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
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

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