internall; and by foure testimonies from the world; and two testimonies in the Church.
p. 25.26.27.
Ten glories in the nature of God.
p. 28.29. &c.
Eight duties arising from the consideration of Gods nature.
p. 32.33.34.
Sixe rules to be obserued in the study of the nature of God.
p. 35.36.
Plaine proofes of the Trinity. p. 39. with vses. p. 41. that there is but one God proued, with vses.
p. 42.43.44.
Chap. 5.
Fiue principles concerning the Creation.
p. 45.46.
Sixe duties taught by the Creation.
p. 48.49.
Chap. 6.
Seuen principles concerning Gods prouidence.
p. 52.53. to. 58.
Eleuen things admirable in Gods prouidence.
p. 58.59.60.
Foure sorts of men reproued.
p. 62.
Eight vses for instruction.
p. 63.64.65.66.67.
Foure waies to shew our patience in aduersity.
p. 64.65.
Comforts from the meditation of Gods prouidence.
p. 69.70.
Chap. 7.
Two principles concerning mans estate of innocency.
p. 71.72.
Man made after the image of God many waies.
p. 72. &c.
Man was the image of God in respect of his substance, and so both of his being, and of the manner of his being.
p. 72.73.
Man made the image of God in respect of his gifts 3. waies.
p. 74.
Foure sorts of free-wills.
p. 75.
The speciall fauour of God to man in his creation, both in respect of the time when, and the place where, and the manner how hee made him, both in respect of soule and body.
p. 76.77.
The doctrine of mans first happines teacheth diuers duties.
1. To God.
p. 78.
2. To our selues.
p. 79.
3. To other men.
p. 80.
Confutation of Papists about pictures.
p. 81.
Chap. 8.
Three principles concerning the fall of man.
p. 82.
Seuen things to shew the greatnesse of Adams sinne.
p. 84.
How it is that godly men beget vngodly children.
p. 86.
Foure generall instructions.
p. 87.88.
Three occasions of apostasie.
p. 87.88
Fiue degrees of the diuels tentation.
p. 90.
Foure sorts of men in particular warned by the fall.
p. 91.92.
Chap. 9.
Foure principles concerning sinne.
p. 93.94.
Fourteene foule blemishes in eueryevery mans nature.
p. 95.96.97.98.99.
Nine vses for information.
p. 103.104.105.
Seuen things charged vponupon ciuill honest men.
p. 106.107.
Many vses for instruction, with consolations also.
p. 108.109.110.
Chap 10.
Seuenteene sorts of punishments inflicted on man for sinne.
p. 114. to 128.
The punishment of the damned in hell, amplified by the degrees of it, and the place, and the continuance of it.
p. 124.125.126.127.
Many vses, from
p. 128. to 136.
Chap. 11.
Fiue principles concerning election.
p. 137.138.
Foure instructions.
p. 139. to 146.
Signes of election of two sorts.
p. 146. to 152.
Eight priuiledges of Gods elect.
p. 152. to 156.
Chap. 12.
That Christ is God, proued 6. waies.
p. 157.158.159.
Why it was needfull hee should bee God.
p. 159.
The vses for humiliation, and for instruction in many things, and for consolation.
p. 160. to 164.
Chap. 13.
4 Principles cōcerning the humane nature of Christ.
p. 164. to 167.
Why Christ was incarnate.
p. 167.
Why the second person in Trinitie was incarnate,
p. 168.
Fiue instructions.
p. 169.170.
Many consolations from the incarnation of Christ.
p. 171. to 175.
Chap. 14.
Of the conception of Christ, the vses.
p. 176. &c.
Chap. 15.
How Christ could be borne of a Virgin, with the vses.
p. 180. to 186.
Foure sorts of making man at seuerall times.
p. 184.
Chap. 16.
Of the personal vnion, with the vses.
p. 186. to 191.
Chap. 17.
Principles that concerne the mediator-ship of Christ.
p. 191. to 197.
When Christ was giuen to be mediator.
p. 194.
Three sorts of couenants of God.
p. 197.
Wherein the couenant of grace and the couenant of workes agree, and how they differ in sixe things.
p. 200. to 206.
Nine priuiledges of the couenant of grace.
p. 206. to 211.
The properties of this couenant.
p. 211.212.
Ten arguments to assure the infallibility of the couenant of grace.
p. 212.213.
The persons capable of these priuiledges.
p. 214.
Comforts in the curse of sinne, and in the crosse of affliction, and in the curse of death.
p. 215.216.
What wee must auoid in respect of this couenant.
p. 217.218.
What we must doe that wee may bee fitted for this couenant.
p. 219.
Eight things to be done that we may walke worthy of this couenant.
p. 220.221.222.
Chap. 18.
What the Propheticall office of Christ is, the parts of it, and the manner how he executed it.
p. 226.227.228.
Seuen principles concerning the propheticall office of Christ.
p. 229.230.231.
Christ differed in teaching from all others in diuers things.
p. 235.236.
Sixe instructions.
p. 237.238.
Eight comfortable things in the manner of Christs teaching.
p. 240. to 245.
Chap. 19.
Foure principles concerning the obedience of Christ. p. 247. to 250. with the vses,
to p. 254.
Chap. 20.
Sixe principles concerning the Passion of Christ.
p. 255.256.257.
The extreame things Christ suffered for vsus.
p. 257. to 262.
Many duties to be performed vponupon the consideration of the Passion.
1. Towards Christ himselfe.
p. 263. to 267.
2. Towards others.
p. 268. to 271.
3. Towards our selues.
p. 271. to 279.
Fiue vses for information.
p. 279. to 284.
Many consolations from the passion of Christ in generall, from
p. 284. to 291.
Many particular consolations.
p. 291 to 301.
Chap. 21.
Foure principles concerning the intercession of Christ.
p. 301.302.303.
Seuen distinct things in the intercession of Christ.
p. 304.
Confutation of Papists.
p. 309.
Foure instructions.
p. 310.
Ten cons…lations.
p. 311. to 315.
Chap. 22.
Seuen principles concerning the regall office of Christ.
p. 315. to 325.
The method of the doctrine of Christs Regall office.
p. 325. to 331.
Twelue generall vses for instruction, besides particular vses.
p. 331. to 340.
Many consolations.
p. 340. to 344.
Chap. 22.
Seuen principles concerning the Church.
Nine vses for instruction.
p. 355. to 361
Many consolations.
p. 361. to 364.
Chap. 23.
Eight principles concerning Iustification.
p. 364. to 371.
Eight vses for instruction,
p. 371. to 378.
Sixe consolations.
p. 378. to 381.
Chap. 24.
Sixe principles concerning sanctification.
p. 383. to 388.
Motiues to holinesse.
p. 389.390.391.
Rules concerning sanctification: where ten things to be auoided.
p. 392. to 396.
Rules about the matter, end, manner and meanes of sanctification.
p. 396. to 340.
Seuen signes of a man vnsanctified.
p. 402.403.
Many consolations against the imperfection of sanctification.
p. 405. to 409.
Chap. 26.
Foure principles concerning the resurrection.
p. 410. to 414.
That there shall bee a resurrection, proued by varietie of Arguments.
p. 415. to 419.
Sixe things in the manner of the resurrection.
p. 420.421.
Fiue instructions.
p. 422. to 425.
Many consolations.
p. 425. to 436.
Sixe glorious things shall befall our bodies at the resurrection.
p. 429.
Obiections answered.
p. 433. &c.
Chap. 27.
Seuen principles concerning the last Iudgement.
p. 436. to 445.
Sixe instructions.
p. 445. to 455.
Sixe waies of offending in censuring.
p. 447.
Nine things to be done, that we may hauehave comfort in the day of Iudgment.
p. 451. to 455.
The vse for terrour at large.
p. 455. to 460.
Many obiections answered.
p. 460. to 478.
It shall be a terrible day for fifteene sorts of offenders.
p. 472. to 478.
Many consolations.
p. 478. to 482.
Chap. 28.
Foure principles concerning the glorie of heauen.
p. 482. to 487.
Sixe vses for instruction, with diuers notes.
p. 487. to 497.
Sixe things we must doe, that we may be sure to goe to Heauen. p. 492. &c.
The consolations; from p. 497. to the end.
The description of the parts of the glorie of Heauen, and the perpetuitie of it.
FINIS.