The Rule of Faith, Title page – To the reader
THE RVLE 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 that worthy ſeruant of Gods Church, Maſter NICHOLAS BIFIELD, late Miniſter of Gods Word at ISLEVVORTH, and by him in his life time fully perfected and tranſcribed, ſo much as is now publiſhed for the benefit of Gods Church, by his Sonne, ADONIRAM BIFIELD.
1 PET. 2. 2.
As new borne babes deſire the ſincere milke of the Word, that ye may grow thereby.
LONDON, Printed by G.M. for Philemon Stephens and Chriſtopher Meredith, and are to be ſold at their ſhop at the golden Lion in Pauls Church-yard, 1626.
TO THE RIGHT VVORSHIPFVLL AND Religious Knight, Sir THOMAS POSTHVMVS HOBY, and to the honourable and vertuous Lady, the Lady MARGARET his wife, A. B. wiſheth the increaſe of grace heere, and the fruition of glory hereafter.
RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL,
THere are many waies to attaine to ſeeming honour heere vponupon earth; there is no way to attaine to true honour, beſides this of Piety and Vertue: Godlineſſe brings the beſt gaine, the greateſt honour vntounto a Chriſtian: others may be more rich, none are more honorable then they: others may bee more eſteemed of by the men of the world, none hauehave more honour both with God and good men then they: as Salomon ſaith, The wiſe ſhall inherit glory, but fooles, diſhonor, though they Pro. 335.be exalted: this is the inheritance of the godly, who is the onelyonly Wiſe man: So that I may now ſay with our Sauiour, your Worſhips hauehave both choſen the better part, which ſhall neuer be taken from you: I hauing euer obſerued it to hauehave been your greateſt ambitions, to be true Chriſtians: which alone makes you more excellent then your neighbours: neither hauehave you made choiſe of Religion as many Hypocrites and Time-ſeruers doe, making it a ſtalking horſe, a footſtoole to the ſeat of preferment; making choice of Religion for nothing elſe but onelyonly for the aduancing of themſelues and compaſſing of their owne priuate ends: no, your end and aime hath euer beene in all your ſeruices and imployments, both to aduance the glory of God, as alſo to further the peace and welfare of this Church and Common-Wealth wherin we liue, and whereof God hath made your Worſhip a worthy member. This indouldens me humbly to preſent this enſuing Treatiſe vntounto you both: which may be called the Rule of Faith, the Symbole or Badge, whereby a true Chriſtian may be diſtinguiſhed, and knowne from all Iewes, Turkes, Atheiſts, Papiſts, Hereticks, counterfeting Temporizers, and falſe Profeſſors: the Doctrine of the Creed, containing in it the ſubſtance of Chriſtian Religion, Taught by the Apoſtles, Imbraced by the ancient Fathers, and Sealed by the bloud of the Martyrs: The expoſition of which Creed, ſo far as it was perfected by the Author, I heere preſent vntounto you both, deſiring that it may ſhelter it ſelfe vnderunder your protection; many reaſons inforcing me thereto: firſt, that honour, and Singular LoueLove, which you both hauehave ſhewed vntounto thoſe that Labour in the Word and Doctrine: as you are patternes of Piety, ſo are you Patrons of pious and godly men, and of their labours: ſecondly, that louelove and reſpect which you were pleaſed in particular to expreſſe vntounto the Author of this Treatiſe (my deare Father, now with God) which ſince his death, you hauehave been pleaſed to continue both vntounto the fruit of his Braine, as alſo to the fruit of his body, this imboldens me to commit this Poſthumus to your protection: thirdly, that good eſteeme which you hauehave euer had of this work, manifeſted, both, when you were pleaſed to bee diligent hearers of it when it was preached, ſo long as you were both reſident in thoſe parts, as alſo by your earneſt deſire of the publiſhing of it, for the benefit of Gods Church: and I doubt not but that you will now fauorably receiue that which formerly you hauehave ſo highly eſteemed, & ſo much deſired: laſtly, that ſpeciall duty which I my ſelfe owe vntounto you both for your extraordinary LoueLove, and (by me vndeſerued) fauours which you hauehave beene both pleaſed to ſhew vntounto me, ſince it pleaſed God to depriue me of the benefit of ſuch a Father; this my duty bindeth me, with all humility and thankfulneſſe to acknowledge them, therefore doe I willingly take this oportunity, humbly to preſent this enſuing Treatiſe vntounto you both, not doubting but that you will receiue it into your Patronage: ſo that whilſt you beleeue, and countenance and defend the Truth, The Truth ſhall make you free: Theſe things do, and the God of Truth and Peace ſhall be with you: now the God of all grace make you perfect, confirme, ſtrengthen, and eſtabliſh you, and bleſſe you with all ſpiritual bleſſings in heauenly things through Chriſt, with temporal bleſſings here, and with eternal bleſſings in his Kingdome, Such ſhall be the dayly Prayers of
Your Worſhips humbly deuoted, ADONIRAM BIFIELD.
To the Chriſtian Reader.
CHriſtian Reader, it was the Authors purpoſe, if God had ſpared him life ſo long, to hauehave finiſhed this Expoſition vponupon the Creed; but man purpoſeth, and God diſpoſeth. It pleaſed God to …aiſh his courſe, before he had finiſhed this work; *So much as now is publiſhed, comes vntounto thy hands, as it was left fully perfected by the Author in his life time.yet God in his diuine prouidence hath ſo diſpoſed of it, as that you may finde the ſubſtance of thoſe Articles which are not here perfected, to be handled in ſome of his other labours, vntounto which briefly I referre you: For the ninth Article, concerning the holy Catholike Church, the Communion of Saints, I referre you to his Treatiſe called The Principles, or, the patterne of wholſome words, Chap. 23. And whereas The Communion of Saints conſiſts of two parts: Firſt, The communion of the members with the head; Secondly, The communion of the members among themſelues: for the former read his Expoſition vponupon the Coloſſians, Chap. 1. verſ. 18. pag. 121, 122, 123. for the latter, reade his Expoſition vponupon the third of Peter, ver. 7. pag. 169. for this title, Saints, read his Expoſition vponupon the Coloſſians, Chap. 1. ver. 1. pag. 7, 8, 9. If you would be directed how to carry your ſelues in this communion amongſt the Saints, and towards the godly, read his little Treatiſe called The Rules of a holy life, Chap. 25. For the tenth Article, The forgiueneſſe of ſinnes, I referre you to his Booke of the Principles, Chap. 24. as alſo to his Expoſition vponupon the Coloſſians, Chap. 1. verſ. 14. pag. 108, 109. Would you know what courſe to take to bee deliuered from your ſins, then I refer you to his little Treatiſe, called The Doctrine of the beginning of Chriſt, or, The Catalogue of ſinnes, Chap. 2. pag. 14. For the eleuenth Article, The reſurrection of the body, I referre you to his Booke of the Principles, Chap. 26. For the last Article, Euerlaſting life, I referre you to his Expoſition vponupon the third Chapter of Peter, ver. 7. where this is largely handled from pag. 141. to 163. The Author hath handled moſt of theſe things in diuers parts of this Treatiſe, called the Rule of Faith, which you may eaſily finde out by the vſe of the Index: Theſe things I thought good to acquaint thee withall for thy helpe and benefit: as alſo to ſhew that by the diuine prouidence good ſupply, euen out of the Authors owne workes may be made of that defect, which by his immature death may be thought to be in this Rule of Faith. That which is required on thy part, is diligence and care to treaſure vp in thy heart theſe wholſome and ſound words contained in this Treatiſe, that ſo thou maiſt walke according to this Rule, knowing that as many of you as walke according to this Rule, peace ſhall be vponupon them and vponupon the Iſrael of God.
Thine in the Lord, ADONIRAM BIFIELD.