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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	body_n	disease_n	humour_n	3,248	5	8.1860	4	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
B11881	The signes of the wicked man Together with directions that shew how the seuerall gifts and graces of Gods spirit may be attained. Needfull for such as want those graces, and for such as desire to increase in them. By N. Bifield, preacher of Gods Word at Isleworth in Middlesex.	Byfield, Nicholas, 1579-1622.	1619 (1619)	STC 4235.5; ESTC S120630	24,700	134

put out of doubt and made to know that they haue yet no right to the kingdome of heauen neuer considering that the knowledge of our misery may be one degree to get out of it 2. In such as see all is 2. They are slothfull not well with them the cause is slothfulnesse mingled with horrible presumption they had rather weare out their daies in danger then bee at the paines to vse the meanes for their owne repentance and reformation They will wretchlesly put it to the venture 3. Others will aduenture 3. They rest vpon the common hope vpon their common hope of mercy They haue certaine generall confused apprehensions of mercy in God vpon which they wilfully engage their hopes without care of reformation or the particular warrant of their hopes from the Word of God and so miserably perish their hopes prouing but as the house of the spider and the imaginarie mercy failing them they die either as stockes without sence or as Iudas in horrible despaire 4. Others rest themselues Or 4. vpon their outward profession of Religion vpon their outward profession of Religion and some generall things wrought in them and the good opinion others haue of them and so being somewhat neere the kingdome of God they are content to rest there as the Israelits did neere Canaan though they neuer possessed it Wee see many thinke there needs no more to be sure they are in a good condition then to heare Sermons and abstaine from grosse outward prophanenesse and to bee well reputed of among the godly c. pleasing themselues with the shew of godlinesse though as yet they deny the power of it as hauing attained no other righteousnesse then the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharises 5. In multitudes of Or 5. they haue euill opinions about Assurance men there are seated euill opinions about assurance They thinke either it is impossible to be had or it is needlesse or it is presumption to seeke it 6. All wicked men are hindred by their beloued 6. They are letted by their beloued sinnes sinnes which they are not willing to part with but of purpose forbeare the care of heauen that they may the more securely liue in sinne Thus of wicked men It is true also that many godly Christians haue beene and are extremely Why some that are godly neglect the triall of their estates faulty in neglecting the triall of their estates and their Assurance and the causes of this negligence in them are diuers As 1. Some are so much 1. Euill opinions mis-led by the surmises of their owne hearts that they thinke that Assurance would breed security and that it is a better way to keepe their owne hearts humble to be somewhat doubtfull not knowing that vnbeleefe is the chiefe cause of slothfulnesse and security and that the assurance of faith is the chiefe meanes to purge the heart and quiet the soule and workes effectually in all the duties of loue 2. In the most Ignorance 2. Ignorance of their owne gifts and Gods promises is the cause for if Christians did see distinctly how far the Lord had brought them by his grace and withall did behold the euidences of their faith and hope in Gods promises they could not faile of comfort establishment of heart 3. Smothering of doubts 3. Smothering of doubts and temptations and temptations is a great let in many Diuers Christians are secretly and daily assaulted with certaine strange doubts which if they did propound and get sound answer vnto their hearts would heale within them and the work of faith prosper 4. Some Christians are They are wicked ouermuch kept without Assurance through the ouermuch viewing of their owne daily infirmities in all parts of Gods seruice They are wicked ouermuch whereas if they would study those Scriptures that shew how graciously the Lord stands inclined toward his people notwithstanding their daily wants their hearts would bee much eased and their minds cleerly resolued to trust vpon the euerlasting mercies of their God 5. In some the cause is 5. Melancholy found in the disease of their bodies Melancholy when it is growne to a disease is a most stiffe and pertinacious aduersarie to Comfort and Assurance It doth fill the heart with so many sad conceits and fancies and is a humor so vnteachable that comfort for the most part is as water spilt vpon the ground And the more difficult it is to remoue this let because vsually the parties possest by this humour are so far from seeking helpe that they will not bee perswaded that they are troubled with any such disease 6. Some Christians are 6. Passions hindred by their owne Passions they are so froward and vnquiet in their dispositions that their hearts are daily lifted off from the benefit of settled Assurance by their owne habituall discontents Frowardnesse is a mischieuous distemper that weakens both body and minde and assurance and strength of faith seldome dwels in an vnquiet minde 7. Others want assurance 7 Neglect of the meanes because they neglect the meanes of Assurance they do not try all things and keep that which is good or they call not vpon God daily feruently and constantly to giue them the spirit of reuelation to shew them the hope of their Calling and their glorious Inheritance Ephe. 1. 18 19. 8. A barren life is an 8. A barren life vncomfortable life and contrarywise to abound in 1 Cor. 15. 58. good workes hath stedfastnesse and a secret rest of heart as an vnseparable companion of it 9. The loue of earthly 9. Too much loue of earthly things things is another great impediment many Professors haue their thoughts and cares so eaten vp with worldlinesse that they cannot seriously seek Gods Kingdome nor constantly hold out in any course for the attainement of Assurance This degree of faith requires some degree of the contempt of the world 10. In some there lodgeth 10. Secret sinne some secret sinne which they know and do not iudge themselues for and doth daily preuaile in them and this either keeps out faith or keepes it downe in the cradle that it can get no strength When I say secret sinnes I mean secret from others not from themselues For sinnes of meere ignorance God doth not scourge in his seruants so as to withhold his graces from them CHAP. I. Containing the signes of open wicked men THE tryall of the estates of all sorts of Christians may bee performed by examining themselues by two sorts of signes some are such as describe the wicked man and some such as describe the godly man and of the tryall of the godly man I haue intreated before Wicked men in the Church are not all of a sort for some are manifestly prophane and carelesse of the Kingdome of God and some are in outward shew such as professe the seeking of Gods Kingdome but yet in deed and in heart are without God

THE SIGNES OF THE WICKED MAN Together with Directions that shew how the seuerall Gifts and Graces of Gods Spirit may be attained NEEDFVLL For such as want those Graces and for such as desire to increase in them By N. BIFIELD Preacher of Gods Word at Isleworth in Middlesex LONDON Printed by GEORGE PVRSLOVV for RALPH ROVNTHVVAITE and are to be sold at his Shop at the Flower de-luce and Crowne in Pauls Church-yard 1619. TO THE MVCH Honoured Lady the Lady BRIDGET TRACY NICHOLAS BIFIELD wisheth all prosperity in the things of the Kingdome of CHRIST MADAM BEING destitute of a better gift to bestow vpon your Ladiship to testifie my thankefulnesse or obseruance I present this little Treatise vnto you It may haue more vse then it shewes for for if things shine more cleerely when their contraries are set by them then may this description of the estate of a wicked man by Signes serue much to establish the godly in the point of Assurance when hee seeth himselfe freed from those fearefull forlorne marks And if men vse to make much of all those directions by which any gaine or treasure may be certainely compassed then ought the Directions not to bee despised that shew how the Spirit of God and the graces thereof may bee attained For by these directions both those that want the true graces of Christ may here learne how to get them and such as haue them but in weake measure may by the same Rules learne how to increase them I haue been induced to thinke of your Ladiship in this Dedication partly in acknowledgement of the great respect due to the Family out of which you came as it hath beene a principall meanes of causing the light of the Gospell for many yeares to shine in those places where the people had sitten in darkenesse and in the shadow of death And partly drawne by the many prayses I haue obserued in your Ladiship since the time of your soiourning in the noble Family you now liue in Your great respect of my Ministery and your constant paines to employ your selfe about Religious duties deserue from mee more acknowledgement then so meane a gift as this can discharge Madam you are happy aboue many that GOD hath inclined your heart to beare the yoke of Christ in your youth and discerne the glory of the spirituall Kingdome of Iesus Christ Your meekenesse assures me liberty to beseech you to goe on in the good way of God and to cleaue fast with all hearty affection vnto the Truth as you haue learned Iesus Christ It shall be a great increase of your glory to increase in the knowledge and grace of Christ and in sound denyall of your selfe and contempt of the world to fashion your selfe to all the courses by which you may be pleasing in the eyes of God whiles multitudes in the Gentry of the Land of both Sexes by following foolish vanities forsake their owne mercy Now the God of peace sanctifie you throughout and so prosper his owne worke in you that your whole spirit and soule and body may bee preserued blamelesse vnto the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ March 9. 1618. Your Ladiships to bee commanded in Christ Iesus N. BIFIELD The Contents THE Preface shewing the necessity of the tryall of mans estate and the causes why wicked men will not try themselues and also why diuers godly persons are negligent herein page 1. to 18. CHAP. I. THirty signes of an open wicked man p. 18. to 33 CHAP. II. THirteene signes of an Hypocrite p. 33. to 40 CHAP. III. SIxteene Signes of such Professors as are likely to fall away p. 40. to 47 CHAP. IIII. SEVEN Arguments of hope that shew a wicked man that hee may bee saued if he will be directed p. 47. to 52 CHAP. V. HOw hee may get faith p. 53. to 59 CHAP. VI. HOw hee may get to bee poore in spirit p. 59 to 68 How hee may attaine godly sorrow p. 68. to 77 CHAP. VII HOw the Spirit of Adoption may be had pa. 78. to 81 How hee may get a loue to the Word p. 81. to 86 How he may get the gift of prayer p. 86. to 94 How hee may attaine to the feare of God P. 94. to 95 How he may be made to loue his enemies p. 96. to 99 CHAP. VIII HOw sauing knowledge may bee gotten and increased p. 99. to 102 How the loue of God may be wrought in vs. p. 102. to 106 How the loue of the godly may bee attained and how it may bee preserued pag. 106. to 111 CHAP. IX HOw vprightnesse and sound sincerity of conuersation may bee attained p. 111. to the end The Preface to the Christian and carefull READER HOw necessary it is for al sorts of men in the visible Church to try their estates whether they bee true Christians or no may appeare by the expresse charge giuen in the Scriptures concerning it The Apostle Paul chargeth men to examine themselues whether they be in the faith and whether Christ Iesus be in them vnlesse they be reprobates 2. Cor. 13. 5. And the Apostle Peter would haue all Christians diligent to make their Calling and Election sure 2. Pet. 1. 10. And the like commandement lay vpon men in the Church of the Iewes in the old Testament as may appeare by that exhortation Lam. 3. 40. Let vs search and try our wayes and turne againe vnto the Lord and the Prophet Dauid in this case chargeth men to commune with their owne hearts Psal 4. 4. How can men draw neere vnto God in the full assurance of faith if they will not bee at the paines to examine themselues Heb. 10. 22. Or how shall wee euer know that wee are of God or attaine vnto any confidence of faith as we ought to do 1. Ioh. 5. 19. Ephes 3. 12. How fearefully this point of sound tryall is neglected and how miserably most men are deceiued for want of it may appeare by this obseruation which may vsually bee made of men in the most places viz. that many that are carnall men say they are godly and many that are godly men say they are but carnall Besides that a multitude of men both good and bad liue in security the one not caring to get out of so woefull an estate and the other not regarding the riches of Assurance The causes of this miserable security may bee obserued and noted both in wicked in godly men In wicked men these things may bee easily discerned 1. A lothnesse to examine Why wicked men neglect the triall of their estates 1. Because they are afraid all is not wel themselues and try their estates exactly for feare lest they should find that they are not in a good estate Their hearts secretly condemne them and they thinke if they should take particular notice of their owne condition it would be found that they haue indeed no true grace in them and therefore they rather choose to liue in that doubtfull estate then to bee