A73612:29
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.
CHAP. II.
Showing the general division of the Signs, and the ways how the signs were found out.
Shewing the generall diuision of the Signes, and the ways how the signes were found out.
Thus of the shorter Catalogue of signs: Now it follows, that I proceed to those infallible marks of Election, and salvation. And whereas I have divers years since published a Treatise which I called Essays, or signs of God love, and mans salvation: Having observed1 that divers have accounted the manner ⟨p. 9⟩of setting the signs down somewhat obscure in divers parts of the book, I will now by Gods assistance, for the helping of the weakest Christians in this Treatise, endeavour to express my self in this doctrine of the trial of a true Christians estate in a more plain and easy course of examination; and leave both the former treatise, and his new Catalogue unto the blessing of God, and the free choice of the godly reader of use, which he findeth most agreeable ⟨p. 10⟩to his own taste, being both such as are warranted & founded upon the infallible evidence of Gods unchangeable truth.
THus of the shorter Catalogue of signes: Now it followes, that I proceed to those infallible marks of Election, and saluation. And whereas I haue diuers yeares since published a Treatise which I called Essayes, or signes of God loue, and mans saluation: Hauing obserued1