The Marrow of the Oracles of God, Chapter 10 – Table of contents 2
CHAP. X.
The directions that shew him how to get assurance by the helpes of those signes.
HItherto of the signes of the godly man. Now followes the course that the weak Christian should take by the vse of the former signes of tryall, to establish his heart in the assurance of Gods fauour, and his owne eternall saluation.
My aduice is therefore, that the weake Christian that findes want of establishment and cleare assurance, should take the former signes of tryall, and goe apart, and set himselfe in Gods presence, emptying his heart of worldly distractions, and seriously consider of eueryevery rule of tryall apart; and gather out into some little paper-booke so much as in eueryevery signe hee can clearely find to be in himselfe, and that which hee durst through Gods mercy resolutely auouch to bee wrought in him by the grace of God. And this I would hauehave him to doe with deliberation, trying himselfe by one or two of the chiefe heads at most in a day, spending no more time about it then he may well allow, without wearinesse or dulnesse.
Now because he may be perhaps discouraged with the obseruation of diuers things, which he may find wanting in himselfe in eueryevery signe; hee must therefore take sound notice of the distinction of Christians made by the Apostle Iohn, 1 Iohn 2. who casts al true Christians into three sorts. Some are Infants, and either new borne, or but weakely qualified with the graces of Christ; yet are right, and hauehave true grace in some measure. Others are strong men, that is, such as hauehave the gifts of the Spirit liuely and in their power in them. Others are Fathers, that is, such as hauehave had long experience in the powerful practice of godlinesse, and hauehave beene long exercised in all kinds of well-doing. Now all these three sorts may be supposed to come to these signes. The weake Christian onelyonly takes to a few of the plainest markes in the explication of each signe. The strong Christian he takes to the most of the markes. The Fathers they in a manner discerne all the particulars of Gods graces, and the seuerall workings of them. Each of these, euen the weake Christian, may see so much as may stay his heart in assurance, and so settle his faith and ioy.
When there are many signes of one and the selfe-same thing, it is sufficient if it can be demonstrated, though it be but a few wayes, seeing eueryevery particular marke being warranted by Scripture, hath force to conclude for assurance, and to proue that wee differ from all the wicked men in the world.
Though at the first in reading but a signe or two, thou get but a few things may comfort thee, yet hold out till thou come to the end of all the signes, and then thou shalt see a faire armie (as it were of arguments) to prooue thy election and saluation. For whereas the most and best of vsus if wee be asked this question, By what markes doe we know that we are the true children of God, and not wicked men? If we answer on a sudden, and by present memory, we can scarce giuegive two sound reasons to prooue the infallibilitie of our happy estate: which shewes, that the most of …s liue at a great vncertaintie. Now he that hath gone through the signes, shall finde perhaps twenty, or thirty, or fortie seueral and distinct arguments or markes, which when he hath collected them all together, may serue to answer all the obiections of all the Diuels in Hell. The gates of hell cannot preuale against his faith: which I declare thus: If the Diuell say, Thou art a wicked man, and an hypocrite; thou mayest readily answer, that by the grace of God in Iesus Christ thou art none such; and mayest put the Diuel to proue by the Word of God; that euer any wicked man did attaine to all those signes thou hast collected. Which, because it cannot bee done, thou mayest with much rest and full assurance commit thy selfe to God, and bind thy selfe by Couenant, neuer more to dishonour him by such vnbe…efe, as to call his louelove and his saluation into question. If a three-fold cord cannot bee broken, how weake then should thy heart be, if thou shouldst feare thy estate, vntounto which God hath so sealed, and so many wayes marked thee out for himselfe?
And for thy further satisfaction: after thou hast collected thy signes together, thou mayest carrie them to thy godly Pastor, and desire him to peruse them, and accordingly giuegive thee his ministeriall testimonie concerning them in the name of Iesus Christ, and this may adde much satisfaction and rest to thy conscience.
If in reading any of the signes, thou finde any speciall doubts, at any hand suppresse them not, but seeke resolution from doubt to doubt, and from signe to signe. Thou mayst gaine much profitable knowledge by propounding these cases 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 hauehave 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 onelyonly 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 giuegive 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 vponupon your Ladiship, to testifie my thankefulnesse or obseruance, I present this little Treatise vntounto you. It may hauehave 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 hauehave them but in weake measure, may by the same Rules learne how to increase them.
I hauehave 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 hauehave 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 vntounto the Truth, as you hauehave 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 merciemercy.
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 vntounto 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 louelove his enemies. page 256. to 258.
CHAP. VIII.
HOw sauing knowledge may be gotten and increased, pag. 238. to 260.
How the louelove of God may bee wrought in vsus. pag. 260. to 262.
How the louelove 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.