A73612:116
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.
4. Because if the Lord quench his thirst, and satisfy his desire in spiritual things, the soul becomes as a watered garden; and then follows in him an heavenly kind of satisfaction and contentment with singular delight in the soul, and vows and wishes of infinite and eternal thankfulness, Psalm 63. 4. 5. Jere. 31. 25. 26.
4. Because if the Lord quench his thirst, and satisfie his desire in spirituall things, the soule becomes as a watered garden; and then followes in him an heauenly kind of satisfaction and contentment with singular delight in the soule, and vowes and wishes of infinite and eternall thankfulnesse, Psalme 63. 4. 5. Iere. 31. 25. 26.
And thus much of the first gift.
Secondly, the love1 to the word is another sign that he is the child of God, and a clear evidence of his salvation. Now because all sorts of wicked men may resort to the exercises of the word, and those that have but a temporary faith may show a great estimation of the word, and find joy in the hearing of it, & show much zeal in things that concern the word, and may yield some obedience to the directions of the word also: it is profitable to consider how the ⟨p. 72⟩