The Light of Faith, Title page – Preface
THE LIGHT OF FAITH: AND, WAY OF HOLINESSE.
Shewing What to belieue, and for what to ſtriue together, earneſtly contend, and ſuffer for in this contending age.
And how to liue in all eſtates, conditions, and degrees of relation, according to this faith.
In both, deliuering (as neere as might be, in the life of Scripture phraſe:) only things neceſſary, as we meane to be ſaued, and auoiding vtterly things arbitrary, that diſtract, rather then direct a Chriſtian.
Collected out of holy Scripture by an vnworthy labourer i… Gods vineyard, RICHARD BIFIELD Paſtor in Long-Di…ton, in Surrey.
Eſa. 35. 8.
And an high way ſhall be there, and a way, and it ſhall be called the way of Holineſſe: the vncleane ſhall not paſſe ouer it, but it ſh…ll be for thoſe: the way fa…ng men, though ſo…les, ſhall n… … therein.
London, Printed by T. H. for Ph. Stephens, and Ch. Meredith, 1630.
TO THE RIGHT Worſhipfull and religious Knight, my moſt bountifull Patrone, St. Thomas Euelin, and to the vertuous Lady, the Lady Anne, his Wife: R. B. wiſheth Grace here, and Glory hereafter.
Right Worſhipfull:
AFter prayer to GOD, that theſe firſt fruits of my labours in this kinde offered to the glory of his Name, for the good of his Church, may be acceptable to him, being ſanctified by the Holy Ghoſt: I preſent this enſuing Treatiſe to your worthy ſelues, as to a moſt excellent Theophilus, and an elect Lady. It had indeed its birth in another place, but its poliſhing, (if yet it may bee tearmed poliſhed) vnderunder your ſupportation. I would therefore it ſhould in the entrance, acknowledge for it ſelfe, and for mee thoſe large fauours both I and it doe enioy. But while it ſpeakes, let none impute the folly of flattery or acceptation of mans perſon: for ſhould I ſo doe, my Maker would ſoone take me away.
Three things ſhall make your name, your memory, ſweet and ſauory in the Church of Chriſt, and among the Saints.
Firſt, your free beſtowing of that eccleſiaſticall preſerment the Lord intruſted you with, without ſo much as ſuite or ſeeking on my part, or any on my behalfe; who yet was a ſtranger to your Noble ſelfe, family and kindred: reſpecting nothing but the diſcharge of your conſcience, the good of the people, and the glory of the Lord Chriſt: which was abundantly ſhewed when your Worſhip was pleaſed to require at my hands theſe three things alone: reſidence, like paines as I had beſtowed, where bands of duty were leſſe, and plaine teaching, with the preſſing of the law throughly, to prepare for the Cordials of ſurpaſſing grace diſcouered in the Goſpell: What Chriſtian that knoweth this, will not ſay, Remember him O my God, for good, concerning this, and wipe not out this good deed which he hath done for the houſe of his God
Secondly your vnwearied attendance on the ordinances of Chriſt with reuerence, on the Lords day, and on the weeke dayes: entring the aſſemblies with the firſt, abiding there with the laſt; ſo that your deeds ſpeake effectually in Iacobs phraſe: ſurely Gen. 28. 16. 17.the Lord is in this place. How dreadful is this place? This is none other but the houſe of God, and this is the gate of heauen. The Lord, the God of Iacob, the Father of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt, ſhew you in that place for euer, Iacobs Ladder; and the Angels of God aſcending and deſcending on it, and himſelfe ſtanding aboue it, and giuing Oracles from the top of it.
Thirdly, your life led, in this wanton proud age, in ſuch a way, as is free from all the vices of our times. Others of our Gentry ſpend their dayes in Hawking, Hunting, Bowling; in Carding, Dicing, Bowzing, while you ſeeme alone among many, to hauehave learnt that which God hath made, the calling of a Gentleman.
Goe on ſtill, Noble Sir, to make a further eſcape from the corruptions that are in the world through luſts: it ſhall be your immortall praiſe, to diſtinguiſh in deedes betweene Gentility and effeminateneſſe, Generoſity and prophaneneſſe, frugality and couetouſneſſe, l…berality and prodigality, grauity and van…ty, power and ſhew of godl…neſſe.
Speake I this to exalt you in your thoughts aboue meaſure, or ſpeake I it not to mooue the hearts of our Gentry to conſider it? In as much as God hath ſet me thus in my place, I magnifie my calling, if by any meanes I might prouoke all Patrones to emulation: and might ſaue them from their iniurious practiſes, and ill offices done thereby, to the houſe of God. By whoſe Gehizing hands, Symonizing Wolues prey vponupon themſelues, and make a prey for Sathan, thouſands of ſoules.
But what ſeeke I herein to my ſelfe? ſurely this, that as oft as I looke on theſe lines, I might fetch a renewed ſtrength for the improuement of my Talent to the good of your godly family, of this people, ouer which the Lord hath placed me (though vnworthy) an ouerſeer, and of the whole Church, according to my line and meaſure. And that if I ſhould bee negligent, I might hauehave many ſay to mee, that which Paul charged the Church of Coloſſe Col. 4. 17to ſay to Archippus: Take heede to the Miniſtery, which thou haſt receiued in the Lord, that thou fulfill it.
For the Treatiſe it ſelfe: you ſhall hauehave matter, but words are not to bee expected from him who profeſſeth not himſelfe a maſter of ſpeech. The matter is intended for the through furniſhing of a Chriſtian in onelyonly neceſſary things, to all turnes, at all times: large I confeſſe is the promiſe, what is performed, reade and ſee. I ſhall the meane while pray for both your Worſhips increaſe in grace and all gifts of the ſpirit, with length of dayes, to ſee your ſweet Children, (the Lords reward, your chiefe riches) flouriſhing and ſpreading into families, with grace and fauour from GOD and man: that the few dayes of my pilgrimage, ma▪ alſo bee made thereby the more comfortable and happy, who am
Your Worſhips in the ſeruice of your faith humbly deuoted, Richard By field.
The Contents of this Treatiſe in an Analiticall Table.
The Preface to the whole,
The Parts: which are three.
THE DOCTRINE OF FAITH, Or what it is, in the profeſsion whereof we are to liue and die, this reſpects,
The Articles of Gods Couenant conteining the ſubſtance of Chriſtian truth, which concernes
The Scripture. § 1.
God the Father. § 2.
God the Sonne. § 3.
God the Holy Ghoſt. § 4.
The Church. § 5.
The ſeales of the Couenant Baptiſme and the Lords Supper. §. 6.
The anſwere of a good Conſcience. §. 7.
THE PATHES OF HOLY LIFE THAT GVIDE MEN AS THEY ARE CHRISTIANS.
The order. §. 1.
The Precepts which are Precepts which lie in common for all times:
Precepts for the paſsing of eueryevery day,
The Precepts which ly in common for all times are,
Generall and concerne
The qualifying of the perſon that would lead a Godly life. § 2.
The Gates of righteouſneſſe that open vponupon theſe pathes. §. 3.
The enliuing qualities of all holy duties. § 4.
Perticuler: and they order vsus.
To God, and ſo
To know him. §. 5.
To worſhip him. §. 6.
To ſerue him.
With our perſons where
Generall Rules of preparation and execution of all outward worſhip § 7.
The perticuler precepts that guide in the vſe of ſeuerall ordinances.
Of hearing the word read and preach. §. 8.
Of receiuing of the Sacrament of Chriſts body and blood. §. 9.
Of Baptiſme. §. 10.
Of Prayer. §. 11
Of Feaſting and ſolemne thankeſgiuing. §. 12.
Of Faſting. § 13.
Of Singing of Pſalmes. §. 14.
Of Reading or meditation. §. 15.
Of Vowes and ſwearing. §. 16.
Of Seruing God with our good. §. 17.
Of Keeping the Lords day where are diſcuſſed
The authority and
The duties of the day. §. 18.
To men and theſe looke
To all men for iuſtice and mercy:
For iuſtice in
The right diſpoſition of the heart towards them. §. 19.
The frame of the Conuerſation. §. 20.
The gouernment of the tongue more ſpecially. §. 21.
The innocency of the hand. §. 22:
For mercy. § 23.
To ſome men as the godly and the wicked, where
The louelove of the godly. §. 24.
Our Carriage to the godly in particuler caſes. §. 25.
The wiſedome of our behauiour towards the wicked. §. 26.
To our ſelues, teaching how to abide with God
In our callings §. 27.
In our Chriſtian profeſsion. §. 28.
In the changes of life, as
In our wealth
In afflictions generally conſidered
In pouerty.
In ſickneſſe.
In perſecutions. §. 29
In our death, teaching.
The cure of diſeaſes
The care of neceſsary duties. §. 30.
Thus of the precepts which ly in common for all times
The precepts for the paſſing of eueryevery day. §. 31.
THE PATHES OF HOLY LIFE THAT GVIDE CHRISTIANS IN SVCH A CONDITION:
Where
The order and vſe hereof. §. 1.
The ſpeciall rules which concerne
The more eminent relations
Of Magiſtrate and Subiect
The Magiſtrate both
The ſupreme and gouernors ſent of him.
The ſubiect in generall,
The Courtyer
The Ambaſsador
The Counſellor of ſtate. §. 2.
Of the Husband and wife. §. 3.
Of Parents and chiidren. §. 4.
Of Maſters and Seruant. § 5.
Of Paſtor and flocke §. 6.
Rules for the more priuate eſtate as.
Of Neighborhood. §. 7.
Of Friendſhip. §. 8.
Of Enmity. §. 9.
Rules for thoſe of meere priuacy: as
Of the aged §. 10.
Of the youth. §. 11.
Of the Virgin and widdow. §: 12.
THE PREFACE ſhewing the occaſion, order, and vſe of this Treatiſe.
CAſting in myThe Holy dayes in the yeeres 1625. and 1626. thoghts which way I might moſt profitably ſpend this time of Aſsembling our ſelues together on thoſe dayes ſet apart by our Church, both for the diſcharge of my duty, and for your edification, it came into my minde to vndertake the expoſition of the Scriptures: but then the Lord directed my heart to reſolue, firſt to propoſe briefly the ſum of fayth and holy life, which might be both as a key to open the doore of true expoſition, (for propheſie ought to be according to the Analogie of fayth, and alſo a rule which you might hauehave alway by you, nay, with you; according to which you might walke, that peace might bee vponupon you, and mercy, though I ſhould no… accompliſh among you my former intended taske.
We will then, the good hand of our God being vponupon vsus, proceed in this order; viz. GiueGive
1. The ſumm… of fayth
2. The pathes of holy life, that guide men
As they are Chriſtians which pathes
as they are Chriſtians in ſuch a condition
lie in common for all times.
are applied in peculiar for the paſſing of eueryevery day.
of relation to other, as
Magiſtrate.
Subiect▪
Paſtor.
Flocke.
Husbnad and wife.
Parent and child….
Maſter and ſeruant.
Of priuate ſtate, as
Neighbour, friend, fo…, the aged, the youth, the ſingle perſon both maid and widow.
Out of theſe eueryevery one may and muſt take to ſo many as may ſerue his owne condition, and ſo hauehave before him Gods will concerning him, which will we are all bound to know; Epheſ. 4. 16. And without which we can neuer order our conuerſation aright, and therfore hauehave not the promiſe to ſee the ſaluation of God, Pſal. 50. 23. This ſetting an order in fayth and life, is the onelyonly way to walke as wiſe and vnderſtanding Chriſtians, to walke vprightly, and ſo ſurely, to walke worthy the Lord in all pleaſing: to liue profitably, and ſo comfortably. Which while people are called vponupon to doe by the Miniſters yet it is left vndone by the hearers, or ſet vponupon with little heart, and oft times with leſse profit, euen for want of direction. You, Beloued, (God aſsiſting) ſhall hauehave it drawen out to your hands, that you may eueryevery one come to this garden, and gather ſo many flowers, as may make vp your poſie ſuteable to your ſeuerall ſmells; yea, plant your heades and heartes with them, and thereby refresh your ſpirits, and keepe in you the good ſau…ur and ſweet ſent of a well-watered Garden, where your beloued may take his pleaſure.