A73612:117
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.
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⟩true Christian may prove that his affection to the word is more sincere then that affection which any wicked man can bring to the word. And thus he may find that his heart is sound in his love to the word, by these marks.
Secondly, the loue1 to the word is another signe that he is the child of God, and a cleare euidence of his saluation. Now because all sorts of wicked men may resort to the exercises of the word, and those that haue but a temporarie faith may shew a great estimation of the word, and find ioy in the hearing of it, & shew much zeale in things that concerne the word, and may yeeld some obedience to the directions of the word also: it is profitable to consider how the ⟨p. 72⟩true Christian may proue that his affection to the word is more sincere then that affection which any wicked man can bring to the word. And thus he may find that his heart is sound in his loue to the word, by these marks.
- 1His trial by his love to the word.His triall by his loue to the word.