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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	body_n	holy_a	soul_n	16,669	5	5.2335	4	true

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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 the conscience vnsatisfied in diuers scruples I would therefore in the fourth place shew how we might bee comforted against the temptations of Satan and because the trouble of conscience ariseth vsually either from the burthen of our daily infirmity or from the feare of our falling away I would in the fifth place shew how we may be comforted against our daily infirmities and then in the last place I would vnfold those promises that may assure vs of perseuerance Now suppose a Christian soule clearly informed with the knowledge of those priuiledges wherin he excels all the people of the world and withall that he knew how to comfort himselfe against any outward afflictions and had store of consolations in his heart against the temptations of Satan and did know how to support himselfe against the sense of his daily weaknesses withall were settled and out of feare for falling away Would you not thinke such a one wonderfull happy And this may bee here attained vnto if wee be not slothfull and what can in this life be grieuous vnto vs if wee be soundly fenced in those things There can bee nothing that can seeme a misery vnto vs but wee may find comforts vnder some one of these Titles CHAP. III. Shewing the priuiledges of the godly aboue all other people THe first sort of promises or comfortable places of Scripture are such as in generall shew the happinesse of the godly in all estates of life these I call Priuiledges These are such comforts as are not restrained vnto some certaine time but are such as hee is enriched withall at all times These wee ought to know as the Foundation of all the rest and wee should striue to haue them perfectly in our memories so as any time we could number them if need were Euery godly Christian hath twelue priuiledges wherein hee excels all the men of this world The first is The loue and fauour of God The especiall grace of God towards him this is the foundation of all his happinesse and if hee could order his owne heart aright hee would easily see that hee could not bee miserable so long as hee was in fauour with his God If the fauour of great persons bee so much accounted of what reckoning is to be made of Gods fauour who is Lord of Lords Yea King of all Kings And the more should a Christian fill his heart with ioying in this prerogatiue if he consider three properties in the loue of God For first It is a free loue he stands not vpon desert He is gracious looking vpon his own goodnes and not on ours Hosea 14. 4. Secondly It is an eternall loue and vnchangeable God will neuer be wearie of louing him Ier. 31. 3. His louing kindnesse is better then life for it lasts vnto all eternitie without alteration The fauour of man in this world is mutable Kings may extremely loath whom they yer-while loued with their entirest affection But in God there is no shaddow of changing he loues with an euerlasting loue Thirdly It is infinitely immense and great no affection in any or in all the creatures in this world if they could be fastened vpon one man can reach to the thousandth part of Gods loue to vs Eph. 2. 4 7. Esay 40. 15 16. This light of Gods countenance shining vpon vs makes vs at all times more rich then they that are increased most in Corne and Wine and Oyle Psal. 4. 7 8. 2. The second is The donation of Christ Christ is his God hath giuen him Christ Rom. 8. 32. so as all Christ is his portion And how is Christ his Euen in all dearenesse of relation He is his Prince his Priest and Redeemer his Father his Lord his Master his Friend his Brother c. All these titles are giuen to Christ to signifie hee is all that which those things could shadow out No Father Brother friend could so loue their Child Brother or friend as Christ loues the Christian No Lord Master Prince can so preferre prouide or care for their Seruants or Subiects as Christ cares for the Christian. Looke what the fauour or power of any of those or all those could doe Christ is and will become much more vnto the godly Christian. 3. The third Priuiledge is Deliuerance And the Christians deliue●…ance is exceeding great if hee consider seriously how hee is deliuered from the kingdome of darkenesse from this present euill world from the hand writing of ordinances that was against him from the rigour and curse of the Law and from condemnation The fourth is free pardon of all his sins past his soule being washed in the bloud of Christ from all his sinnes so as now they are as white as snow though they had beene red like scarlet 1 Iohn 1. 7. Esay 1. 18. What rest and peace would this breed in our hearts if we did daily thinke of it in our particulars that we had obtained pardon and remission of all our sinnes The fifth priuiledge is the inhabitation of the holy Ghost The soule and body of a Christian is the Temple of the holy Ghost and the Spirit of God doth verily and truly dwell within the brest of a Christian and that not in a naked presence but the holy Ghost is there to teach him to guide him into all truth to tell him when he is ready to go out of the way on the right hand or on the left and to comfort him in all distresses and to seale the promises to his heart and to anoint him with the oyle of true knowledge and grace and to be as a pledge and earnest of his inheritance looked for from h●…auen and to teach him to pray when he knowes not how to pray for himselfe and many other excellent benefits he reapeth from the Spirit of God whom the world cannot receiue He hath for this respect a very spring of knowledge and ioy and grace in his belly The sixth priuiledge is the Image of God restored in him by the mighty power of Christs voyce in his first resurrection being made now a new creature to God and so partaking of the diuine nature in respect of the qualities wherein he doth excellently resemble God The seuenth priuiledge is the freedome of Gods house and to all the feasts and diuine entertainment which God makes there Psalme 36. 9. and 65. 4. Esay 25. 6. Luke 14. 17. Reuel 2. The Word and Sacraments are his hee is Gods bidden guest hee may alwayes come and wellcome The fatnesse and pleasures of Gods house oh how sweete are they Who can tell the excellencie of the Manna that is hid The eight priuiledge is entrance and accesse and audience with God in all his suites He may aske almost what hee will of God he will not deny him any thing hee askes in the name of Christ. And sure he is worthily miserable that will not make himselfe happie when he may

sincere because it is constant hee desires the Word at all times and as his appointed foode daily as it is in the bodily appetite though after feeding the stomack may seeme to bee full and satisfied yet the hunger reuiues againe euery day so is it with the heart of a Child of God whereas wicked men regard the Word but by fits and in a passion and then at length fall cleane away from the affection to it Psal. 119. 20. Iob 23. 12. 3. By his loue to them that loue the Word 4. By his sorrow because other men keepe not the Word Psal. 119. 136. 5. By his vnfained estimation of the Word aboue all worldly things accounting it to bee an happy portion to enioy the word in the power and profit of it Psa. 119. 14 72 111. 6. By his desire and delight to exercise himself in it day and night that is constantly Psa. 1. 2. 7. By his griefe either for the want of the m●…ans by which the Word might be taught vnto him with power accounting such want of the meanes to be a sore famine or for want of successe in the vse of the meanes when he doth enioy it Psalm 42. 3. Amos 8. 12. 8. By the extent of his loue to all the Word of God euen the Law that with threatning shews him his sin and searcheth out his most secret corruptions being most affected with that ministery that doth most sharply rebuke sinne 9. By his resolution to labour as hard for the food of his soule as men doe or he would doe for the food of his body Iohn 6. 27. Amos 8. 12. 10. By the cōstant sweet taste he finds in it especially when it is powerfully preached Psal. 19. 10 2 Cor. 2. 15. 11. By the end hee propounds vnto himselfe in the vse of the word which is that hee might not sin and that his wayes might be pleasing to God hiding the word in his heart to this purpose Psal. 119. 11. 12. By his willingnesse and resolution to deny his owne reason and affections his credit his carnall friends his profites or his pleasures in anything when God should so require it of him and vpon any occasion to shew his heartie respect of the Gospell Marke 10. 29. 1 Cor. 1. 18. 13. By the effects of it as 1. When for the loue he bears to the Word hee will seperate himselfe from the wicked that might any way with-draw his heart or endanger his disobedience Ps. 119. 115. 2. When he accounts the Word to be his chiefe comfort in affliction and finds it to be the maine stay and solace of his heart Psal. 119. 23 24 50 51 54 143. 3. When it workes in him effectually the redresse of his wayes and freedome from the dominion of sinne Iohn 8. 32. Psalme 119. 45 9 59 1 Thessalonians 2. 13. 4. When it workes in him certaine and sensible assurance of heart before God This assurance is an infallible signe of the right vse of the Word 1 Thessalonians 1. 5. And thus of the second gift The third gift is the spirit of praier or supplication as the Prophet Zachary cals it Zach. 12. 10. and this gift hee hath aboue all wicked men which hee shewes many wayes as 1. Hee askes according to Gods will 1 Iohn 5. 14. 2. He prayes with perswasion that God will heare him Hee beleeueth in some measure that hee shall haue what hee prayes for Hee prayes in faith Marke 11. 24. Iames 1. 6 7. Psalme 6. 9. 1 Iohn 3. 22. 3. He prayes in the Name of Christ and is affected with the sense of his owne vilenesse and relies vpon the merits and mediation of Iesus Christ Iohn 14 13. Psa. 86. 1 2. and 143. 1 2. 4. He will pray at all times Iob 27. 9. Psal. 106. 3. 5. He is feruent in prayer his heart praieth he hath the affections of prayer Iames 5. 16. Psalm 6. 8. 6. Praier makes him exceeding weary of the world it giues him such a taste of his owne sinfulnesse and of Gods goodnesse and of the glory of Heauen that he is vehemently carried with desire to bee absent from the body that hee might be present with the Lord Psa. 39. 12. 7. When he knowes not how to pray as hee ought the Spirit prepares his heart excites in him holy desires supplyes him sometime with words sometime with affections and sometimes worketh inward vnexpressable groanes which yet it presents to God as effectuall prayers Romans 8. 26 27. 8. Hee findes an holy rest and quietnesse in his conscience and heart with spirituall boldnesse and confidence of trust in God if he heare him graciously and answer him in mercy Psalme 3. 4 5 6. and 116. 17. and 91. 15. Ieremiah 33. 3. 9. He loues the Lord exceedingly for hearing his prayer and desires to keepe himselfe in the loue of God Psalme 116. 1. Iude 20. 21. 10. His prayers proceed from an heart that loues no sinne but desires to depart from iniquitie and to doe that which is pleasing in Gods sight 2 Tim. 2. 19. 1 Ioh. 3. 22. 11. He loues prayer in others 2 Tim. 1. 21. 12. Hee striues against deadnesse of spirit and distractions as an heauie burthen Psalme 86. 3. 4. 13 He makes praier his chiefe refuge and he will pray though prayer bee in neuer so much disgrace Psalme 69. 10 13. and 142. 25. And thus of the third gift The fourth gift is the loue of his enemies Any Christian may loue such as loue him but to loue his enemies is onely to be found in the true Christian which he proues by these tokens of the sinceritie of his loue 1. He can pray heartily for them yea in some cases he can mourne and humble his soule before God for them in their distresses Psal. 35. 13 14. 2. Hee desires their conuersion so vnfainedly that hee is sure if they were conuered hee could reioyce in them as heartily as in those hee now much delights in 3 Hee can likewise forgiue them their particular trespasses against him being more grieued for their sinnes against God then for the wrongs they doe him Math. 6. 14. 4 He can freely acknowledge their iust praises 5 He cannot onely patiently endure their reuilings but can forbeare when he could bee reuenged by bringing shame or miserie vpon them 1. Peter 3. 9. Rom. 12. 14. 1 Sam. 24. 18 19. yea he doth as he hath occasion striue to ouercome their euill with goodnesse being willing to helpe them or relieue them in their miserie and doe th●…m any good for soule or body The last gift which is found in the true Ch●…istian while he is in the way in this life is His loue of the appearing of Christ which hee shewes 1 By the longing after the time of Christs comming whether by death or iudgement 2 By his gladnesse at the promises or signes of his particular or generall commings 3 By his often meditations of that day and his hearty prayers for the

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

the tryall without despaire for the signes doe not shew them that they cannot be saued but onely that for the present they are not in the estate of saluation actually which though it may and ought to be grieuous vnto them to consider in what fearefull misery and sinne they liue in yet they haue reason to know and beleeue that they may bee saued as well as others yea the acknowledgemēt of their misery is one step to saluation Now that wicked men may not die but take a course to bee saued two things are by them to be attained first the arguments of hope that proue they may bee saued and that there is remedi●… for their miserie Secondly the rules that shew them what they must doe which being done they may be certaine of their saluation For the first that they may be saued these things may hopefully assure●… 1. That God hath sworne that he desires not that the wicked should die but rather that he should turne from his ●…uill 〈◊〉 ●…d liue Ez●…k 18. 31. 2. That God hath with singular patience borne with him all this while and hath not laid him beneath for all his sinnes w●…o long since deserued hell and the Lord hath taught it too that he is patience that men might repent and be saued Rom. 2. 4. 2 Peter 3. 9. 3. That God offers his grace to all and hath made no exception against any particular man and therefore why shouldest thou except thy selfe from saluation when Gods grace is tendred to thee as well as others God sends his Gospell to euery creature euen to all Nations Marke Chap. 16. ver 15. 4. That God hath sent his owne Sonne to bee a sufficient sacrifice and propitiation for the sinnes of men He is the Lambe of God that taketh away the sins of the world Iohn 1. Romanes 3. 25. 1 Iohn 2. 1. and in him God is well pleased and would haue all men know that hee is content to take satisfaction from Christ Math. 3. 17. 5. That God hath placed them in the visible Church and doth yet continue the mean●…s that is able to saue their soules Acts 20. 32. Iam. 1. 21. 6. That God hath declared himselfe concerning sinne that there is one onely sinne that in it selfe is simply vnpardonable all the rest may be forgiuen 7. That God hath saued as great sinners as they such as were Manasses Mary Magdalen Dauid Paul Many amongst the Corinthians were fornicators drunkards raylers and the like yet were iustified sanctified and saued 1 Cor. 6. 10 11. And these haue obtained mercy that in them Iesus Christ might shew forth all long-suffering for a patterne to them which should afterwards bel●…eue to euerlasting life 1 Tim. 1. 13 16. CHAP. V. Shewes how faith may be gotten THE rules of directions follow This then is the question What should a man doe that he may be sure of his saluation the man I say that for the present doth not finde the grace of Christ in his heart I answer That his principall care must be to vse all meanes to get the graces of the godly Christian formed in his heart And herein the Lord hath shewed vnto men singular mercy that as hee hath shewed wayes in his Word how his seruants may discerne the graces that are so many signes and pledges of Gods loue and their owne saluation so hath he in the same word laid downe cleere directions that shew how euery grace may be attained and formed and nourished in the hearts of men And first I will begin with Faith And the question is What should a man doe that hee might attaine Faith Hee that would beleeue must obserue these rules 1. Hee must in the first place betake himselfe to Gods promises For without the promise of grace it is impossible Faith should euer bee formed aright in a man hee must labour to see what the Lord saith distinctly vnto sinners I will instance in that one promise Ioh. 3. 16. God so loued the world that hee gaue his onely begotten Sonne that whosoeuer beleeued in him should not perish but haue life euerlasting Now his care must bee seriously to marke and cleerly to vnderstand Gods meaning which in this promise is to assure saluation to any in the world that wil beleeue in Christ. 2. He must then consider Gods commandement concerning faith that God doth require him to beleeue and is so farre from being displeased with him for beleeuing in Christ that for this cause hee will damne him in hell if hee beleeue not Iohn 3. 18. 1. Iohn 3. 23. Hee doth as exactly require vs to relye vpon this course of saluation by Iesus Christ as hee doth require any thing of vs in the morall Law and as we ought not to sweare or commit adultery or steale so ought wee not to dare to liue without beleefe in Iesus Christ. 3. Hee must pray heartily to God to giue him a heart to beleeue and to forme faith in him for faith is the gift of God Eph. 2. 8. Hee should pray ouer the promises and beseech God to incline his heart to rest vpon them as the best treasures in the world cry vnto the Lord Lord helpe my vnbeleefe 4. Hee must absolutely lay aside all thought of his owne righteousnesse by the workes of the Law and looke onely to Iesus Christ and the righteousnesse in him else he will faile of the righteousnesse of God Rom. 10. 3. 5. Hee must waite vpon the powerfull preaching of the Gospell as the onely outward ordinarie meanes to beget faith offering his soule daily vnto God and attending to the Word of God ready to obey the motions of the Spirit knocking at the doore of his heart in the ministerie of the Word knowing that from this ordinance of God he is to expect the gift of faith he should betake himselfe to it with resolution to waite with daily expectation till the Lord bee pleased to send the Holy Ghost into his heart And this is a generall rule for this and all other graces of the Spirit as men loue their owne soules so they must prouide to liue where the Word of God is preached constantly in the power of it for from thence they shall receiue vnspeakeable helpe and furtherance in all the wayes of God Rom. 10. 14. CHAP. VI. Shewing how true humiliation may be attained THus of Faith In the next place he must labour for true and sound humiliation for his sins and to this end he must distinctly striue to get formed in him two things 1. pouerty of spirit 2. godly sorrow for to these two belong all the branches of true humiliation For the attaining of spirituall pouerty these rules are of great vse First make a Catalogue of thy sinnes which thou m●…yest ●…o either by memory or by booke By memory thus Goe aside set thy soule before the Lord as if thou werest presently to be