Selected quad for the lemma: faith_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
faith_n	church_n	true_a	visible_a	19,269	5	9.3685	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A17397	The marrovv of the oracles of God. Or, diuers treatises containing directions about sixe of the waightiest things can concerne a Christian in this life. by N. Bifield, late preacher of Gods Word at Isleworth in Middlesex.	Byfield, Nicholas, 1579-1622.; Byfield, Nicholas, 1579-1622. Beginning of the doctrine of Christ. aut; Byfield, Nicholas, 1579-1622. Spirituall touchstone. aut; Byfield, Nicholas, 1579-1622. Signes of the wicked man. aut; Byfield, Nicholas, 1579-1622. Promises. aut; Rules of a holy life. aut; Byfield, Nicholas, 1579-1622. Cure of the feare of death. aut	1630 (1630)	STC 4222; ESTC S120511	234,877	800

of thy particular conscience The least gaine that can bee imagined by this course is that whereas before thou hadst few euidences or none for thy estate thou shalt now haue many of all sorts and it must needes bee thy owne way wardnesse if assurance follow not For these signes will ransacke thee and try thy very heart and reignes and all thy secretest desire and practices Yea this benefit thou maiest reape by the signes that they wil tell thee all the dayes of thy life how it is with thee whether thou goe forward or backward For if by examination now thou gather out all thou canst finde by thy selfe these will not onely lie by thee to helpe thee against any temptation at any time but besides if thou try thy selfe againe either against the next Sacrament or the next yeere thou mayest discerne what ground thou hast gotten or lost If thou prosper thou wilt discerne it by taking in diuers things in each signe which before thou durst not acknowledge and besides it will exceedingly shew thee what thou wantest in each grace of God and so what thou shouldest set thy selfe about and get thy wants supplyed It will at all times make a true Anatomie of thy estate which to the well aduised Christian ought to bee accounted a matter of great moment The God of peace giue thee all peace and ioy in beleeuing If thou receiue any good by this Treatise praise God and pray for me FINIS THE SIGNES OF THE WICKED MAN TOGETHER WITH Directions that shew how the seuerall Gifts and Graces of Gods Spirit may be maintained NEEDFVLL FOR SVCH AS want those Graces and for such as desire to increase in them By N. BIFIELD late Preacher of Gods Word at Isleworth in MIDDLESEX LONDON Printed by Iohn Legatt and are to bee sold by P. Stephens and C. Meredith at the golden Lyon in Pauls Church-yard 1630. TO THE MVCH HONORED LADIE the Ladie Bridget Tracie 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 cleerly 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 he seeth himselfe freed from those fearefull forlorne markes 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 beene 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 Gospel for many yeeres to shine in those places where the people had sitten in darkenesse and in the shaddow of death And partly drawne by the many praises I haue obserued in your Ladiships since the time of your noble soiourning in the noble Familie 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 acknowledgment 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 meeknesse assures me libertie to beseech you to goe on in the good way of God and to cleane fast with all heartie affection vnto the Truth as you haue learned Iesus Christ. It shall bee a great increase of your glory to increase in the knowledge and grace of Christ and in sound deniall of your selfe and contempt of the world to fashion your selfe to all the courses by which you may bee pleasing in the eyes of God whiles multitudes in the Gentri●… of the land of both sexes by following foolish vanities forsake their owne mercie Now the God of peace sanctifie you throughout 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 necessitie 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 119. to 209. CHAP. I. THirtie signes of an open wicked man pag. 209. to 218. CHAP. II. THirteene signes of an hypocrite pag. 218. to 222. CHAP. III. SIxteene signes of such Professors as are likely to fall away page 222. to 226. CHAP. IV. SEuen arguments of hope that shew a wicked man that he may bee saued if hee will bee directed page 226. to 230. CHAP. V. HOw hee may get faith page 230. to 234. CHAP. VI. HOw he may get to be poore in spirit pag. 234. to 239. How hee may attaine godly sorrow page 239. to 245. CHAP. VII HOw the Spirit of Adoption may be had pag. 245. to 247. How hee may get alone to the Word pag. 247. to 250. How hee may get the gift of prayer pag. 250. to 255. How he may attaine to the feare of God pag. 255. to 256. How he may be made to loue his enemies page 256. to 258. CHAP. VIII HOw sauing knowledge may be gotten and increased pag. 238. to 260. How the loue of God may bee wrought in vs. pag. 260. to 262. How the loue of the godly may be attained and how it may bee preserued pag. 262. to 366. CHAP. IX HOw vprightnesse and sound sincerity of conuersation may be attained pag. 266. to the end THE PREFACE TO THE CHRISTIAN and carefull Reader HOw necessary it is for all sorts of men in the visible Church to trie their estates whetherthey be true Christians or no may appeare by the expresse charge giuenin 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 diligently to make their calling and election sure 2. Pet. 1. 10. And the like commandemēt lay vpon them 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