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<DATE>2014-01-27</DATE>
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<NAME>Olivia Bottum</NAME>
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<FRONT>
<DIV1 TYPE="title page">
<PB REF="1">
<PB REF="1" MS="y">
<P>THE SPIRITVAL TOVCHSTONE: <HI>OR,</HI> THE SIGNES OF A GODLY MAN: Drawne in &s;o plaine and <HI>profitable a maner, as all &s;orts</HI> of Chri&s;tians may trie <HI>them|&s;elues thereby.</HI></P>
<P>Together with Directions, <HI>how the weake Chri&s;tian, by the</HI> v&s;e of the&s;e Signes may <HI>e&s;ta|bli&s;h his a&s;&s;urance.</HI></P>
<P>By N. BIFIELD Preacher of <HI>Gods word at I&s;leworth in Middle&s;ex.</HI></P>
<BIBL>2. COR. 13. 5.</BIBL>
<Q>Examine your &s;elues whether ye be in the faith: proue your owne &s;elues. Know ye not your owne &s;elues, how that Ie&s;us Chri&s;t is in you, except ye be reprobates?</Q>
<P><HI>LONDON,</HI> Printed by R. FIELD, for IONAS MAN. 1619.</P>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="dedication">
<PB REF="2">
<PB REF="2">
<HEAD>TO THE MVCH HONO|red Ladie, the Ladie RVTH SCYDAMORE increa&s;e of peace and ioy in belee|uing.</HEAD>
<P>_HOw great the benefite of a&s;&s;urance of Gods fa|uour and of our owne &s;aluation is, tho&s;e onely know that are either &s;courged with the conflicts and
<PB REF="3"> terrors of their own doub|tings, or that are &s;olaced and e&s;tabli&s;hed with the &s;weet dewes of refre&s;hing that ari&s;e from a rooted and well grounded faith. If men &s;tudie a&s;&s;urances &s;o much for their outward po&s;&s;e&s;&s;ions in this world, how much more earne&s;t and diligent &s;hould men be to a&s;&s;ure Gods loue and the inheritance of the glo|rie to come? There is not a clearer &s;igne of a pro|fane heart, then to account the&s;e cares needle&s;&s;e: nor do I know a iu&s;ter excep|tion against any religion, then that it &s;hould teach,
<PB REF="3"> that when a man hath done what he can to ob|&s;erue the directions of that religion, yet he can|not be &s;ure he &s;hall go to heauen.</P>
<P>But &s;ince I know that all that are po&s;&s;e&s;&s;ed of the grace of Ie&s;us Chri&s;t, do account a&s;&s;urance great riches, I therefore con|ceiue hope that my paines about this &s;ubiect will not be altogether vnaccepta|ble: and the rather be|cau&s;e in this pre&s;ent trea|ti&s;e I haue endeuoured to expre&s;&s;e the &s;ignes of trial in a much more ea&s;ie way then before; and be&s;ides
<PB REF="4"> haue added directions, that &s;hew how a weake Chri&s;tian may e&s;tabli&s;h him&s;elfe in his a&s;&s;u|rance.</P>
<P>I make bold to dedicate my new E&s;&s;ay herein vn|to your Ladi&s;hip. You haue heard the &s;ub&s;tance hereof preached, and receiued it with much gladne&s;&s;e; and in the priuate v&s;e of the&s;e &s;ignes, you haue bene plea|&s;ed to profe&s;&s;e (to the glo|rie of God) that you haue found much contentment and e&s;tabli&s;hment of your owne a&s;&s;urance. Your emi|nencie in the &s;incere pro|fe&s;&s;ion and practi&s;e of
<PB REF="4"> true religion, and the &s;hi|ning of the graces here intreated of, long acknow|ledged by many witne&s;|&s;es, haue made you wor|thy to be publikly ob&s;erued and prai&s;ed in the Chur|ches of Chri&s;t: and your great re&s;pect and fauour &s;hewed to me, hath made this way of te&s;tifying my thankfulne&s;&s;e, but as a &s;mall pledge and a&s;&s;u|rance of my de&s;ire to do your Ladi&s;hip any &s;eruice in the things of Ie&s;us Chri&s;t. Thus be&s;eeching God to enlarge the com|forts of his Spirit in your heart, and to pro&s;per you
<PB REF="5"> in all things that con|cerne the ble&s;&s;ed hope of the appearing of Ie&s;us Chri&s;t our mightie God and Sauiour, I end, and rest</P>
<CLOSER><SIGNED>Your Ladi&s;hips to be com|manded, N. Bifield.</SIGNED></CLOSER>
</DIV1>
</FRONT>
<BODY>
<DIV1 N="1" TYPE="chapter">
<PB N="1" REF="5">
<HEAD>CHAP. I.</HEAD>
<ARGUMENT>
<P><HI>De&s;cribing the godly man by &s;uch &s;ignes as di&s;couer him to the ob&s;eruation of other men.</HI></P>
</ARGUMENT>
<P>_THe &s;ignes of the tru Chri&s;tian that hath true grace in this world, and &s;hall be &s;aued in heauen whe~ he dies, may be ca&s;t into two Catalogues. The<NOTE PLACE="marg">Two Cata|logues of &s;ignes.</NOTE> one more briefe: the
<PB N="2" REF="6"> other more large. The one <HI>Catalogue</HI> of &s;ignes de&s;cribe him by &s;uch markes, as for the mo&s;t part do outwardly di|&s;tingui&s;h him among&s;t men. The large <HI>Cata|logue</HI> I intend e&s;pecially as a more infallible and effectuall way of triall, as co~taining &s;uch &s;ignes as for the mo&s;t part are not ob&s;erued by other men, or not fully, but are knowne to him&s;elfe, and can be found in no reprobate.</P>
<P>For the fir&s;t <HI>Cata|logue:</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">The &s;hor|ter Cata|logue han|dled in this Chapter.</NOTE> The true Chri|&s;tian v&s;ually di&s;couers
<PB N="3" REF="6"> him&s;elfe by the&s;e marks.</P>
<P>Fir&s;t, he will not <HI>haue</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">1. He a|uoids the companie of the wic|ked.</NOTE> <HI>fellow&s;hip with the vn|fruitful works of darknes;</HI> he will not <HI>walke in the coun&s;ell of the wicked,</HI> nor <HI>&s;tand in the way of &s;in|ners.</HI> He will not &s;ort him&s;elfe with <HI>workers of iniquitie.</HI> P&s;al. 1. 1. &amp; 26. 2. Cor. 6.</P>
<P>Secondly, he will af|flict<NOTE PLACE="marg">2. He is &s;or|rowfull for his &s;inne.</NOTE> &amp; humble his &s;oule for his &s;innes, mourning and weeping for them, till the Lord be plea&s;ed to &s;hew mercie and for|giue him. He doth ac|count his &s;innes to be his greate&s;t burthen. He
<PB N="4" REF="7"> cannot make a mocke of &s;inne, &amp;c.</P>
<P>Thirdly, he labours<NOTE PLACE="marg">3. He is throughly reformed in conuer|&s;ation.</NOTE> to be holy in all parts of his conuer&s;ation, watch|ing ouer his owne waies at all times, and in all companies. P&s;al. 50. 23. E&s;a. 56. 8. 2. Pet. 3.</P>
<P>Fourthly, he makes<NOTE PLACE="marg">4. He ma|keth con|&s;cience of le&s;&s;er &s;ins as well as greater.</NOTE> con&s;cience of the lea&s;t commandements as wel as the greate&s;t, auoiding filthy &s;peaking, and vain ie&s;ting, and la&s;ciuiou&s;|ne&s;&s;e, as well as whore|dome: le&s;&s;er oathes as well as the greater; re|prochful &s;peeches as wel as violent actions, &amp;c.</P>
<PB N="5" REF="7">
<P>Fiftly, he loues and<NOTE PLACE="marg">5. He loues preaching.</NOTE> e&s;teemes, and labours for the powerfull prea|ching of the word, a|boue all earthly trea|&s;ures.</P>
<P>Sixtly, he honours<NOTE PLACE="marg">6. He e|&s;teems the godly a|boue all men.</NOTE> and highly accounts of the godly, and delights in the companie of &s;uch as truly feare God, a|boue all others. P&s;al. 15.</P>
<P>Seuenthly, he is care|full<NOTE PLACE="marg">7. He is carefull of the &s;ancti|fication of the Sab|bath.</NOTE> of the &s;anctification of the Sabbath; neither daring to violate that holy re&s;t by labour, nor to neglect the holy du|ties belonging to Gods &s;eruice publicke or pri|uate.
<PB N="6" REF="8"> E&s;a. 56. and 58.</P>
<P>Eightly, he loues not<NOTE PLACE="marg">8. He is not in loue with the world.</NOTE> the world, neither the things thereof, but is more heartily affected in things that concerne a better life, and &s;o doth in &s;ome degree <HI>loue the appearing of Chri&s;t.</HI></P>
<P>Ninthly, He is <HI>ea&s;ie</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">9. He loues his ene|mies.</NOTE> <HI>to be intreated,</HI> he can <HI>forgiue his enemies,</HI> de|&s;ires peace, and will do good euen to them, that per&s;ecute him, if it lye in his power: Math. 5.</P>
<P>Tenthly, he goeth<NOTE PLACE="marg">10. He is con&s;tant in good cour|&s;es, though oppo&s;ed.</NOTE> on in the profe&s;&s;ion of the &s;incerity of the Go&s;|pell, and doth &s;uch du|ties
<PB N="7" REF="8"> as he knoweth God requires of him in bu&s;i|ne&s;&s;es of his &s;oule, not|with&s;tanding the oppo|&s;itions of prophane per|&s;ons, or the di&s;like of carnall friends, &amp;c.</P>
<P>Eleuenthly, he &s;etteth<NOTE PLACE="marg">11. He &s;erues God in his fa|mily.</NOTE> vp a daily cour&s;e of &s;er|uing of God, and that with his family too, if he haue any; and exerci&s;eth him&s;elfe in the word of God, as the chiefe ioy of his heart, and the dai|ly refuge of his life, cal|ling vpon God continu|ally, &amp;c.</P>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 N="2" TYPE="chapter">
<PB N="8" REF="9">
<HEAD>CHAP. II.</HEAD>
<ARGUMENT>
<P><HI>Shewing the generall di|ui&s;ion of the Signes, and the ways how the &s;ignes were found out.</HI></P>
</ARGUMENT>
<P>THus of the &s;hor|ter Catalogue of &s;ignes: Now it fol|lowes, that I proceed to tho&s;e infallible marks of <HI>Election,</HI> and <HI>&s;aluation.</HI> And whereas I haue di|uers yeares &s;ince publi|&s;hed a Treati&s;e which I called <HI>E&s;&s;ayes,</HI> or &s;ignes of God loue, and mans &s;aluation: Hauing ob|&s;erued<NOTE PLACE="marg">The occa|&s;ion of this Treati&s;e.</NOTE> that diuers haue accounted the manner
<PB N="9" REF="9"> of &s;etting the &s;ignes downe &s;omewhat ob|&s;cure in diuers parts of the booke, I will now by Gods a&s;&s;i&s;tance, for the helping of the weake&s;t <HI>Chri&s;tians</HI> in this Trea|ti&s;e, endeuour to ex|pre&s;&s;e my &s;elfe in this doctrine of the triall of a true Chri&s;tians e&s;tate in a more plaine and ea|&s;ie cour&s;e of examinati|on; and leaue both the former treati&s;e, and his new <HI>Catalogue</HI> vnto the ble&s;&s;ing of God, and the free choice of the godly reader of v&s;e, which he findeth mo&s;t agreeable
<PB N="10" REF="10"> to his owne ta&s;te, being both &s;uch as are war|ranted &amp; founded vpon the infallible euidence of Gods vnchangeable truth.</P>
<P>In this proiect then I con&s;ider of the triall of<NOTE PLACE="marg">The &s;ignes referred to &s;ixe heads.</NOTE> a true Chri&s;tian &s;ixe wayes.</P>
<P>Fir&s;t, in his humilia|tion.</P>
<P>Secondly, in his faith.</P>
<P>Thirdly, in the gifts of his mind, with which he is qualified.</P>
<P>Fourthly, in the workes of his obedi|ence.</P>
<P>Fiftly, in the entertain|ment
<PB N="11" REF="10"> he hath from God.</P>
<P>Sixtly, in the manner of his receiuing of the Sacraments.</P>
<P>In all which he differs from all the wicked men in the world, &s;o as neuer any wicked man could find the&s;e things in his condition, which are true of the weake&s;t <HI>Chri|&s;tian</HI> in each of the&s;e &s;ignes.</P>
<P>And that the true Chri&s;tian may not doubt of his e&s;tate, ha|uing found the&s;e &s;ignes<NOTE PLACE="marg">The infalli|bilitie of the &s;ignes.</NOTE> in him&s;elfe, let him con|&s;ider the proofes an|nexed
<PB N="12" REF="11"> to each &s;igne: &amp; that nothing may be wanting to his aboun|dant con&s;olation, I will tell him, how I found out tho&s;e &s;ignes, and by what grounds I procee|ded.</P>
<P>There are three &s;orts<NOTE PLACE="marg">3. Wayes to find out the &s;ignes of a godly man in Scripture.</NOTE> of places in Scripture (as I co~ceiue) which do point out the grounds of infallible a&s;&s;urance in tho&s;e that can attaine vnto them: as fir&s;t, &s;uch places as expre&s;ly do af|firme, that &s;uch and &s;uch things are &s;ignes: As for example 1. Iohn 3. 14. <HI>Hereby we know, that we</HI> are
<PB N="13" REF="11"> <HI>tran&s;lated from death to life, becau&s;e we loue the brethren.</HI> Here the holy Gho&s;t &s;hews vs expre&s;|ly, that the loue of the brethren is a &s;igne, by which a Chri&s;tian may know, that he is tran&s;la|ted from death to life: &amp; &s;o the Apo&s;tle <HI>Paul</HI> giues &s;ignes to know, whether their <HI>&s;orrow</HI> were <HI>after God,</HI> or no. 2. Cor. 7. 11. So doth the Prophet <HI>Dauid,</HI> P&s;al. 15. giue diuers &s;ignes, by which the man that &s;hal dwell in Gods holy hill, may be knowne. So the Apo&s;tle <HI>Iames</HI> tels vs,
<PB N="14" REF="12"> how we may know the wi&s;edome from aboue, by reckning the fruites and effects of it. Iam. 3. 17. So doth the Apo&s;tle <HI>Paul</HI> tell vs, how we may know, whether we haue the Spirit of Chri&s;t in vs or no, Rom. 8. 9. 15. &amp;c. Gal. 5. 22. &amp; 4. 6. 7.</P>
<P>Secondly, I find out &s;ignes, by marking, what graces in man the pro|mi&s;es of God are made vnto; for thus I rea&s;on: What&s;oeuer gifts of God in man brings him within the compa&s;&s;e of Gods promi&s;es of eter|nall mercie: that gift
<PB N="15" REF="12"> mu&s;t be an infallible &s;igne of &s;aluation. But &s;uch are &s;uch and &s;uch gifts, as the in&s;tances in diuers Scriptures &s;hew: And therefore the man that can find tho&s;e gifts in him&s;elfe, &s;hall be cer|tainly &s;aued. As for ex|ample: The kingdome of heauen is promi&s;ed to &s;uch as are <HI>poore in &s;pirit,</HI> Math. 5. 4. From thence then I gather, that pouertie of &s;pirit is an infallible &s;igne. The like I may &s;ay of the <HI>loue of the word,</HI> and of <HI>vprightne&s;&s;e of heart,</HI> and <HI>of the loue of God,</HI> and
<PB N="16" REF="13"> <HI>the loue of the appearing of Chri&s;t, &amp;c.</HI></P>
<P>Thirdly, I find out other &s;ignes by ob&s;er|uing what godly men in Scripture haue &s;aid for them&s;elues, when they haue pleaded their owne euidence for their intere&s;t in Gods loue, or their hope of a better life. For look how godly men in Scripture haue proued that they were not hypocrites: euen &s;o may any Chri&s;tia~ proue that he is not an hypo|crite neither. As for ex|ample, <HI>Iob</HI> being char|ged to be an hypocrite,
<PB N="17" REF="13"> and lying vnder the hea|uy hand of God, pleades his cau&s;e, and proues that he was not an hy|pocrite, by his con&s;tan|cie in Gods wayes, and by his con&s;tant e&s;tima|tion of Gods word, and <HI>de&s;ire after it, as after his appointed food,</HI> Iob 23. 10. 11. 12. More of this kind thou mai&s;t find in the proofes of particu|lar &s;ignes.</P>
<P>Now whereas &s;ome &s;ignes are generall, and thou might&s;t doubt of y^e expo&s;ition, namely how that &s;igne is infallible in &s;uch &amp; &s;uch &s;ences: For
<PB N="18" REF="14"> thy e&s;tabli&s;hment here|in, thou may&s;t ob&s;erue, that I expou~d the &s;igne as it is expounded in o|ther &s;euerall Scriptures. As for example: The loue of the brethren, is a generall &s;igne. Now how &s;hall I know that I haue the right loue of the brethren? This I ex|plane by flying to diuers other Scriptures, where|in the particular expli|cations of this &s;igne are pleaded.</P>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 N="3" TYPE="chapter">
<PB N="19" REF="14">
<HEAD>CHAP. III.</HEAD>
<ARGUMENT>
<P><HI>The triall of a Chri&s;tian by the &s;ignes of true humiliation.</HI></P>
</ARGUMENT>
<P>THe fir&s;t way then, by which a Chri|&s;tian may trie him|&s;elfe, is to examine him|&s;elfe about his humilia|tion for &s;inne, whether it be right or no. For vn|der this head is compre|hended the explication of the doctrine of po|uertie of &s;pirit, and god|ly &s;orrow, and &s;o in ge|nerall of repentance for &s;innes.</P>
<PB N="20" REF="15">
<P>Now the true Chri|&s;tian in this matter of humiliation &s;hews him|&s;elfe to haue attained<NOTE PLACE="marg">26. Signes of true hu|miliation.</NOTE> that, which no repro|bate could euer attaine: and that in diuers parti|culars, as,</P>
<P>Fir&s;t, he hath a <HI>true</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">1. He &s;ees his &s;innes.</NOTE> <HI>&s;ight and &s;ence of his &s;ins.</HI> He di&s;cernes his &s;inful|ne&s;&s;e of life both pa&s;t and pre&s;ent, and is affe|cted and pained vnder the burthen of his daily wants and corruptions, and &s;ees his mi&s;erie in re&s;pect of his &s;innes. Ie|rem. 3. 12. Math. 11. 29. Math. 5. 4.</P>
<PB N="21" REF="15">
<P>Secondly, he <HI>trem|bles</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">2. He feares Gods di&s;|plea&s;ure.</NOTE> <HI>at Gods word,</HI> and feares his di&s;plea&s;ure, while it yet hangs in the threatnings. E&s;a. 66. 1. 2.</P>
<P>Thirdly, he <HI>renoun|ceth</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">3. He tru&s;ts not vpon the merit of his own workes.</NOTE> <HI>his owne merits,</HI> and di&s;claimeth all opinion of true happine&s;&s;e in him&s;elfe, or in any thing vnder the Sunne; as be|ing fully per&s;waded, that he cannot be &s;aued by any works of his owne, or be happie in enioy|ing any worldly things; and therefore is fully re|&s;olued to &s;eeke for the chiefe good in Gods fa|uour
<PB N="22" REF="16"> in Ie&s;us Chri&s;t onely.</P>
<P>Fourthly, he <HI>mournes</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">4. He mournes.</NOTE> <HI>heartily and &s;ecretly for his &s;ins;</HI> and &s;o he doth,</P>
<P N="1">1. <HI>For all &s;orts of &s;ins:</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">For all &s;orts of &s;inne.</NOTE> for &s;ecret &s;innes as well as knowne &s;innes; for le&s;&s;er &s;innes as well as greater; for the pre&s;ent euils of his nature and life, as well as &s;innes pa&s;t: yea for the &s;ins he hath loued, or haue bene gainfull and plea&s;ing to him. Yea he grieues for the euill that cleaues to his be&s;t workes, as well as for euill workes, E&s;a. 6. 5. Rom. 7. E&s;a. 1. 16.
<PB N="2" REF="16"> Math. 5. 6.</P>
<P N="2">2. <HI>For &s;inne as it is &s;in,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">For &s;inne as it is &s;in.</NOTE> and not as it doth or might bring him &s;hame, or puni&s;hments in this life, or in hell.</P>
<P N="3">3. He is as much <HI>trou|bled</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">As much as for cro&s;&s;es.</NOTE> <HI>for his &s;innes,</HI> as he was wont, or now &s;hold be <HI>for cro&s;&s;es</HI> in his e&s;tate. He mournes as heartily for the &s;orrowes that fell vpon Gods Sonne for his &s;inne, as if he had lo&s;t his owne and onely &s;onne, Zachar. 12. 10, 11. or at lea&s;t this he &s;tri|ueth for, and iudgeth him&s;elfe, if worldly af|flictions do trouble him
<PB N="24" REF="17"> more then his &s;ins. P&s;al. 38. 5.</P>
<P>Fiftly, he is <HI>truly grie|ued</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">5. And for the &s;ins of others.</NOTE> and vexed in &s;oule for the <HI>abhominations</HI> that are done by others, to the di&s;honor of God, or &s;lander of true reli|gion, or the ruine of the &s;oules of men. Thus <HI>Lot,</HI> 2. Pet. 2. 6. and <HI>Dauid,</HI> P&s;alm. 119. 136. and the mourners marked for Gods owne people. E|zech. 9. 4.</P>
<P>Sixtly, he is heartily<NOTE PLACE="marg">6. And for &s;pirituall iudgments.</NOTE> affected, and troubled, and <HI>grieued for &s;pirituall iudgements,</HI> that reach vnto the &s;oules of men,
<PB N="25" REF="17"> as well as wicked men are wont to be troubled for temporall cro&s;&s;es; &amp; &s;o he is grieued and per|plexed <HI>for hardne&s;&s;e of heart,</HI> (when he cannot mourne as he would,) and for <HI>the famine of the word,</HI> or <HI>for the ab&s;ence of God,</HI> or <HI>for the bla&s;phe|mies of the wicked,</HI> or the like. P&s;al. 42. 2. 3. &amp; 137. Nehem. 1. 3. 4. E&s;ay 63. 17.</P>
<P>Seuenthly, he is <HI>mo&s;t</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">7. And is moued thereunto by Gods mercie.</NOTE> &s;tirred vp to aba&s;e him|&s;elfe and <HI>mourne</HI> for his &s;innes, <HI>when he feeles God to be</HI> mo&s;t mercifull. <HI>The goodne&s;&s;e of God</HI> doth
<PB N="26" REF="18"> make him <HI>feare God,</HI> and hate his &s;innes ra|ther, then his iu&s;tice, Ho&s;. 3. 5.</P>
<P>Eightly, his <HI>griefes</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">8. And he is ea&s;ed onely by &s;pirituall meanes.</NOTE> are &s;uch as can <HI>be a&s;&s;wa|ged onely by &s;pirituall meanes.</HI> It is not &s;port or merrie companie that ea&s;eth him: his comfort is onely from the Lord in &s;ome of his ordinan|ces. As it was the <HI>Lord</HI> that <HI>wounded him</HI> with the &s;ight of his &s;innes, &s;o to the Lord onely be goeth <HI>to be healed</HI> of his wounds, Ho&s;. 6. 1. 2. P&s;al. 119. 23. 24. 50.</P>
<P>Ninthly, in his <HI>griefe
<PB N="27" REF="18"> he is inqui&s;itiue:</HI> he will<NOTE PLACE="marg">9. And is carefull to learne how to be &s;aued</NOTE> <HI>aske the way,</HI> and de&s;ires to know <HI>how he may be &s;aued.</HI> He cannot &s;mo|ther and put off his doubts in &s;o great a bu|&s;ine&s;&s;e. He dares not now any longer be ig|norant of the way to heauen. He is not care|le&s;&s;e, as he was wont to be, but is &s;eriou&s;ly bent to get directions from the word of God about his reconciliation, &s;an|ctification, &amp; &s;aluation, &amp;c. Ierem. 50. 4. 5. Acts 2. 37.</P>
<P>Tenthly, he is fearfull<NOTE PLACE="marg">10. And is fearfull of being de|ceiued.</NOTE> of being deceiued, and
<PB N="28" REF="19"> therefore is not &s;light|ly &s;atisfied. He will not re&s;t vpon a common hope, nor is he caried with probabilities; nor doth it content him that other men haue a good opinion of him; nor is he plea&s;ed that he hath mended &s;ome faults, or begun to repent: but <HI>repenting he repents &s;till,</HI> that is, he takes a &s;ound cour&s;e to be &s;ure his re|pentance be effectually performed, Ierem. 31. 19.</P>
<P>Eleuenthly, he is ve|hemently<NOTE PLACE="marg">11. And ear|ne&s;tly de|&s;ires to leade an holy life.</NOTE> carried with <HI>the de&s;ires of the &s;ound re|formation
<PB N="29" REF="19"> of his life.</HI> His &s;orrow is not <HI>water,</HI> but <HI>wa&s;hing;</HI> nor is it euery wa&s;hing, but &s;uch as <HI>maketh cleane.</HI> Worldly &s;orrow may haue much water, but it maketh no|thing cleane; whereas godly &s;orrow alwayes tendeth to reformation and &s;ound amendment.</P>
<P>Twelfthly, in all his &s;o|rowes he is &s;upported<NOTE PLACE="marg">12. And tru&s;ts vpon Gods mer|cie in his griefe.</NOTE> by a &s;ecret <HI>tru&s;t in the mercie and acceptation of God,</HI> &s;o as no mi&s;erie can beate him from the con|&s;ideration and inward affiance and hope in the mercie of God. In the
<PB N="30" REF="20"> <HI>very di&s;quietne&s;&s;e of his hart, the de&s;ire of his &s;oule is to the Lord,</HI> and before his pre&s;ence; though he be neuer &s;o <HI>much ca&s;t downe, yet he waits vpon God for the helpe of his countenance,</HI> and in &s;ome mea&s;ure condemnes the vnbeleefe of his owne heart, and tru&s;ts in the name of God, and his neuer failing compa&s;&s;i|ons, P&s;alm. 38. 9. &amp; 42. 5. 11. Lam. 3. 21. Zepha. 3. 12.</P>
<P N="13">13. He is wonder|fully<NOTE PLACE="marg">13. And is in loue with God if he heare his prayers.</NOTE> inflamed with <HI>loue to God,</HI> if he at any time let him know that <HI>he
<PB N="31" REF="20"> heareth his prayers.</HI> In the mid&s;t of his mo&s;t de&s;pe|rate &s;orrowes his heart is ea&s;ed if he &s;peed well in prayer, P&s;alme 116. 1. 3.</P>
<P N="14">14. He daily <HI>keepes</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">14. And daily iudg|eth him&s;elf for his &s;in.</NOTE> <HI>an a&s;&s;i&s;e vpon his owne &s;oule:</HI> he <HI>iudgeth him&s;elfe</HI> for his &s;ins before God, arre&s;ting, accu&s;ing, and condemning his &s;innes. He <HI>confe&s;&s;eth his &s;innes particularly to God, with|out hiding</HI> any &s;in, that is, without forbearing to pray again&s;t any &s;in he knowes by him&s;elfe, out of any de&s;ire he hath &s;til to continue in it; and by
<PB N="32" REF="21"> this &s;igne he may be &s;ure he hath <HI>the Spirit of God,</HI> and that his <HI>&s;ins are forgiuen him.</HI> E&s;ay 4. 4. P&s;al. 35. 5. 1. Ioh. 1. 7. 1. Cor. 11. 32.</P>
<P N="15">15. His <HI>reque&s;ts are</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">15. And prayes in the holy Gho&s;t.</NOTE> <HI>daily powred vnto God.</HI> He cries vnto God with affection &amp; confidence, though it be with much weakne&s;&s;e and many de|fects, as the little child doth vnto the father, and thereby he di&s;couers <HI>the Spirit of adoption in him.</HI> Rom. 8. 15. Zach. 12. 10. Ephe&s;. 3. 12.</P>
<P N="16">16. <HI>He is vnfainedly</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">16. De&s;iring to be rid of all &s;inne.</NOTE> <HI>de&s;irous to be rid of all &s;ins,
<PB N="33" REF="21"> as well as one. There is no &s;in he knowes by him&s;elf, but he doth de&s;ire as hear|tily that he might neuer commit it, as he doth that</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Note this.</NOTE> <HI>God &s;hould neuer impute it.</HI> This is a neuer failing &s;igne, a fundamentall one. 2. Tim. 2. 19.</P>
<P N="17">17. He is content to<NOTE PLACE="marg">17. And is willing to &s;uffer af|fliction.</NOTE> <HI>receiue euill at the hand of God, as well as good,</HI> without murmuring, or <HI>letting go his integritie;</HI> as being &s;en&s;ible of his owne de&s;erts, and de&s;i|rous to approue him&s;elf to God, without <HI>re&s;pect of reward.</HI> This proued that <HI>Iob</HI> was an holy and
<PB N="34" REF="22"> vpright man, Iob 1. 1. &amp; 2. 3. 10.</P>
<P N="18">18. <HI>He di&s;likes &s;inne</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">18. He di&s;|likes &s;inne in all.</NOTE> <HI>in all,</HI> euen in tho&s;e that are neare and deare vn|to him in other re&s;pects, 1. King. 15. 12. 13. 14.</P>
<P N="19">19. <HI>He is innocent fro~</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">19. Sinne reignes not in him.</NOTE> <HI>the great tran&s;gre&s;&s;ion,</HI> and <HI>keepes him&s;elfe from his owne iniquitie.</HI> He is not &s;ubiect to <HI>the domi|nion of &s;inne.</HI> Sinne doth <HI>not reigne in him,</HI> P&s;al. 19. 13. 2. Sam. 22. 24.</P>
<P N="20">20. He finds a de&s;ire<NOTE PLACE="marg">20. He hu~|bles him|&s;elfe for &s;in euen in his pro&s;peritie.</NOTE> to be rid of &s;inne, and to humble him&s;elfe for it <HI>in pro&s;peritie</HI> as well as aduer&s;itie. He leaues &s;in
<PB N="35" REF="22"> before &s;in would leaue him. He for&s;akes it then, when he could commit it without apparent dan|ger, Iob 8. 5. 6.</P>
<P N="21">21. Or if he be in ad|uer&s;itie,<NOTE PLACE="marg">21. And in aduer&s;itie his heart is vpright.</NOTE> <HI>his heart is vp|right,</HI> without lying or di&s;&s;imulation. He &s;o &s;ee|keth the pardon of his &s;innes then, and &s;o pro|mi&s;eth amendment, as that he is al&s;o as carefull to practi&s;e it when he is deliuered. He is not like the I&s;raelites mentioned P&s;al. 78. 36. 37.</P>
<P N="22">22. He makes a <HI>&s;u|pernaturall</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">22. He ac|counts of &s;pirituall things as the be&s;t things.</NOTE> <HI>valuation of &s;pirituall things,</HI> accoun|ting
<PB N="36" REF="23"> them as pearles of the be&s;t price, not too deare bought, if he pur|cha&s;ed them with all the worldly things he hath; and contrariwi&s;e, accou~|ting him&s;elfe exceeding poore if he want them, or the meanes of them, Math. 13. 45. 46. P&s;al. 42. &amp; 63. 1. 3.</P>
<P N="23">23. <HI>He hath lo&s;t his</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">23. He doth not &s;auour the things of the fle&s;h and the world.</NOTE> <HI>wonted ta&s;te in earthly things:</HI> his heart is not tran&s;ported with the ad|miration of them, or the inordinate de&s;ires after worldly things. <HI>He loues not the world</HI> &amp; this life as he was wont to do.
<PB N="37" REF="23"> Though hee v&s;e the world, yet he ea&s;ily con|fe&s;&s;eth him&s;elfe to be a <HI>&s;tranger and pilgrime</HI> here. He giues ouer the <HI>vnnece&s;&s;ary plea&s;ures &amp; profits</HI> of this life, Heb. 11. 13. 1. Ioh. 2. 14. 15. Rom. 8. 6. He is wearie of the world, and wil|ling to forgo &s;ocietie with the men of this world, the workers of iniquitie, P&s;alm. 6. 8. 9. and 39. 12. and 26. 1, 2, 3, 4.</P>
<P N="24">24. If <HI>the Lord be &s;i|lent,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">24. He is much grie|ued if God hide him|&s;elfe.</NOTE> <HI>and an&s;wer not his de&s;ires, but hides his face; his &s;pirit faileth, and he is
<PB N="38" REF="24"> as one that goeth downe into the pit:</HI> it troubles him as a &s;ore cro&s;&s;e; and &s;o contrariwi&s;e, P&s;al. 26. 1: and 88. 13, 14, 15: and 143. 7. Ioh. 16. 23. 28.</P>
<P N="25">25. If he hath bene<NOTE PLACE="marg">25. Of a lio~ he becoms a lambe.</NOTE> a man &s;ubiect to boi&s;te|rous, violent, and hurtful affections, he is now be|come tame: of <HI>a Lion</HI> he is become <HI>a lambe,</HI> &amp; <HI>a litle child may leade him,</HI> E&s;ay 11. 9.</P>
<P N="26">26. He hath <HI>a &s;pirit</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">26. His &s;pi|rit is with|out guile.</NOTE> <HI>without guile,</HI> P&s;al. 32. 2. He is more de&s;irous to be good, then to be thought to be &s;o; and more &s;eekes the power
<PB N="39" REF="24"> of godline&s;&s;e, then the &s;hew of it, Iob. 1. 1. Prou. 20. 6. 7. His <HI>prai&s;e is of God, and not of men:</HI> Rom. 2. 26.</P>
<P>And thus much of the triall of his humilia|tion. The &s;ignes of his faith follow.</P>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 N="4" TYPE="chapter">
<HEAD>CHAP. IIII.</HEAD>
<ARGUMENT>
<P><HI>The triall of a godly man by his Faith.</HI></P>
</ARGUMENT>
<P>FAith is the next thing to be tried in a childe of God. And in as much as there
<PB N="40" REF="25"> are diuers kinds of faith,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Why we &s;hould trie our faith.</NOTE> and experience &s;hewes in many that giue no &s;ignes of repentance, that they wil not be bea|ten fro~ a confident pre|&s;umption that Chri&s;t died for them, euen for them in particular: it &s;tands vs in hand to trie our per&s;wa&s;ion by true rules of Scripture, that &s;o if it will abide the trial of the touch&s;tone, we may lay it vp as an hid trea&s;ure and a wonder|full grace of God; and if otherwi&s;e, we may re|pent vs of pre&s;umption, as a deceiueable &s;inne.</P>
<PB N="41" REF="25">
<P>But before I open the &s;ignes of this &s;igne, the Reader mu&s;t be admo|ni&s;hed of three things.</P>
<P>Fir&s;t, that I intend not<NOTE PLACE="marg">The drift is to &s;hew how faith may be proued, not how it may be bred.</NOTE> by the&s;e &s;ignes to &s;hew how faith may be bred or <HI>begotten</HI> in vs, but how faith may be <HI>proued</HI> and declared to be in vs. For it is the <HI>promi&s;es</HI> of God in the Scripture that <HI>breed faith:</HI> nor can humane rea&s;on beleeue &s;uch great things from God for any thing that is in vs, but onely be|cau&s;e we &s;ee the word of God a&s;&s;uring &s;uch happine&s;&s;e vnto &s;uch as
<PB N="42" REF="26"> lay hold vpon them. So that, that which breeds faith, is the <HI>reuelation of Gods promi&s;es</HI> by his <HI>word</HI> and <HI>Spirit.</HI> Yet notwith&s;tanding the a&s;|&s;urance of faith is much increa&s;ed and confirmed by the &s;ight of tho&s;e &s;ignes of the truth of our faith, and other gra|ces of God in vs.</P>
<P>Secondly, that I &s;tand<NOTE PLACE="marg">A &s;econd caueat.</NOTE> not preci&s;ely vpon the order of the&s;e graces of God in vs, nor deter|mine that que&s;tion, which graces are fir&s;t wrought in the heart of a man: but that which
<PB N="43" REF="26"> I haue &s;pecially aimed at in the order of &s;etting them downe, is to begin at tho&s;e that either fir&s;t appeare in a Chri&s;tian, or are ea&s;ie&s;t (as I con|ceiue) to be di&s;cerned in him.</P>
<P>Thirdly, that I intend<NOTE PLACE="marg">The 3. note by way of preface.</NOTE> e&s;pecially the triall of &s;uch Chri&s;tians as agree in this, that they are per|&s;waded that Chri&s;t died for them; that &s;o the true Chri&s;tian may &s;ee rea|&s;on to comfort him&s;elf, that his per&s;wa&s;ion is no pre&s;umption, as is the per&s;wa&s;ion of the mo&s;t. It is true, that diuers of
<PB N="44" REF="27"> the &s;ignes of faith here to be handled, will &s;hew faith in the weake&s;t Chri&s;tian, though he will not yet be brought to acknowledge any per|&s;wa&s;ion. For this per&s;wa|&s;ion may be &s;ecretly wrought vpon the hart: as it is when it relieth vpo~ the merits of Chri&s;t onely for &s;aluation, though the iudgement of the Chri&s;tian be not re&s;olued again&s;t his doubts.</P>
<P>The que&s;tion then is, how a Chri&s;tian may trie his per&s;wa&s;ion of Gods mercie, and his
<PB N="45" REF="27"> intere&s;t in Chri&s;ts me|rits, whether it be right or no.</P>
<P>For an&s;wer thereun|to, I &s;ay, that the true Chri&s;tian doth proue his faith and per&s;wa&s;ion<NOTE PLACE="marg">The true faith.</NOTE> to be right, by tho&s;e &s;ignes following.</P>
<P>Fir&s;t, his faithor per|&s;wa&s;ion<NOTE PLACE="marg">1. Was wrought by the word prea|ched.</NOTE> was wrought by the hearing of the word preached: &amp; ther|fore thou mu&s;t fir&s;t aske thy &s;elfe, how thou com|me&s;t by thy per&s;wa&s;ion. For if thou &s;ay, thou wa&s;t alwayes &s;o per&s;wa|ded, or did&s;t attain it by meere naturall meanes
<PB N="46" REF="28"> or helpes, thou art de|ceiued. For, faith is fir&s;t wrought by the holy Gho&s;t in the preaching of the Go&s;pell, as it is mo&s;t cleer by the words of the Apo&s;tle, <HI>How &s;hall they beleeue in him of who~ they haue not heard? and how &s;hall they heare without a preacher?</HI> Rom. 10. 14. And whereas it may be, that many Chri|&s;tia~s haue not ob&s;erued the workings of their faith; and haue forgot|ten the time of their conuer&s;ion; and haue not iudgement to di&s;|cerne how the Lord by
<PB N="47" REF="28"> the mini&s;terie of his &s;er|uants did change their hearts, and leade them to Chri&s;t: Therefore when this fir&s;t &s;igne can|not comfort, they mu&s;t trie them&s;elues by the re&s;t that follow.</P>
<P>Secondly, he hath an<NOTE PLACE="marg">2. E&s;teems Chri&s;t a|boue all things.</NOTE> high <HI>estimation of Ie&s;us Chri&s;t.</HI> For the man that hath true faith, accounts all things mo&s;t ba&s;e in co~pari&s;on of the know|ledge of Chri&s;t, and the loue of God in him. He had rather be &s;ure of Chri&s;t, then to gaine the whole world. Chri&s;t is more <HI>precious</HI> then all
<PB N="48" REF="29"> the world: yea is the only thing in reque&s;t in the de&s;ires of the Chri|&s;tian. Now Chri&s;t is <HI>pre|cious</HI> onely to <HI>them that beleeue,</HI> 1. Pet. 2. 6. and by this &s;igne <HI>Paul</HI> knew that he was growne far beyond him&s;elfe in his former life, and beyond all the Phari&s;es in the world. Phil. 3. 9.</P>
<P>Thirdly, he readily<NOTE PLACE="marg">3. Receiues the te&s;timo+ny of Gods mini&s;ters before all the world.</NOTE> receiues the te&s;timonie of Gods mini&s;ters &s;pea|king out of the word, &amp; &s;ticks to it again&s;t all the contradictions of the world. The Apo&s;tle <HI>Paul</HI> 2. The&s;&s;al. 1. 10. &s;hewes,
<PB N="49" REF="29"> that this &s;igne will be pleaded and acknow|ledged in the day of Chri&s;t: <HI>Chri&s;t,</HI> &s;aith he, <HI>will be made admirable in them that beleeue.</HI></P>
<P>Now &s;ome may &s;ay, But how &s;hall we know that we do beleeue?</P>
<P>Why, &s;aith he, you are true beleeuers, <HI>be|cau&s;e ye receiued our te|&s;timonie;</HI> and this &s;hall be to your prai&s;e in that day.</P>
<P>Fourthly, he cannot<NOTE PLACE="marg">4. Ca&s;ts out hypocri&s;ie.</NOTE> abide counterfetting &amp; hypocri&s;y. If it be a right per&s;wa&s;ion, it is a <HI>faith vnfained; Vnfained</HI> I &s;ay,
<PB N="50" REF="30"> as in other re&s;pects, &s;o in affects, becau&s;e it can|not abide fainings, but with &s;peciall hatred pur|geth out hypocri&s;ie; which the per&s;wa&s;ion of hypocrites neuer doth. 2. Tim. 1. 5.</P>
<P>Fiftly, this per&s;wa&s;ion<NOTE PLACE="marg">5. Will a|bide triall.</NOTE> is permanent: it will en|dure triall, it will hold out in the euill day; it inclines the heart to cleaue to Ie&s;us Chri&s;t, euen in the fire of tribu|lation, in the mid&s;t of <HI>manifold afflictions,</HI> and di&s;graces, and temptati|ons. It is like <HI>the gold</HI> in the fornace <HI>that peri&s;h|eth
<PB N="51" REF="30"> not;</HI> nor will it barely hold out: but a Chri&s;tia~ by his faith comforts &amp; &s;upports him&s;elfe in af|fliction, &s;o as his faith becomes to him both a <HI>breast-plate</HI> &amp; an <HI>helmet:</HI> whereas the be&s;t faith, that is not the faith of Gods elect, will proue but dro&s;&s;e, if it be ca&s;t into the fornace of tem|ptation, further then it is &s;upported by carnall meanes and helps. 1. Pet. 1. 6, 7. 2. Tim. 1. 12. 1. The&s;&s;. 5. 8. Eph. 6. Luke 8. 13.</P>
<P>Sixtly, he will <HI>beleeue</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">6. It be|leeues all things.</NOTE> <HI>all things:</HI> I &s;ay all things
<PB N="52" REF="31"> that he apprehendeth to be required, threat|ned, or promi&s;ed in the word. To beleeue &s;ome things onely, may be in any other kind of faith, e&s;pecially when they are &s;uch things as &s;tand with their owne rea&s;ons, or wils, or affections, or the common opinion of other men: But this is the glorie of a liuely in|&s;tifying faith, it will giue glorie to God in all things. <HI>What God can &s;peake, it can beleeue:</HI> &s;o &s;oone as it knowes it is &s;poken of God, though it be neuer &s;o contrary
<PB N="53" REF="31"> to the iudgment of fle&s;h and bloud, Act. 14. 14.</P>
<P>Seuenthly, he <HI>will not</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">7. Will not make ha&s;te</NOTE> <HI>make ha&s;te.</HI> This was the &s;igne giuen in the Pro|phet <HI>E&s;ays</HI> time: He that beleeueth will not make ha&s;te. He had prophe|&s;ied of hard times to fall vpo~ all the people: now this wold &s;hew among&s;t them, who were true be|leeuers. For tho&s;e that tru&s;ted in God, would <HI>not make ha&s;te</HI> to v&s;e ill meanes to helpe them|&s;elues; they would &s;tay their hearts in <HI>re&s;t and quietnes,</HI> and they would &s;tay their feete too from
<PB N="54" REF="32"> running to <HI>Aegypt,</HI> or to <HI>A&s;&s;hur,</HI> which God had forbidden, I&s;ai. 28. 16.</P>
<P>If faith be right, and thy per&s;wa&s;ion a &s;ound per&s;wa&s;ion, and well grounded, there are ioy|ned with it the&s;e things following.</P>
<P>Eightly, his per&s;wa&s;io~<NOTE PLACE="marg">8. Is acco~|panied with a pure con&s;cience.</NOTE> is ioyned with a good and pure con&s;cience; a con&s;cience, I &s;ay, that makes him carefull to a|uoid &s;inne, and do good duties, and to &s;erue God in &s;inceritie: whereas the per&s;wa&s;io~ that is in wic|ked men, is not accom|panied with a good con|&s;cience,
<PB N="55" REF="32"> they do not make co~&s;cience of their wayes. Now this is a cleare rule of difference, 1. Tim. 1. 5. 19. and 3. 9. Heb. 10. 22.</P>
<P>Ninthly, he hath a <HI>&s;pi|rit</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">9. And a &s;pirit of di&s;cerning.</NOTE> of di&s;cerning. There is a great deale of light comes into the heart with faith. A man can|not beleeue, and be ig|norant &s;till. The Chri|&s;tian that is endued with faith from aboue, is en|dued with <HI>wi&s;edome from aboue:</HI> &s;o as he can con|ceiue of the things of God that concerne &s;al|uation, which <HI>the natu|rall
<PB N="56" REF="33"> man perceiueth not.</HI> Though he may want &s;till in many knowled|ges, yet he hath skill in &s;ome mea&s;ure to learne how to be &s;aued. The doctrine of &s;aluation he can now vnder&s;tand, which is taught in the mini&s;terie of the word; and he now can make &s;ome good v&s;e of rea|ding the Scriptures, that before di&s;cerned litle or nothing in them. <HI>The veile that lieth vpon the hearts of all fle&s;h; is now taken from</HI> his eyes; yea the <HI>very entrance into Gods word giueth light
<PB N="57" REF="33"> to the &s;imple&s;t</HI> beleeuer. He that was &s;tupid and vnteachable before, doth now <HI>heare as the learned,</HI> with a holy kind of in&s;ight and iudge|ment: 2. Tim. 3. 15. P&s;al. 119. 130. Prou. 1. 4. 8. &amp; 5. 9.</P>
<P>Tenthly, he hath a<NOTE PLACE="marg">10. And the witne&s;&s;e of the Spirit of adoptio~.</NOTE> witne&s;&s;e within him&s;elf. <HI>He that beleeueth hath a witne&s;&s;e in him&s;elfe,</HI> 1. Ioh. 5. 10. For he hath the Spirit of adoption to certifie him infallibly of Gods loue to him, &amp; that he is the child of God, Rom. 8. 15. 16: and thus the beleeuers are
<PB N="58" REF="34"> &s;aid to be <HI>&s;ealed by the Spirit of promi&s;e,</HI> Ephe&s;. 1. 13. 14. God leaues a pawne, a pledge with e|uery Chri&s;tian that &s;hal be &s;aued, to be as the earne&s;t of his &s;aluation, and this pledge and ear|ne&s;t is Gods Spirit. And the Spirit te&s;tifies to the beleeuer, partly by re|uealing to him the cer|taintie &amp; truth of Gods promi&s;es in his word; &amp; partly by printing vpon his hart the&s;e &s;auing gra|ces, which di&s;tingui&s;h him from all others; and partly by powring vpon him the ioyes, which are
<PB N="59" REF="34"> called the ioyes of the holy Gho&s;t, in the v&s;e of Gods ordinances, as the inward ratificatio~ of the a&s;&s;urance of Gods loue and goodnes to the be|leeuer. Of which after.</P>
<P>La&s;tly, Faith may be<NOTE PLACE="marg">11. Beareth tho&s;e fruits following.</NOTE> di&s;cerned by many things it worketh, which are the fruits of it: and by the fruits of faith, we may know faith it &s;elfe. Faith is like the roote of a tree, that lyeth vnder ground, and cannot be &s;een without much dig|ging; but by the fruit the tree beareth, we may know what kind of root
<PB N="60" REF="35"> it hath, and of what &s;ort it is. Now the fruits of faith are the&s;e that fol|low, and &s;uch like, as,</P>
<P N="1">1. Loue to God and<NOTE PLACE="marg">1. Loue.</NOTE> the godly: for <HI>Faith wor|keth by loue,</HI> Gal. 5. 6.</P>
<P N="2">2. Cleanne&s;&s;e of the<NOTE PLACE="marg">2. Puritie of heart.</NOTE> thoughts and affections. For <HI>Faith purifieth the heart.</HI> It makes a man &s;triue after inward puri|tie, as well as outward: to get a <HI>cleane heart</HI> as well as <HI>cleane hands.</HI> It worketh humiliation for inward &s;innes as well as outward, Act. 15. 9. and driues a man to &s;eeke pardon in the name of
<PB N="61" REF="35"> Chri&s;t, for all &s;orts of in|ward perturbations and &s;ecret euils.</P>
<P N="3">3. <HI>Victorie ouer the</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">3. Victorie ouer the world.</NOTE> <HI>world.</HI> Faith ouercom|meth the world, 1. Iob. 5. 4. 5: and &s;o it doth, when it maketh a man &s;o re&s;t vpon God, and his truth and promi&s;e, as, if he be put to it, to deny the re|&s;pect of his owne credit, or profit, or plea&s;ures, or the di&s;plea&s;ure of carnal friends, or his hopes in matters of the world; re|&s;ting &s;atisfied with the expectation of the trea|&s;ures and plea&s;ures of a better world, yeelding
<PB N="62" REF="36"> him&s;elfe ouer to be gui|ded by Chri&s;t, and his truth, vnto the death, P&s;al. 48. 14. <HI>He liues by his faith,</HI> Gal. 2. 20.</P>
<P N="4">4. Humilitie. For a<NOTE PLACE="marg">4. Humility</NOTE> true faith excludes boa|&s;ting of our owne la|bors, gifts or prai&s;es; and makes vs able, out of the &s;ence of our owne vile|ne&s;&s;e, to acknowledge all the glory to Gods free grace and loue in Ie&s;us Chri&s;t, Rom. 3. 17. Gal. 3. 22.</P>
<P N="5">5. The confe&s;&s;ion<NOTE PLACE="marg">5 Confe&s;&s;io~</NOTE> and profe&s;&s;ion of the truth. Faith will make a man &s;peake in defence
<PB N="63" REF="36"> of the truth: <HI>I haue belee|ued, therefore haue I &s;po|ken,</HI> &s;aith <HI>Dauid,</HI> P&s;alme 116: which the Apo&s;tles pleade to proue their faith al&s;o: 2. Cor. 4. 13. 14.</P>
<P N="6">6. The putting on of<NOTE PLACE="marg">6. Applica|tion of Chri&s;ts righteou&s;|ne&s;&s;e.</NOTE> righteou&s;ne&s;&s;e, which is not by the works of the Law done by vs. The application of, and re|lying vpon the righte|ou&s;ne&s;&s;e of Ie&s;us Chri&s;t, is the proper and onely worke of true faith. Rom. 10.</P>
<P N="7">7. It opens a &s;pring<NOTE PLACE="marg">7. A verie &s;pring of grace.</NOTE> of graces in the heart of a true Chri&s;tian: he that
<PB N="64" REF="37"> is a true beleeuer, is qualified with &s;un|drie heauenly gifts, which were not in him by nature; which gifts do daily di&s;couer them|&s;elues in his heart, flo|wing from thence, as if there were a &s;pring of liuing waters in his bel|lie. <HI>Sanctification of the &s;pirit, and faith of the truth</HI> be in&s;eparable, Ioh. 7. 38. 2. The&s;&s;alo|nians, 2. 13.</P>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 N="5" TYPE="chapter">
<PB N="65" REF="37">
<HEAD>CHAP. V.</HEAD>
<ARGUMENT>
<P><HI>The triall of a godly man by &s;uch heauenly gifts as &s;erue him in his iour|ney to heauen.</HI></P>
</ARGUMENT>
<P>THus of his triall in his humiliation, and in his faith. It followeth in the third place to trie him by his gifts, which are the fruits of faith. The true Chri|&s;tian differs from the wicked man in two &s;orts<NOTE PLACE="marg">Two &s;orts of graces in a Chri|&s;tian.</NOTE> of gifts: Some of them are &s;uch gifts as are be|&s;towed vpon him from aboue, but &s;erue him
<PB N="66" REF="38"> onely for his &s;pirituall v&s;e, <HI>while he is on the way</HI> in his iourney to heauen, and &s;o onely in this life; &s;uch as are the <HI>&s;acred thir&s;t: The loue to the word,</HI> and meanes of his holine&s;&s;e: <HI>The &s;pirit of &s;upplication: The loue of his enemies,</HI> and <HI>his de|&s;ire after the appearance of Ie&s;us Chri&s;t.</HI> Other gifts he hath, which will accompanie him <HI>home into his heauenly country,</HI> and abide vpon him for euer, and are not aboli|&s;hed by death: &s;uch as are <HI>&s;auing knowledge, the loue of God,</HI> and <HI>the loue
<PB N="67" REF="38"> of the godly.</HI> Fir&s;t there|fore of tho&s;e heauenly gifts which will pa&s;&s;e a|way: and &s;o he is quali|fied with fiue di&s;tinct holy gifts, which cannot be found in any repro|bate.</P>
<P>The fir&s;t is <HI>his holy</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">The holy thir&s;t that is in the god|ly Chri|&s;tian tried by foure &s;ignes.</NOTE> <HI>thir&s;t,</HI> which is a heauen|ly kind of appetite, by which he is carried to the de&s;ire of things a|boue nature; &s;uch as are the merits and <HI>righte|ou&s;ne&s;&s;e of Chri&s;t:</HI> the <HI>fa|uour of God:</HI> the <HI>pre&s;ence of God:</HI> the <HI>full deliue|rance from all &s;inne:</HI> the <HI>remouing of &s;pirituall
<PB N="68" REF="39"> iudgements:</HI> the <HI>&s;alua|tion of other men,</HI> and the like; and this thir&s;t is a &s;igne the more infalli|ble.</P>
<P N="1">1. Becau&s;e it is <HI>con|&s;tant</HI> and indelible in this life. There is no part of his life, but it conti|nueth either in the <HI>&s;ence</HI> of his affection, or in the <HI>iudgement</HI> of his vnder|&s;tanding, &s;o as he ac|counts <HI>&s;pirituall things</HI> to be <HI>the be&s;t things:</HI> and though at &s;ome times his affections may be the le&s;&s;e moued after them, yet his appetite is <HI>daily renewed,</HI> as it is in
<PB N="69" REF="39"> the hunger, or thir&s;t, that is bodily.</P>
<P N="2">2. Becau&s;e it is <HI>indu|&s;trious.</HI> For this holy thir&s;t will guide him to a carefull <HI>v&s;e of all the meanes,</HI> by which good things may be attained; and doth not breathe it &s;elfe out onely with &s;ud|den and vaine wi&s;hes, or fla&s;hes of de&s;ire, P&s;al. 27. 4. 1. Pet. 2. 2. P&s;al. 63. 1. 2. P&s;alme 1. 2. Acts 2. 37.</P>
<P N="3">3. Becau&s;e it works a con&s;tant and &s;ecret <HI>me|ditation</HI> of heauenly things de&s;ired, the heart frequently &s;eekes after God day and night.
<PB N="70" REF="40"> I&s;aiah 26. 9. P&s;alme 63. 1. 6. For what we de&s;ire feruently, we thinke on almo&s;t continually.</P>
<P N="4">4. Becau&s;e if the Lord quench his thir&s;t, and &s;a|tisfie his de&s;ire in &s;piri|tuall things, <HI>the &s;oule be|comes as a watered gar|den;</HI> and then followes in him an heauenly kind of <HI>&s;atisfaction and con|tentment</HI> with &s;ingular delight in the &s;oule, and <HI>vowes</HI> and wi&s;hes of in|finite and eternall thank|fulne&s;&s;e, P&s;alme 63. 4. 5. Iere. 31. 25. 26.</P>
<P>And thus much of the fir&s;t gift.</P>
<PB N="71" REF="40">
<P>Secondly, the loue<NOTE PLACE="marg">His triall by his loue to the word.</NOTE> to the word is another &s;igne that he is the child of God, and a cleare eui|dence of his &s;aluation. Now becau&s;e all &s;orts of wicked men may re&s;ort to the exerci&s;es of the word, and tho&s;e that haue but a temporarie faith may &s;hew a great e&s;timation of the word, and find ioy in the hea|ring of it, &amp; &s;hew much zeale in things that con|cerne the word, and may yeeld &s;ome obedience to the directions of the word al&s;o: it is profita|ble to con&s;ider how the
<PB N="72" REF="41"> true Chri&s;tian may proue that his affection to the word is more &s;in|cere then that affection which any wicked man can bring to the word. And thus he may find that his heart is &s;ound in his loue to the word, by the&s;e marks.</P>
<P N="1">1. By his manner of<NOTE PLACE="marg">13. Signes to trie his affection to the word by.</NOTE> receiuing it, when he doth receiue the word, <HI>as the word of God, and not of men:</HI> &s;etting his heart before Gods pre|&s;ence, and being affe|cted as if the Lord him|&s;elfe &s;hould &s;peake vnto him. This no wicked
<PB N="73" REF="41"> man dares do: he dares not pre&s;ent him&s;elfe with the whole intend|ments of his heart be|fore the Lord. For this &s;igne the Apo&s;tle <HI>Paule</HI> acknowledged the The&s;|&s;alonians to be true Chri&s;tians, 1. The&s;&s;al. 2. 13.</P>
<P N="2">2. By his Appetite to the word. For there is in a godly man as true an hunger after the word, as the food of his &s;oule, as there is in his &s;to|mach after the foode of his body; which &s;hewes it &s;elfe to be the more &s;incere, becau&s;e it is con|&s;tant,
<PB N="74" REF="42"> he de&s;ires the word at all times, <HI>and as his appointed foode daily;</HI> as it is in the bodily ap|petite, though after fee|ding the &s;tomach may &s;eeme to be full and &s;a|tisfied, yet the hunger reuiues againe euery day, &s;o it is with the heart of a child of God: whereas wicked men re|gard the word but by fits, and in a pa&s;&s;ion, and then at length fall cleane away from the affection to it, P&s;al. 119. 20. Iob. 23. 12.</P>
<P N="3">3. By his loue to them that loue the word.</P>
<P N="4"><PB N="75" REF="42">4. By his &s;orrow, be|cau&s;e other men keepe not the word, P&s;al. 119. 136.</P>
<P N="5">5. By his vnfained e|&s;timation of the word a|boue all worldly things, accounting it to be an happy portion to enioy the word in the power and profit of it, P&s;al. 119. 14. 72. 111.</P>
<P N="6">6. By his de&s;ire &amp; de|light to <HI>exerci&s;e him&s;elfe in it day and night,</HI> that is, con&s;tantly, P&s;al. 1. 2.</P>
<P N="7">7. By his griefe ei|ther for the want of the meanes by which the word might be taught
<PB N="76" REF="43"> vnto him with power, accounting &s;uch want of the meanes to be a &s;ore famine; or for want of &s;ucce&s;&s;e in y^e v&s;e of the meanes whe~ he doth en|ioy it, P&s;a. 42. 3. Am. 8. 12.</P>
<P N="8">8. By the extent of his loue to all the words of God, euen the Law, that with threatening &s;hewes him his &s;in, and &s;earcheth out his mo&s;t &s;ecret corruptions; be|ing mo&s;t affected with that mini&s;tery that doth mo&s;t &s;harply rebuke &s;in.</P>
<P N="9">9. By his re&s;olution to labour as hard for the food of his &s;oule, as men
<PB N="77" REF="43"> do, or he would do for the food of his bodie, Ioh. 6. 27. Amos 8. 12.</P>
<P N="10">10. By the con&s;tant &s;weet ta&s;te he finds in it, e&s;pecially when it is po|werfully preached, P&s;al. 19. 10. 2. Cor. 2. 15.</P>
<P N="11">11. By the end he pro|pounds vnto him&s;elfe in the v&s;e of the word, which is, that he might not &s;inne; and that his wayes might be made plea&s;ing to God, hiding the word in his heart to this purpo&s;e, P&s;al. 119. 11.</P>
<P N="12">12. By his willingnes and re&s;olution to denie his owne rea&s;on and af|fections,
<PB N="78" REF="44"> his credite, his carnall friends, his pro|fits, or his plea&s;ures in any thing, when God &s;hould &s;o require it of him, and vpon any oc|ca&s;ion to &s;hew his hear|tie re&s;pect of the Go&s;|pell, Mar. 10. 2. 9. 1. Cor. 1. 18.</P>
<P N="13">13. By the effects of it: as,</P>
<P N="1">1. When for the loue he beares to the word; he will &s;eparate him&s;elfe from the wicked, that might any way with|draw his heart, or endan|ger his di&s;obedience, P&s;al. 119. 115.</P>
<P N="2"><PB N="79" REF="44">2. When he accounts the word to be his chiefe comfort in affliction, &amp; finds it to be the maine &s;tay, and &s;olace of his heart, P&s;al. 119. 23. 24. 50. 51. 54. 143.</P>
<P N="3">3. When it works in him effectually the re|dre&s;&s;e of his wayes, and freedome from the do|minion of &s;in, Ioh. 8. 33. P&s;al. 119. 45. 9. 59. 1. The&s;. 2. 13.</P>
<P N="4">4. When it works in him certaine and &s;en&s;i|ble a&s;&s;urance of heart before God. This a&s;&s;u|ra~ce is an infallible &s;igne of the right v&s;e of the
<PB N="80" REF="45"> word, 1. The&s;&s;. 1. 5.</P>
<P>And thus of the &s;e|cond gift.</P>
<P>The third gift is the<NOTE PLACE="marg">His triall by his gift of prayer.</NOTE> <HI>&s;pirit of prayer</HI> or &s;uppli|cation, as the Prophet <HI>Zacharie</HI> cals it, Zach. 12. 10: and this gift he hath aboue all wicked men, which he &s;hewes many<NOTE PLACE="marg">13. Rules of triall.</NOTE> wayes: as,</P>
<P N="1">1. He <HI>askes according to Gods will,</HI> 1. Ioh. 5. 14.</P>
<P N="2">2. He prays with per|&s;wa&s;ion that God will heare him. He <HI>beleeueth</HI> in &s;ome mea&s;ure <HI>that he &s;hall haue</HI> what he prays for. He prayes <HI>in faith,</HI> Mark. 11. 14. Iam. 1. 6. 7.
<PB N="81" REF="45"> P&s;al. 6. 9. 1. Ioh. 3. 19. 22.</P>
<P N="3">3. He prayes <HI>in the name of Chri&s;t,</HI> and is af|fected with the &s;ence of his owne vilene&s;&s;e, and relies vpon the merits and mediation of Ie&s;us Chri&s;t, Ioh. 14. 13. P&s;al. 86. 1. 2. &amp; 143. 4.</P>
<P N="4">4. He will pray <HI>at all times,</HI> Iob 27. 9. P&s;alme 106. 2.</P>
<P N="5">5. He is <HI>feruent in prayer:</HI> his heart prayeth: he hath the affections of prayer, Iam. 5. 16. P&s;al. 6. 8.</P>
<P N="6">6. Prayer makes him exceeding weary of the world: it giues him &s;uch
<PB N="82" REF="46"> a ta&s;te of his owne &s;in|fulne&s;&s;e, and of Gods goodne&s;&s;e, and of the glorie of heauen, that he is vehemently carried with <HI>de&s;ire to be ab&s;ent from the bodie, that he might be pre&s;ent with the Lord,</HI> P&s;al. 39. 12.</P>
<P N="7">7. <HI>When he knowes not how to pray as he ought, the Spirit</HI> prepares his heart, excites in him ho|ly de&s;ires, &s;upplies him &s;ometimes with words, &s;ometimes with affecti|ons, and &s;omtimes wor|keth inward <HI>vnexpre&s;&s;a|ble groanes,</HI> which yet it pre&s;ents to God, as effe|ctuall
<PB N="83" REF="46"> prayers, Ro. 8. 26. 27.</P>
<P N="8">8. He findes an holy <HI>re&s;t,</HI> and quietne&s;&s;e in his con&s;cience and heart, with &s;pirituall <HI>boldne&s;&s;e</HI> and <HI>confidence</HI> of tru&s;t in God, if he <HI>heare him gra|ciou&s;ly,</HI> and <HI>an&s;wer him</HI> in mercie, P&s;al. 3. 4. 5. 6. &amp; 116. 1. 7. &amp; 91. 15. 17. Ierem. 33. 3.</P>
<P N="9">9. <HI>He loues the Lord</HI> exceedingly <HI>for hearing his prayer,</HI> and de&s;ires to <HI>keepe him&s;elfe in the loue of God,</HI> P&s;al. 116. 1. Iude 20.</P>
<P N="10">10. His prayers pro|ceed from a heart that
<PB N="84" REF="47"> loues no &s;in, but de&s;ires to <HI>depart from iniquitie,</HI> and to do that which is plea&s;ing in Gods &s;ight, 2. Tim. 2. 19. 1. Ioh. 3. 22.</P>
<P N="11">11. He loues prayer in others, 2. Tim. 1. 22.</P>
<P N="12">12. He &s;triues again&s;t deadne&s;&s;e of &s;pirit and di&s;tractions, as an heauy burthen, P&s;al. 86. 3. 4.</P>
<P N="13">13. He makes prayer his chiefe refuge; and he will pray, though prayer be in neuer &s;o much di&s;|grace, P&s;al. 69. 10. 13. &amp; 142. 2. 5.</P>
<P>And thus of the third gift.</P>
<P>The fourth gift is the
<PB N="85" REF="47"> <HI>loue of his enemies.</HI> Any<NOTE PLACE="marg">His loue to his ene|mies tried.</NOTE> Chri&s;tia~ may loue &s;uch as loue him; but to loue his enemies, is onely to be found in the true Chri&s;tian, which he proues by the&s;e tokens of the &s;inceritie of his loue:</P>
<P N="1">1. He can <HI>pray</HI> hear|tily <HI>for them,</HI> yea in &s;ome ca&s;es he can mourne, &amp; <HI>humble his &s;oule</HI> before God for them in their di&s;tre&s;&s;es, P&s;al. 35. 13. 14.</P>
<P N="2">2. He <HI>de&s;ires their con|uer&s;ion</HI> &s;o vnfainedly, that he is &s;ure, if they were co~uerted, he could reioyce in them as hear|tily,
<PB N="86" REF="48"> as in tho&s;e he now much delights in.</P>
<P N="3">3. He can likewi&s;e <HI>for|giue</HI> them their particu|lar tre&s;pa&s;&s;es again&s;t him; being more grie|ued for their &s;ins again&s;t God, the~ for the wrongs they do him, Mat. 6. 14.</P>
<P N="4">4. He can freely ac|knowledge their iu&s;t prai&s;es.</P>
<P N="5">5. He can not onely patiently endure their reuilings, but can for|beare, when he could be reuenged by bringing &s;hame or mi&s;ery vpon them, 1. Pet. 3. 9. Rom. 12. 14. 1. Sam. 24. 18. 19:
<PB N="87" REF="48"> yea he doth, as he hath occa&s;ion, &s;triue to <HI>ouer|come their euil with good|ne&s;&s;e,</HI> being willing to helpe them, or releeue them in their mi&s;erie, and do them any good for the &s;oule or body.</P>
<P>The la&s;t gift which is found in the true Chri|&s;tian,<NOTE PLACE="marg">His triall by the loue to the appea|ring of Chri&s;t.</NOTE> while he is in the way in this life, is, <HI>His loue of the appearing of Chri&s;t,</HI> which he &s;hewes:</P>
<P N="1">1. By the longing af|ter the time of Chri&s;ts coming, whether by death or iudgement.</P>
<P N="2">2. By his gladne&s;&s;e at the promi&s;es, or &s;ignes
<PB N="88" REF="49"> of his particular or ge|nerall coming.</P>
<P N="3">3. By his often medi|tations of that day, and his hearty prayers for the ha&s;tening of it, Reu. 22. 10.</P>
<P N="4">4. By his daily care to di&s;patch all tho&s;e godly duties which he de&s;ires to do before his death, and accordingly by his willing di&s;po&s;ing of his e&s;tate, and ende|uors to &s;et his hou&s;e in order:</P>
<P>And this de&s;ire of Chri&s;ts coming is appa|rently the more &s;incere in him:</P>
<P N="1"><PB N="89" REF="49">1. Becau&s;e it ari&s;eth out of his loue to God, and his hatred of his owne &s;ins, and his weari|nes vnder the ob&s;erua|tion of other mens &s;ins.</P>
<P N="2">2. Becau&s;e this de&s;ire is accompanied with the care of the meanes, by which he may be pre|pared for &s;aluation.</P>
<P N="3">3. Becau&s;e he is thus affected euen in his pro&s;|peritie when he thriues in the world, and is not in any notable di&s;tre&s;&s;e.</P>
<P>Hitherto of his triall in &s;uch gifts as he is en|dowed withall in this life onely: his triall in the
<PB N="90" REF="50"> gifts that will abide in him for euer, follow.</P>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 N="6" TYPE="chapter">
<HEAD>CHAP. VI.</HEAD>
<ARGUMENT>
<P><HI>His triall in re&s;pect of &s;uch heauenly gifts as will not be aboli&s;hed by death.</HI></P>
</ARGUMENT>
<P>THe gifts that will abide in him for e|uer<NOTE PLACE="marg">The trial of his know|ledge.</NOTE> are the&s;e three: <HI>Knowledge, the loue of God,</HI> and the <HI>loue of the brethren.</HI> The&s;e are per|fected, and not aboli|&s;hed by death.</P>
<P>And fir&s;t, in his know|ledge<NOTE PLACE="marg">And &s;o he differs fro~ wicked men.</NOTE> he differs from all wicked men, and &s;o in
<PB N="91" REF="50"> diuers things: as,</P>
<P>Fir&s;t <HI>in the things he</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">In the things he knowes.</NOTE> <HI>knowes:</HI> he knowes the nature of God in a right manner: he knowes God in Ie&s;us Chri&s;t: he knowes the vilene&s;&s;e of his owne &s;innes: he knowes after an effectu|all manner the my&s;teries that concerne the &s;alua|tion of his &s;oule: he knowes his owne con|uer&s;ion, and the forgiue|ne&s;&s;e of his &s;innes, and the <HI>things that are giuen him of God:</HI> Mat. 13. 13. Iohn 17. 3. Iere. 31. 34. 1. Cor. 2. 12. He knowes that Ie&s;us Chri&s;t is in
<PB N="92" REF="51"> him, 2. Cor. 13. 5.</P>
<P>2. Secondly, <HI>in the</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">2. In the cau&s;e of his know|ledge.</NOTE> <HI>cau&s;e of his knowledge.</HI> For <HI>fle&s;h and bloud did not reueale</HI> tho&s;e things vnto him, he came not by them by the v&s;e of naturall meanes, but they are wrought in him by the word &amp; Spi|rit of God, Mat. 16. 17. 1. Iohn 2. 27. and 5. 10. 1. Cor. 1. 30.</P>
<P>Thirdly, in the effects<NOTE PLACE="marg">3. In the ef|fects of his knowledg.</NOTE> of his knowledge, for</P>
<P N="1">1. It breeds in him an vn&s;peakable refre&s;hing and gladne&s;&s;e of heart in Gods pre&s;ence, P&s;al. 36. 8. 9. 10. Philip. 1. 9.</P>
<P N="2"><PB N="93" REF="51">2. It inflames him to a wonderfull loue of the word of God aboue all earthly things, P&s;al. 119. 97. 98.</P>
<P N="3">3. It works in him an effectuall &s;auouring and ta&s;ting of the goodne&s;&s;e of &s;pirituall things: Ro. 8. 5.</P>
<P N="4">4. It enclines him to a con&s;tant obedience and practi&s;e of Gods will, Pro. 8. 9. 17. Iohn 7. 17. Deut. 4. 6. It redre&s;&s;eth his wayes, P&s;al. 119. 10. 1. Ioh. 2. 3. and 3. 24.</P>
<P N="5">5. It beates downe pride and conceitednes, and frowardne&s;&s;e, and
<PB N="94" REF="52"> makes him humble and teachable, Pro. 3. 5. 6. and 8. 13. 14. Iames 3. 17.</P>
<P>Fourthly, in the <HI>proper|ties</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">4. In the properties of his knowledge</NOTE> <HI>of his knowledge:</HI> for</P>
<P N="1">1. It is <HI>infallible:</HI> his knowledge hath <HI>much a&s;&s;urance</HI> in many things with &s;trong confidence, and re&s;olution at &s;ome times e&s;pecially, when he is before God, 1. The&s;. 1. 5.</P>
<P N="2">2. It is <HI>indelible,</HI> it can|not be vtterly blotted out, it is fa&s;t grauen in his heart; contrary do|ctrine, or per&s;ecution cannot raze it out, Iere. 31. 34. Eph. 4. 13. Prou.
<PB N="95" REF="52"> 4. 5. 6.</P>
<P N="3">3. It is <HI>&s;incere,</HI> for fir&s;t it inclineth him to giue glorie to God, and re|ceiue <HI>all truth,</HI> as well as any truth. He receiues the doctrine of God, though it be aboue rea|&s;on, and again&s;t the co~|mon opinion of men, or cro&s;&s;e his profit, or de&s;ires, or the like. Se|condly, it leades him principally <HI>to vnder|&s;tand his owne way,</HI> and guides him to &s;tudy the things chiefly that con|cerne his owne refor|mation and &s;aluation, Pro. 14. 8. Colo&s;. 3. 16.</P>
<PB N="96" REF="53">
<P>And thus he differs from wicked men in his knowledge.</P>
<P>Secondly, in his loue<NOTE PLACE="marg">His loue to God tried by 9. &s;ignes.</NOTE> to God he hath the&s;e things, which no wicked man can attaine to.</P>
<P N="1">1. He hath a deli|berate inward inflamed e&s;timation of God a|boue all things, accoun|ting <HI>his louing kindne&s;&s;e better then life,</HI> and the &s;ignes of his fauour his greate&s;t ioy, P&s;al. 63. 2. 11.</P>
<P N="2">2. He loues &amp; longs for the Lord Ie&s;us Chri&s;t with certaine &amp; &s;incere affection, Ephe&s;. 6. 24. 2. Tim. 4. 8.</P>
<P N="3"><PB N="97" REF="53">3. He delights in Gods pre&s;ence, and &s;hewes it by his vnfained loue to Gods hou&s;e, P&s;alme 26. 8: and by his heartie griefe for Gods ab&s;ence, Cant. 3. 1: and by his carefulne&s;&s;e to &s;et the Lord daily before him, walking in his &s;ight P&s;al. 16. 8.</P>
<P N="4">4. He hates &s;in hearti|ly becau&s;e God hates it; and he di&s;likes &s;inners, becau&s;e they hate God; accounting Gods ene|mies as if they were his owne enemies, P&s;al. 139. 21. 22. and 97. 10.</P>
<P N="5">5. He con&s;tantly de|&s;ires
<PB N="98" REF="54"> to be <HI>like God in ho|line&s;&s;e,</HI> being carefull to approue his affection to God by his <HI>obedience to his commandements,</HI> &s;o as it is not <HI>grieuous to him</HI> to receiue directions, but &s;erues God with all his heart, being fearefull to di&s;plea&s;e God in any thing, Ioh. 14. 21. 1. Io. 5. 3. Deut. 10. 12. and 11. 22: &amp; is more affected with Gods approbation then all the prai&s;e of men, Rom. 2. 26.</P>
<P N="6">6. He is much affe|cted with Gods mercie, &amp; the ble&s;&s;ings be&s;tow|ed vpon him, which he
<PB N="99" REF="54"> thankfully remembers to the prai&s;e of Gods free grace, E&s;a. 63. 7. P&s;al. 63. 2. 3. 4. 6. 8. &amp; 107. 22. Iob 36. 24. Deut. 6. 2.</P>
<P N="7">7. He loues all the godly for this rea&s;on chiefly, becau&s;e they are like vnto God in holi|ne&s;&s;e, as being begotten by him, 1. Ioh. 5. 1.</P>
<P N="8">8. He is as heartily vexed for any di&s;honor done to God, as for any di&s;grace offered to him|&s;elfe.</P>
<P N="9">9. Finally he &s;hewes it in diuers ca&s;es that befal him in his cour&s;e in this life: as,</P>
<P N="1"><PB N="100" REF="55">1. If he be put to &s;uf|fer any thing for Gods &s;ake, he endures it with much ioy and patience, 1. The&s;&s;. 1. 6. Act. 5. Iohn 22. 15, to 19.</P>
<P N="2">2. If at any time he offend God by his owne faultine&s;&s;e, he is heartily grieued and ca&s;t downe, and doth con&s;tantly de|&s;ire to for&s;ake any &s;inne, though neuer &s;o plea|&s;ing or gainefull vnto him, rather then he would di&s;plea&s;e God, Deut. 30. 6.</P>
<P N="3">3. In all &s;treights and wants, he runs to God, relying vpon God as his
<PB N="101" REF="55"> <HI>defence, rocke, and refuge</HI> in all times of troubles, making his moane vnto him, and powring out his prayers and com|plaints before him, P&s;al. 18. 1. 2.</P>
<P>Thus of his loue to God.</P>
<P>Thirdly, his loue to<NOTE PLACE="marg">His loue to the godly tried by ten &s;ignes.</NOTE> the godly doth al&s;o di|&s;tingui&s;h him from all the wicked men in the world, becau&s;e here are diuers things to be no|ted in his affection to them, which cannot be found in wicked men:</P>
<P N="1">1. As fir&s;t, he loues the godly aboue all other
<PB N="102" REF="56"> &s;orts of me~ in the world, he accounts them as the <HI>onely excellent people,</HI> P&s;al 16. 3. 1. Ioh. 3. 14. and af|fects them as if they were his naturall kinred, Rom. 12. 9. 10.</P>
<P N="2">2. He loues them not for carnall re&s;pects, but for the graces of God in them, for <HI>the truths &s;ake,</HI> and becau&s;e <HI>they are begotten of God,</HI> 1. Ioh. 5. 1. 2. Ioh. 1. 2. 3. Ioh. 1.</P>
<P N="3">3. He delights in their <HI>fellow&s;hip</HI> and &s;ocietie in the Go&s;pell, as accoun|ting them the happie companions of this life, P&s;al. 16. 3. 3. Ioh. 8. Phi|lippians
<PB N="103" REF="56"> 1. 5.</P>
<P N="4">4. He hath a <HI>fellow fee|ling</HI> of their mi&s;eries: he is in &s;ome mea&s;ure affe|ctioned to weepe with them that weepe, and re|ioyce with them that re|ioyce; e&s;pecially he is glad when their &s;oules pro&s;per: Rom. 12. 16. 3. Ioh. 3.</P>
<P N="5">5. His de&s;ire is to walk <HI>inoffen&s;iuely,</HI> as being loath any way to be <HI>an occa&s;ion of &s;tumbling,</HI> or &s;candall to any Chri&s;ti|an, 1 Ioh. 2. 10.</P>
<P N="6">6. He can beare <HI>their infirmities,</HI> take things in the be&s;t &s;ence, <HI>&s;uffer
<PB N="104" REF="57"> long,</HI> &amp; is <HI>not ea&s;ily prouo|ked:</HI> he <HI>hopeth all things,</HI> and <HI>boa&s;ts not him&s;elfe,</HI> or enuies them, nor will <HI>receiue an euill report a|gain&s;t them,</HI> 1. Pet. 4. 8. 1. Cor. 13. 4. 5. 6. but ra|ther makes Apologie for them.</P>
<P N="7">7. He ea&s;ily prai&s;eth them in all places for their grace, or obedi|ence, Rom. 16. 19. 3. Ioh. 6. P&s;al. 15. 5. 1. The&s;&s;. 1. 8.</P>
<P N="8">8. His <HI>wel-doing ex|tends it &s;elfe to them to</HI> his power, he is bounti|full, pitifull, and tender; he hath <HI>bowels of mercie,</HI> according to the occa|&s;ion
<PB N="105" REF="57"> of mercy, either cor+porall or &s;pirituall. He gladly receiueth them, and with a ready mind communicates to their nece&s;&s;ities, Philemon 7. 1. Pet. 3. 8. &amp; 4. 8. 1. Iohn 3. 17. 3. Ioh. 5.</P>
<P N="9">9. He loues <HI>all</HI> the bre|thren. He hath not the <HI>glorious faith of Chri&s;t in re&s;pect of per&s;ons,</HI> Iam. 2. 1. 2. Eph. 1. 5. Col. 1. 4. He can make him&s;elfe <HI>equal to them of the lower &s;ort,</HI> Rom. 12. 16.</P>
<P N="10">10. La&s;tly he loues them <HI>at all times,</HI> euen when they are in aduer|&s;itie, di&s;grace, &s;ickne&s;&s;e,
<PB N="106" REF="58"> or any other mi&s;ery.</P>
<P>Hitherto of the godly mans triall by his gifts.</P>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 N="7" TYPE="chapter">
<HEAD>CHAP. VII.</HEAD>
<ARGUMENT>
<P><HI>The trial of the godly man by his works of obe|dience.</HI></P>
</ARGUMENT>
<P>THe fourth way to<NOTE PLACE="marg">His works tried by 7. &s;ignes.</NOTE> try him, is by his workes, or by his obedience in his life and conuer&s;ation; and &s;o his works excel all the workes of vnregenerate men many wayes: as,</P>
<P N="1">1. Becau&s;e what he doth, ari&s;eth <HI>out of the
<PB N="107" REF="58"> loue he heares to God and goodne&s;&s;e;</HI> and therefore he doth good heartily, and not by con&s;traint, or with repining, or delay: yea he is &s;o &s;tirred vp with the &s;ence of Gods goodne&s;&s;e to him, that he is much hu~bled when he hath done his be&s;t, that hee cannot bring more glorie to God, Deut. 30. 20. Io&s;h. 22. 5. Mat. 4. 19. Rom. 6. 27.</P>
<P N="2">2. In doing good he hath <HI>re&s;pect vnto all Gods commandements:</HI> there is no part of an holy life but he de&s;ires to practi&s;e it; and therefore he will
<PB N="108" REF="59"> obey Gods will in &s;ome ca&s;es when it is again&s;t his profit, credit, ea&s;e, or the liking of carnall friends, preferring Gods co~mandements aboue all things, yea life it &s;elf, 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.</P>
<P N="3">3. He will do good <HI>at all times,</HI> and not for a fit; making con&s;cience of his wayes in all com|panies as well as any; <HI>ab|&s;ent</HI> as wel as <HI>pre&s;ent;</HI> be|fore meane Chri&s;tians, as wel as before the be&s;t:
<PB N="109" REF="59"> at home as well as a|broad, Phil. 2. 12. Gal. 5. 7. 2. Kin. 18. 6. P&s;al. 106. 2.</P>
<P N="4">4. He makes co~&s;cience of <HI>the lea&s;t co~mandement</HI> as well as of the greate&s;t, Mat. 5. 19. Gal. 3. 7.</P>
<P N="5">5. <HI>He comes to the light, that his deeds might be manife&s;t, that they are wrought in God,</HI> Ioh. 3. 21. He is de&s;irous in all things to be guided by the warrant of the word of God.</P>
<P N="6">6. He exerci&s;eth his <HI>faith</HI> in the very di&s;|charge of the duties of his outward conuer&s;ati|on. He <HI>liues by the faith
<PB N="110" REF="60"> of the Sonne of God,</HI> and <HI>commits his way to God,</HI> and tru&s;teth vpon the name of the Lord, Gal. 2. 20.</P>
<P N="7">7. He knoweth that his obedience is right, becau&s;e <HI>God heareth his prayers,</HI> and entertaines him graciou&s;ly, when he calls vpon him in &s;e|cret; whereas God hea|reth not &s;inners; and if wickedne&s;&s;e were in his heart, God would not regard his prayers, Ioh. 9. 31. P&s;al. 66. 18.</P>
<P>And thus of his works.</P>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 N="8" TYPE="chapter">
<PB N="111" REF="60">
<HEAD>CHAP. VIII.</HEAD>
<ARGUMENT>
<P><HI>His triall by the enter|tainment he hath from God.</HI></P>
</ARGUMENT>
<P><MILESTONE N="5"> THe fifth way by which he may be tried, is by the en|tertainment that God vouch&s;afeth him in this life, which he neuer vouch&s;afeth to wicked men. There are diuers<NOTE PLACE="marg">Sixe fauors God be|&s;towes vp|pon him which the wicked ne|uer feele. 1. Election in time.</NOTE> &s;pecialities of fauour which God &s;heweth to him, and not to any vn|regenerate man: As</P>
<P N="1">1. His <HI>election in time</HI> is a manife&s;t token of
<PB N="112" REF="61"> Gods election of him before time: the Lord &s;hews that he hath cho|&s;en him fro~ euerla&s;ting, when by the power of the Go&s;pell he &s;eizeth vpon him particularly, &amp; effectually per&s;wades him to leaue the world, and the &s;infull &s;ocietie he liued in, and to de|uote him&s;elfe as a <HI>liuing &s;acrifice</HI> vnto God.</P>
<P N="2">2. He is <HI>baptized with</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">2. The bap|ti&s;me by fire.</NOTE> <HI>the holy Gho&s;t and fire:</HI> the <HI>bapti&s;me by fire</HI> is onely proper to Gods Elect: the holy Gho&s;t at &s;ome times falls vpon him, &amp; &s;ets him all on a fire, on
<PB N="113" REF="61"> a fire I &s;ay, both of &s;ud|daine and violent indig|nation at &s;inne, as it is &s;inne; as al&s;o the fire of holy affections, with which from God he fre|quently and on a &s;udden is inflamed, while he &s;tands before the Lord. For be&s;ides the affectio~ which a godly man brin|geth with him to Gods wor&s;hip, he doth feele his heart oftentimes on a &s;udden &s;urpri&s;ed with &s;trange impre&s;&s;ions, &s;ometimes of &s;orrow, &s;ometimes of feare and awful dread of God; &s;ometimes of feruent
<PB N="114" REF="62"> de&s;ires after God: &s;ome|times of &s;trong re&s;olu|tions of holy duties to be done by him, and the like, Math. 3. 11.</P>
<P N="3">3. He feeles at &s;ome|times<NOTE PLACE="marg">3. Much a&s;&s;urance.</NOTE> in the v&s;e of Gods ordinances a maruel|lous worke of the holy Gho&s;t, in re&s;pect of <HI>much a&s;&s;urance</HI> &amp; &s;trange e&s;tabli&s;hment of his heart, both in the cer|taine per&s;wa&s;io~ of Gods loue, and the infallible beleefe of the truth; &s;o as at that time no dan|ger or death could a|maze him, but he could willingly witne&s;&s;e his
<PB N="115" REF="62"> confidence by vndergo|ing any thing could be|fall him, 1. The&s;&s;. 1. 5.</P>
<P N="4">4. He feeles at &s;ome|times<NOTE PLACE="marg">4. Ioy vn|&s;peakable.</NOTE> the <HI>vn&s;peakable &amp; glorious ioyes of the holy Gho&s;t,</HI> which are differing from the carnal ioyes or illu&s;ions may be found in wicked men, becau&s;e they are &s;uch ioyes, as he feeles onely in the v&s;e of &s;ome ordinances of God, and &s;uch as by ef|fect make him more humble, and vile in his owne eyes, and do en|flame him to an high de+gree of the loue of God and goodne&s;&s;e; which
<PB N="116" REF="63"> illu&s;ions can neuer do.</P>
<P N="5">5. <HI>The &s;anctification of</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">5. The &s;an|ctification of his affli|ctions.</NOTE> <HI>his afflictions</HI> is another infallible &s;igne of Gods loue to him. For God makes his cro&s;&s;es to be|come ble&s;&s;ings vnto him, &amp; worke his good, &s;o as he may plainly &s;ee, that it was <HI>good for him to be afflicted:</HI> &amp; be&s;ides, God giues him many times the experience of his goodne&s;&s;e both by vnexpected con&s;olation in his di&s;tre&s;&s;es, &amp; graci|ous deliuerance out of them&punc; Rom. 8. 28. P&s;. 119.</P>
<P N="6">6. La&s;tly, to this place<NOTE PLACE="marg">6. The an|&s;wer of his prayers.</NOTE> I may referre Gods hea|ring
<PB N="117" REF="63"> &amp; an&s;wering of his prayers; whereas God doth not heare &s;inners, as was &s;hewed in the end of the former Chapter.</P>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 N="9" TYPE="chapter">
<HEAD>CHAP. IX.</HEAD>
<ARGUMENT>
<P><HI>His triall by the Sacra|ments.</HI></P>
</ARGUMENT>
<P>THe &s;ixt &amp; la&s;t way<NOTE PLACE="marg">Sixe rules of his triall about the &s;acrament.</NOTE> of triall of the e&s;tate of a Chri&s;ti|an, is by the Sacraments, and in particular by the <HI>Sacrament of the Lords &s;upper.</HI> For God hath ap|pointed the two Sacra|ments to be his broad
<PB N="118" REF="64"> &s;eales to a&s;&s;ure his fauor vnto his people: and be|cau&s;e none but worthy receiuers ca~ be partakers of &s;o great a priuiledge as the couena~t of Gods grace, and the Go&s;pel of Ie&s;us Chri&s;t: therefore hereby doth the true Chri&s;tian di&s;tingui&s;h him&s;elfe from all men. For in becoming a <HI>wor|thy receiuer</HI> he doth di|uers things not only re|quired in co~municants, but &s;uch as none but godly men can attaine vnto: As,</P>
<P N="1">1. He <HI>doth forgiue his enemies,</HI> as heartily as he
<PB N="119" REF="64"> de&s;ires God to forgiue him his tre&s;pa&s;&s;es.</P>
<P N="2">2. He <HI>examines him|&s;elfe,</HI> and vpon examina|tion he both <HI>eates with &s;owre hearbes</HI> (that is, comes with &s;ome mea|&s;ure of griefe for his of|fences) and withall finds as vnfained a de&s;ire, that he might neuer offend God in any thing as that God &s;hould there a&s;&s;ure him of the forgiuenes of his &s;ins, and that he will neuer puni&s;h him for any of them, 1. Cor. 11.</P>
<P N="3">3. The couenant of his heart is to cleaue to God, and the care of
<PB N="120" REF="65"> godline&s;&s;e all the dayes of his life, 1. Cor. 5. 8.</P>
<P N="4">4. He is in &s;ome mea|&s;ure per&s;waded of Gods loue to him in Chri&s;ts, &amp; <HI>di&s;cernes the Lords body,</HI> &s;o as he is &s;ecretly in &s;ome degree per&s;waded of the &s;pirituall pre&s;ence of Ie&s;us Chri&s;t, &amp; of the operation of God: &s;o as he beleeueth, that Chri&s;t will as certainly nouri&s;h his &s;oule, as the outward elements can any way be fit to nouri&s;h his bo|dy, Mar. 16. 16. Col. 2. 12. 1. Cor. 11.</P>
<P N="5">5. He &s;ometimes feeles the holy Gho&s;t inward|ly,
<PB N="121" REF="65"> &s;etting to Gods priuy &s;eale by &s;udden refre&s;h|ings falling like the dew vpon his heart, and e&s;ta|bli&s;hing his &s;oule before the Lord, Eph. 1. 13. 1. Cor. 1. 12.</P>
<P N="6">6. His heart is knit vn|to the godly more and more, and increa&s;eth in his re&s;olution to cleaue to them onely, and for|&s;ake all other profe&s;&s;ions of men in the world; lo|uing them vnfainedly, and de&s;iring for euer to be a partaker of their lot. 1. Cor. 10. 16.</P>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 N="10" TYPE="chapter">
<PB N="122" REF="66">
<HEAD>CHAP. X.</HEAD>
<ARGUMENT>
<P><HI>The directions that &s;hew him how to get a&s;&s;urance by the helpe of the&s;e &s;ignes.</HI></P>
</ARGUMENT>
<P>HItherto of the &s;ignes of the god|ly man. Now fol|lowes the cour&s;e that the weake Chri&s;tian &s;hould take by the v&s;e of the former &s;ignes of triall, to e&s;tabli&s;h his heart in the a&s;&s;urance of Gods fauour, and his owne eternall &s;aluation.</P>
<P>My aduice is therfore, that the weak Chri&s;tian that finds want of e&s;ta|bli&s;hment and cleare a&s;|&s;urance,
<PB N="123" REF="66"> &s;hould take the former &s;ignes of trial, &amp; go apart, and &s;et him&s;elf in Gods pre&s;ence, emp|tying his heart of world|ly di&s;tractions, and &s;eri|ou&s;ly con&s;ider of euery rule of triall apart; and gather out into &s;ome li|tle paper-book &s;o much as in euery &s;igne he can clearly find to be in him&s;elf, and that which he dur&s;t through Gods mercy re&s;olutly auouch to be wrought in him by the grace of God. And this I would haue him to do with delibe|ration, trying him&s;elfe
<PB N="124" REF="67"> by one or two of the chiefe heads at mo&s;t in a day, &s;pending no more time about it then he may well allow, without wearine&s;&s;e or dulne&s;&s;e.</P>
<P>Now becau&s;e he may be perhaps di&s;couraged with the ob&s;eruation of diuers things, which he may find wa~ting in him|&s;elfe in euery &s;igne; he mu&s;t therfore take &s;ome &s;ound notice of the di|&s;tinction of Chri&s;tians made by the Apo&s;tle <HI>Iohn,</HI> 1. Ioh. 2, who ca&s;ts all true Chri&s;tians into three &s;orts. Some are <HI>In|fants,</HI> and either new
<PB N="125" REF="67"> borne, or but weakly qualified with the gra|ces of Chri&s;t: yet are right, &amp; haue true grace in &s;ome mea&s;ure. Others are <HI>&s;trong men,</HI> that is, &s;uch as haue the gifts of the Spirit liuely and in their power in them. O|thers are <HI>Fathers,</HI> that is, &s;uch as haue had long experience in the pow|erfull practi&s;e of godli|nes, and haue bene long exerci&s;ed in all kinds of weldoing. Now all the&s;e three &s;orts may be &s;up|po&s;ed to come to the&s;e &s;ignes. The weake Chri|&s;tian only takes to a few
<PB N="126" REF="68"> of the plaine&s;t marks in the explication of each &s;igne. The &s;trong Chri|&s;tia~ he takes to the mo&s;t of the marks. The Fa|thers they in a manner di&s;cerne all the particu|lars of Gods graces, and the &s;euerall workings of them. Each of the&s;e, eue~ the weak Chri&s;tian may &s;ee &s;o much as may &s;tay his heart in a&s;&s;urance, &amp; &s;o &s;ettle his faith &amp; ioy.</P>
<P>When there are many &s;ignes of one &amp; the &s;elf-&s;ame thing, it is &s;uffici|ent if it can be demon|&s;trated, though it be but a few ways, &s;eeing euery
<PB N="127" REF="68"> particular marke being warranted by Scripture, hath force to conclude for a&s;&s;urance, and to proue, that we differ fro~ all the wicked men in the world.</P>
<P>Though at the fir&s;t in reading but a &s;igne or two, thou get but a few things may co~fort thee, yet hold out till thou come to the end of all the &s;ignes, &amp; then thou &s;halt &s;ee a faire army (as it were of arguments) to proue thy election and &s;aluation. For whereas the mo&s;t and be&s;t of vs, if we be asked this que|&s;tion,
<PB N="128" REF="69"> By what marks do we know that we are the true children of God, &amp; not wicked men? If we an&s;wer on a &s;udden, and by pre&s;ent memory, we can &s;carce giue two &s;ou~d rea&s;ons to proue the in|fallibilitie of our happy e&s;tate: which &s;hews, that the mo&s;t of vs liue at a great vncertaintie. Now he y^t hath gone through the &s;ignes, &s;hal find per|haps 20, or 30, or 40 &s;e|uerall and di&s;tinct argu|ments or markes, which when he hath collected them all together, may &s;erue to an&s;wer all the
<PB N="129" REF="69"> obiections of all the di|uels in hell. <HI>The gates of hell ca~not preuaile again&s;t his faith:</HI> which I declare thus: If the diuell &s;ay, thou art a wicked man, and an hypocrite; thou maye&s;t readily an&s;wer, that by y^e grace of God in Ie&s;us Chri&s;t thou art none &s;uch; and maye&s;t put the diuell to proue by the word of God, that euer any wicked ma~ did attain to all tho&s;e &s;ignes thou ha&s;t collected. Which, becau&s;e it ca~not be done, thou maye&s;t with much re&s;t and full a&s;&s;urance co~mit thy &s;elf
<PB N="130" REF="70"> to God, and bind thy &s;elf by couena~t, neuer more to di&s;honor him by &s;uch vnbeleefe, as to call his loue &amp; thy &s;aluatio~ into que&s;tion. If a threefold cord cannot be broken, how weake then &s;hould thy heart be, if thou &s;hould&s;t feare thy e&s;tate, vnto which God hath &s;o &s;ealed, and &s;o many wayes marked thee out for him&s;elfe?</P>
<P>And for thy further &s;atisfaction: after thou ha&s;t collected thy &s;ignes together, thou maye&s;t carry them to thy godly Pa&s;tor, and de&s;ire him
<PB N="131" REF="70"> to peru&s;e them, and ac|cordingly to giue thee his mini&s;teriall te&s;timo|ny concerning them in the name of Ie&s;us Chri&s;t; and this may adde much &s;atisfaction &amp; re&s;t to thy con&s;cience.</P>
<P>If in reading any of the &s;ignes, thou find any &s;peciall doubts; at any ha~d &s;uppre&s;&s;e them not, but &s;eeke re&s;olution fro~ doubt to doubt, and fro~ &s;igne to &s;igne. Thou may&s;t gain much profi|table knowledg by pro|pounding the&s;e ca&s;es of thy particular co~&s;cience.</P>
<P>The lea&s;t gaine that
<PB N="132" REF="71"> can be imagined by this cour&s;e, is, that whereas before thou had&s;t few e|uide~ces or none for thy e&s;tate, thou &s;halt now haue many of all &s;orts: and it mu&s;t needs be thy owne waiwardnes, if a&s;|&s;urance follow not. For the&s;e &s;ignes wil ran&s;acke thee, and try thy very heart and reines, and all thy &s;ecrete&s;t de&s;ires and practi&s;es.</P>
<P>Yea this benefit thou mai&s;t reap by the &s;ignes, that they wil tell thee all the days of thy life, how it is with thee, whether thou go forward or back
<PB N="133" REF="71"> ward. For if by exami|nation now thou gather out all thou can&s;t find by thy &s;elf, the&s;e wil not onely lie by thee to help thee again&s;t any temp|tation at any time; but be&s;ides, if thou try thy &s;elf again, either again&s;t the next Sacrament, or the next yeare, thou maye&s;t di&s;cerne what grou~d thou ha&s;t gotten or lo&s;t. If thou pro&s;per, thou wilt di&s;cerne it, by taking in diuers things in each &s;igne, which be|fore thou dur&s;t not ac|knowledge; and be&s;ides it will excellently &s;hew
<PB N="134" REF="72"> thee what thou wante&s;t in each grace of God, &amp; &s;o what thou &s;houlde&s;t &s;et thy &s;elfe about to get thy wants &s;upplied. It will at all times make a true Anatomy of thy e|&s;tate; which to the well-adui&s;ed Chri&s;tian ought to be accounted a mat|ter of great moment.</P>
<P>The God of peace giue thee all peace and ioy in beleeuing. If thou receiue any good by this Treati&s;e, prai&s;e God, and pray for me.</P>
<TRAILER>FINIS.</TRAILER>
<PB REF="72">
</DIV1>
</BODY>
</TEXT>
</EEBO>
</ETS>
