A73612:248
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.
If in reading any of the signs, thou find any special doubts; at any hand suppress them not, but seek resolution from doubt to doubt, and from sign to sign. Thou mayst gain much profitable knowledge by propounding these cases of thy particular conscience.
If in reading any of the signes, thou find any speciall doubts; at any hād suppresse them not, but seeke resolution frō doubt to doubt, and frō signe to signe. Thou mayst gain much profitable knowledg by propounding these cases of thy particular cōscience.
The least gain that ⟨p. 132⟩can be imagined by this course, is, that whereas before thou hadst few evidences or none for thy estate, thou shalt now have many of all sorts: and it must needs be thy own waywardness, if assurance follow not. For these signs will ransack thee, and try thy very heart and reins, and all thy secretest desires and practises.
The least gaine that ⟨p. 132⟩can be imagined by this course, is, that whereas before thou hadst few euidēces or none for thy estate, thou shalt now haue many of all sorts: and it must needs be thy owne waiwardnes, if assurance follow not. For these signes wil ransacke thee, and try thy very heart and reines, and all thy secretest desires and practises.
Yea this benefit thou mayest reap by the signs, that they will tell thee all the days of thy life, how it is with thee, whether thou go forward or back ⟨p. 133⟩