A17416:98
The signs or An essay concerning the assurance of Gods love, and mans salvation…The signes or An essay concerning the assurance of Gods loue, and mans saluation…
The signs or An essay concerning the assurance of Gods love, and mans salvation gathered out of the holy Scriptures. By Nicholas Byfield, one of the preachers for the city of Chester.The signes or An essay concerning the assurance of Gods loue, and mans saluation gathered out of the holy Scriptures. By Nicholas Byfield, one of the preachers for the citty of Chester.
London: printed by John Beale for Jonah Man, 1614London: printed by Iohn Beale for Ionas Man, 1614
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.
Secondly, he that truly loves the brethren, loves all the brethren;1 he that loves not all the Saints,2 loves no Saint aright:3 a true ⟨p. 49⟩Christian hath not the glorious faith of Christ in respect of persons, he loves the poorest, if he have true grace, aswell as the richest,4 yea he loves the absent aswell as the present, yea he loves for the truths sake those he never saw yet this hinders not the difference of degrees of love, so as some may be more beloved then others, and that by reason of the greater measure of Gods gifts and graces, or else, by the special providence of God when ⟨p. 50⟩the Lord linketh the affection of some Christians in some special eminency of respects; and so it is not alway needful, that the persons most loved, be most gracious; it doth not of necessity follow that John was the most gracious of all the Apostles, though he were most beloved.
Secondlie, hee that truely loues the brethren, loues all the brethren;1 hee that loues not all the Saints,2 loues no Saint aright:3 a true ⟨p. 49⟩Christian hath not the glorious faith of Christ in respect of persons, he loues the poorest, if he haue true grace, aswell as the richest,4 yea he loues the absent aswell as the present, yea he loues for the truths sake those he neuer saw yet this hinders not the difference of degrees of loue, so as some may be more beloued then others, and that by reason of the greater measure of Gods gifts and graces, or els, by the speciall prouidence of God when