Selected quad for the lemma: duty_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
duty_n	affection_n	heart_n	soul_n	1,196	5	4.7627	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A73612	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.	Byfield, Nicholas, 1579-1622.	1619 (1619)	STC 4236.8; ESTC S124755	25,453	144

Pet. 4. 8. 1. Cor. 13. 4. 5. 6. but rather makes Apologie for them 7. He easily praiseth them in all places for their grace or obedience Rom. 16. 19. 3. Ioh. 6. Psal 15. 5. 1. Thess 1. 8. 8. His wel-doing extends it selfe to them to his power he is bountifull pitifull and tender he hath bowels of mercie according to the occasion of mercy either corporall or spirituall He gladly receiueth them and with a ready mind communicates to their necessities Philemon 7. 1. Pet. 3. 8. 4. 8. 1. Iohn 3. 17. 3. Ioh. 5. 9. He loues all the brethren He hath not the glorious faith of Christ in respect of persons Iam. 2. 1. 2. Eph. 1. 5. Col. 1. 4. He can make himselfe equal to them of the lower sort Rom. 12. 16. 10. Lastly he loues them at all times euen when they are in aduersitie disgrace sicknesse or any other misery Hitherto of the godly mans triall by his gifts CHAP. VII The trial of the godly man by his works of obedience THe fourth way to His works tried by 7. signes try him is by his workes or by his obedience in his life and conuersation and so his works excel all the workes of vnregenerate men many wayes as 1. Because what he doth ariseth out of the loue he heares to God and goodnesse and therefore he doth good heartily and not by constraint or with repining or delay yea he is so stirred vp with the sence of Gods goodnesse to him that he is much hūbled when he hath done his best that hee cannot bring more glorie to God Deut. 30. 20. Iosh 22. 5. Mat. 4. 19. Rom. 6. 27. 2. In doing good he hath respect vnto all Gods commandements there is no part of an holy life but he desires to practise it and therefore he will obey Gods will in some cases when it is against his profit credit ease or the liking of carnall friends preferring Gods cōmandements aboue all things yea life it self Ier. 35. Heb. 11. 8. Gen. 22. 12. Prou. 7. 2. Act. 5. 29. Mat. 16. 25. Exod. 15. 26. 1. Kin. 9. 4. Ier. 11. 4. Iohn 15. 14. 3. He will do good at all times and not for a fit making conscience of his wayes in all companies as well as any absent as wel as present before meane Christians as wel as before the best at home as well as abroad Phil. 2. 12. Gal. 5. 7. 2. Kin. 18. 6. Psal 106. 2. 4. He makes cōscience of the least cōmandement as well as of the greatest Mat. 5. 19. Gal. 3. 7. 5. He comes to the light that his deeds might be manifest that they are wrought in God Ioh. 3. 21. He is desirous in all things to be guided by the warrant of the word of God 6. He exerciseth his faith in the very discharge of the duties of his outward conuersation He liues by the faith of the Sonne of God and commits his way to God and trusteth vpon the name of the Lord Gal. 2. 20. 7. He knoweth that his obedience is right because God heareth his prayers and entertaines him graciously when he calls vpon him in secret whereas God heareth not sinners and if wickednesse were in his heart God would not regard his prayers Ioh. 9. 31. Psal 66. 18. And thus of his works CHAP. VIII His triall by the entertainment he hath from God THe fifth way by which he may be tried is by the entertainment that God vouchsafeth him in this life which he neuer vouchsafeth to wicked men There are diuers Sixe fauors God bestowes vppon him which the wicked neuer feele 1. Election in time specialities of fauour which God sheweth to him and not to any vnregenerate man As 1. His election in time is a manifest token of Gods election of him before time the Lord shews that he hath chosen him frō euerlasting when by the power of the Gospell he seizeth vpon him particularly effectually perswades him to leaue the world and the sinfull societie he liued in and to deuote himselfe as a liuing sacrifice vnto God 2. He is baptized with 2. The baptisme by fire the holy Ghost and fire the baptisme by fire is onely proper to Gods Elect the holy Ghost at some times falls vpon him sets him all on a fire on a fire I say both of suddaine and violent indignation at sinne as it is sinne as also the fire of holy affections with which from God he frequently and on a sudden is inflamed while he stands before the Lord. For besides the affectiō which a godly man bringeth with him to Gods worship he doth feele his heart oftentimes on a sudden surprised with strange impressions sometimes of sorrow sometimes of feare and awful dread of God sometimes of feruent desires after God sometimes of strong resolutions of holy duties to be done by him and the like Math. 3. 11. 3. He feeles at sometimes 3. Much assurance in the vse of Gods ordinances a maruellous worke of the holy Ghost in respect of much assurance strange establishment of his heart both in the certaine perswasiō of Gods loue and the infallible beleefe of the truth so as at that time no danger or death could amaze him but he could willingly witnesse his confidence by vndergoing any thing could befall him 1. Thess 1. 5. 4. He feeles at sometimes 4. Ioy vnspeakable the vnspeakable glorious ioyes of the holy Ghost which are differing from the carnal ioyes or illusions may be found in wicked men because they are such ioyes as he feeles onely in the vse of some ordinances of God and such as by effect make him more humble and vile in his owne eyes and do enflame him to an high degree of the loue of God and goodnesse which illusions can neuer do 5. The sanctification of 5. The sanctification of his afflictions his afflictions is another infallible signe of Gods loue to him For God makes his crosses to become blessings vnto him worke his good so as he may plainly see that it was good for him to be afflicted besides God giues him many times the experience of his goodnesse both by vnexpected consolation in his distresses gracious deliuerance out of them Rom. 8. 28. Ps 119. 6. Lastly to this place 6. The answer of his prayers I may referre Gods hearing answering of his prayers whereas God doth not heare sinners as was shewed in the end of the former Chapter CHAP. IX His triall by the Sacraments THe sixt last way Sixe rules of his triall about the sacrament of triall of the estate of a Christian is by the Sacraments and in particular by the Sacrament of the Lords supper For God hath appointed the two Sacraments to be his broad seales to assure his fauor vnto his people and because none but worthy receiuers cā be partakers of so great a priuiledge as the couenāt of Gods grace and the Gospel of Iesus Christ therefore hereby doth

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 Isleworth in Middlesex 2. COR. 13. 5. Examine your selues whether ye be in the faith proue your owne selues Know ye not your owne selues how that Iesus Christ is in you except ye be reprobates LONDON Printed by R. FIELD for IONAS MAN 1619. TO THE MVCH HONOred Ladie the Ladie RVTH SCYDAMORE increase of peace and ioy in beleeuing HOw great the benefite of assurance of Gods fauour and of our owne saluation is those onely know that are either scourged with the conflicts and terrors of their own doubtings or that are solaced and established with the sweet dewes of refreshing that arise from a rooted and well grounded faith If men studie assurances so much for their outward possessions in this world how much more earnest and diligent should men be to assure Gods loue and the inheritance of the glorie to come There is not a clearer signe of a profane heart then to account these cares needlesse nor do I know a iuster exception against any religion then that it should teach that when a man hath done what he can to obserue the directions of that religion yet he cannot be sure he shall go to heauen But since I know that all that are possessed of the grace of Iesus Christ do account assurance great riches I therefore conceiue hope that my paines about this subiect will not be altogether vnacceptable and the rather because in this present treatise I haue endeuoured to expresse the signes of trial in a much more easie way then before and besides haue added directions that shew how a weake Christian may establish himselfe in his assurance I make bold to dedicate my new Essay herein vnto your Ladiship You haue heard the substance hereof preached and receiued it with much gladnesse and in the priuate vse of these signes you haue bene pleased to professe to the glorie of God that you haue found much contentment and establishment of your owne assurance Your eminencie in the sincere profession and practise of true religion and the shining of the graces here intreated of long acknowledged by many witnesses haue made you worthy to be publikly obserued and praised in the Churches of Christ and your great respect and fauour shewed to me hath made this way of testifying my thankfulnesse but as a small pledge and assurance of my desire to do your Ladiship any seruice in the things of Iesus Christ Thus beseeching God to enlarge the comforts of his Spirit in your heart and to prosper you in all things that concerne the blessed hope of the appearing of Iesus Christ our mightie God and Sauiour I end and rest Your Ladiships to be commanded N. Bifield CHAP. I. Describing the godly man by such signes as discouer him to the obseruation of other men THe signes of the tru Christian that hath true grace in this world and shall be saued in heauen whē he dies may be cast into two Catalogues The Two Catalogues of signes one more briefe the other more large The one Catalogue of signes describe him by such markes as for the most part do outwardly distinguish him amongst men The large Catalogue I intend especially as a more infallible and effectuall way of triall as cōtaining such signes as for the most part are not obserued by other men or not fully but are knowne to himselfe and can be found in no reprobate For the first Catalogue The shorter Catalogue handled in this Chapter The true Christian vsually discouers himselfe by these marks First he will not haue 1. He auoids the companie of the wicked fellowship with the vnfruitful works of darknes he will not walke in the counsell of the wicked nor stand in the way of sinners He will not sort himselfe with workers of iniquitie Psal 1. 1. 26. 2. Cor. 6. Secondly he will afflict 2. He is sorrowfull for his sinne humble his soule for his sinnes mourning and weeping for them till the Lord be pleased to shew mercie and forgiue him He doth account his sinnes to be his greatest burthen He cannot make a mocke of sinne c. Thirdly he labours 3. He is throughly reformed in conuersation to be holy in all parts of his conuersation watching ouer his owne waies at all times and in all companies Psal 50. 23. Esa 56. 8. 2. Pet. 3. Fourthly he makes 4. He maketh conscience of lesser sins as well as greater conscience of the least commandements as wel as the greatest auoiding filthy speaking and vain iesting and lasciuiousnesse as well as whoredome lesser oathes as well as the greater reprochful speeches as wel as violent actions c. Fiftly he loues and 5. He loues preaching esteemes and labours for the powerfull preaching of the word aboue all earthly treasures Sixtly he honours 6. He esteems the godly aboue all men and highly accounts of the godly and delights in the companie of such as truly feare God aboue all others Psal 15. Seuenthly he is carefull 7. He is carefull of the sanctification of the Sabbath of the sanctification of the Sabbath neither daring to violate that holy rest by labour nor to neglect the holy duties belonging to Gods seruice publicke or priuate Esa 56. and 58. Eightly he loues not 8. He is not in loue with the world the world neither the things thereof but is more heartily affected in things that concerne a better life and so doth in some degree loue the appearing of Christ Ninthly He is easie 9. He loues his enemies to be intreated he can forgiue his enemies desires peace and will do good euen to them that persecute him if it lye in his power Math. 5. Tenthly he goeth 10. He is constant in good courses though opposed on in the profession of the sincerity of the Gospell and doth such duties as he knoweth God requires of him in businesses of his soule notwithstanding the oppositions of prophane persons or the dislike of carnall friends c. Eleuenthly he setteth 11. He serues God in his family vp a daily course of seruing of God and that with his family too if he haue any and exerciseth himselfe in the word of God as the chiefe ioy of his heart and the daily refuge of his life calling vpon God continually c. CHAP. II. Shewing the generall diuision of the Signes and the ways how the signes were found out 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 obserued The occasion of this Treatise