The Rules of a Holy Life, Title page – Dedication
THE RVLES OF A HOLY LIFE. OR A Treatise containing the holy order of our liues, prescribed in the Scripture, concerning our carriage:
Towards God,
Towards men,
Towards our selues.
With generall Rules of Preparation, that concerne either the helps, or the maner of a holy Conuersation. By N. BIFIELD Preacher of Gods Word at Isleworth in Middlesex.
PSAL. 50. vlt. To him that ordereth his conuersation aright, will I shew the saluation of God.
LONDON, Printed by G. P. for Ralph Rounthwaite, and are to bee sold at the Flower de-luce and Crown in Pauls Church-yard. 1619.
❧ TO THE NOBLE AND Religious Lady, the Lady MARIE VERE, increase of ioy and peace in Beleeuing.
MADAM,
IT was most truely said by the Apostle of the Gentiles: godlines is great gaine; Importing thereby, that if man would be incited to the care to get any thing, for the profit might come thereby, it should be godlinesse: No skill in the world being c̄oparable to that skill of being able to leade a godly life, for the sure, and speedy, & matchlesse gain it will bring vntounto a man: for besides that it onelyonly hath the promise of a better life, godlinesse were to bee desired, and with all possible diligence to bee sought after, for the very gaine of it in this life: For to omit the consideration of the fauor it breeds with God, & the vnspeakable treasures of the grace of Christ, which alwayes go with it, it were to bee desired for the immediate effects it workes vponupon men in it selfe. For if men louelove themselues, what should they desire more then that which tends to make themselues perfect? What should it aduantage a man to hauehave all things good about him, if himselfe bee ill and vile? If men, that were onelyonly guided by the light of Nature, could (some of them) see cleerely, that nothing was so good for a man as to liue well (when yet they knew no other liuing well, then what was prescribed in their naked and naturall Ethickes) then how much more happy must it be for a man to liue a religious life, by which he is brought more neerer to God, himselfe, and farre aboue the condition of any naturall man? Yea, if there were no more to bee had by it, but the peace and rest it brings vntounto a mans heart, it were aboue all outward things to bee desired: for no man walkes safely, that walkes not religiously, nor can any actions of men produce any sound tranquillity and rest of heart, but such actions as are prescribed by true Religion. What shall I say? If for none of these, yet for it self were a godly life to be had in singular request: for if men, with much expence of outward things, seeke but the skill of diuers, naturall, and artificiall knowledges, and thinke it worth their cost but to bee able to attaine these Skils? how much more ought man to be at the paines, yea and cost too (if it were required) to get this admirable skill to liue a religious life? This most gainefull Subiect is intreated of in this little Volume; I may truely say, that almost eueryevery sentence in this little Treatise, leads vsus to much and rich treasure, if the promises belonging to each duty were annexed thereunto: and therefore no Christian that loues his owne soule, should thinke much of the paines of learning, or practising these Rules.
I shall not need to exhort your Ladiship to the hearty care of those things you hauehave beene taught of God (long since) to profit, and hauehave learned Iesus Christ as the truth is in him: your sincere profession and practice hath many Witnesses: and since you beleeued the Gospell of saluation, and were sealed by the Spirit of promise, you hauehave a Witnesse within your selfe, which will not faile in life or death to pleade your aboundant consolation. When I entreat of piety, righteousnesse, mercy and temperance, I entreate of things you hauehave aboue many profited in.
I hauehave presumed to dedicate these Directions to your Ladiship, and not without reason: you hauehave heard the preaching of them with speciall attention, and hauehave beene a principall perswader to hauehave them published for the common good, being many wayes bound to acknowledge your Ladiship amongst my best Hearers and Friends. I cannot but beseech your Ladiship to accept of this small testimony of my vnfeigned obseruance of your many prayses in the Gospel, and as a pledge of my thankefulnesse for all your workes of louelove to me and mine. The God of glory, and Father of our Lord Iesus Christ, make you abound yet more and more, in all the riches of his grace in this life, and fill you with the comforts of the blessed hope of the appearing of Iesus Christ.
Your Ladiships in the seruice of Iesus Christ, to be euer commanded, N. BIFIELD.