A73612:110
The spiritual touchstoneThe spiritval tovchstone
The spiritual touchstone: or, The signs of a godly man drawn in so plain and profitable a manner, as all sorts of Christians may try themselves thereby. Together with directions, how the weak Christian, by the use of these signs may establish his assurance. By. N. Bifield preacher of Gods word at Isteworth in Middlesex.The spiritval tovchstone: or, The signes of a godly man drawne in so plaine and profitable a maner, as all sorts of Christians may trie themselues thereby. Together with directions, how the weake Christian, by the vse of these signes may establish his assurance. By. N. Bifield preacher of Gods word at Isteworth in Middlesex.
London: printed by R. Field for Jonah Man, 1619London: printed by R. Field for Ionas Man, 1619
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.
The trial of a godly man by such heavenly gifts as serve him in his journey to heaven.
The triall of a godly man by such heauenly gifts as serue him in his iourney to heauen.
Thus of his trial in his humiliation, and in his faith. It followeth in the third place to try him by his gifts, which are the fruits of faith. The true Christian differs from the wicked man in two sorts1 of gifts: Some of them are such gifts as are bestowed upon him from above, but serve him ⟨p. 66⟩only for his spiritual use, while he is on the way in his journey to heaven, and so only in this life; such as are the sacred thirst: The love to the word, and means of his holiness: The spirit of supplication: The love of his enemies, and his desire after the appearance of Jesus Christ. Other gifts he hath, which will accompany him home into his heavenly country, and abide upon him for ever, and are not abolished by death: such as are saving knowledge, the love of God, and the love ⟨p. 67⟩of the godly. First therefore of those heavenly gifts which will pass away: and so he is qualified with five distinct holy gifts, which cannot be found in any reprobate.
THus of his triall in his humiliation, and in his faith. It followeth in the third place to trie him by his gifts, which are the fruits of faith. The true Christian differs from the wicked man in two sorts1 of gifts: Some of them are such gifts as are bestowed vpon him from aboue, but serue him ⟨p. 66⟩onely for his spirituall vse, while he is on the way in his iourney to heauen, and so onely in this life; such as are the sacred thirst: The loue to the word, and meanes of his holinesse: The spirit of supplication: The loue of his enemies, and his desire after the appearance of Iesus Christ. Other gifts he hath, which will accompanie him home into his heauenly country, and abide vpon him for euer, and are not abolished by death: such as are sauing knowledge, the loue of God, and the loue