Symptomes of growth & decay to godlinesse: in LX. signs of a living and dying Christian. With the causes of decay, and remedies for recovery. / By Francis Smith.

Title

Symptomes of growth & decay to godlinesse: in LX. signs of a living and dying Christian. With the causes of decay, and remedies for recovery. / By Francis Smith.

Author

Smith, Francis, fl. 1657-1689.

Publication

London :: Printed by G. Dawson, for F.S. at the Elephant and Castle, near Temple-Bar,

1660.

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Subject terms

Christian life

Link to this Item

https://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/eebo2/a93343.0001.001 content_copy

Cite this Item

"Symptomes of growth & decay to godlinesse: in LX. signs of a living and dying Christian. With the causes of decay, and remedies for recovery. / By Francis Smith." In the digital collection Early English Books Online 2. https://name.umdl.umich.edu/A93343.0001.001. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed May 2, 2024. content_copy

Contents

• title page
• imprimatur
• TO Every Judicious and Considerate READER.
• To all that are called to be Saints, especially my dear Rela∣tions in Yorkshire West-Riding; Toge∣ther with my Brethren and Compani∣ons in the Faith, in and about the Ci∣ty of London, Grace and Peace be mul∣tiplied.
• A TABLE OF THE CONTENTS.
• SIGNS OF A Living and Growing CHRISTIAN.
• SIGNS OF A Dying Christian.
  • CHAP. I. Containing in it a Sign of Dying to Christ; with three causes of its coming, which be∣ing avoyded, may serve as remedies against its ruin; with profitable Objections answer∣ed.
    • SIGN I. When you are so indifferent to assemble, that you can come, or cannot come.
  • CHAP. II. Containing three Causes of weariness to spiri∣tual Worship, and the principal Reasons thereof.
    • SIGN II. VVHen in your purest Worship, you are quickly weary.
  • CHAP. III. Briefly showing the cause of wearyness to hear any Truth often.
    • SIGN III. VVHen you care not to hear one mat∣ter often, though a suitable truth.
  • CHAP. IV. Briefly shewing, how want of Charity in hearers, causeth them dislike what is preach∣ed.
    • SIGN IV. VVHen few Sermons will please you, either you like not mat∣ter, or manner, or man.
  • CHAP. V. Containing five Causes of deceit fully thinking we know enough; with four marks to know when we are under that deceit.
    • SIGN V. VVHen you think you know enough.
  • CHAP. VI. Containing in it Christians aptness, through weakness, to neglect coming to Christs Ta∣ble; with a short discription of offences, that seemingly may hinder; and three Causes of this Decay.
    • SIGN VI. VVHen a small offence will keep you from Christs Table.
  • CHAP. VII. Shewing the great decay to Christianity, when mindless to Prayer; with a plain discove∣ry of the Necessity, Excellency, Lets, and Helps to Prayer, in sixteen particulars.
    • SIGN VII. VVHen you have no great mind to Prayer.
  • CHAP. VIII. Shewing the great Decay to Christianity, when mindless to Reading and Meditation in the holy Scriptures; with six Calamities ve∣ry observable, which Scripture Ignorance brings.
    • SIGN VIII. VVHen Reading and Meditation in the holy Scriptures, is not delightful but burthensome unto you.
  • CHAP. IX. Shewing that an itching ear in Christians af∣ter Novelties, bespeak them decaying to godliness: with four Remedies against it.
    • SIGN IX. VVHen you are mighty inquisitive af∣ter Novelties, or new things, ra∣ther than wholsome Doctrine.
  • CHAP. X. Proving us dying to Christ, when others sin∣ings are not our sorrowings; with two Re∣medies against this Decay.
    • SIGN X. VVHen you can hear of foul miscarri∣ages in others, with little or no heart remorse.
  • CHAP. XI. Shewing that unsavoury talking among Chri∣stians when they meet, proves them earthly minded: with three Causes of this Decay.
    • SIGN XI. VVHen in your comings together, your talk is not savoury and heavenly.
  • CHAP. XII. Proving Ʋnpreparedness to hear the Word of God, a Sign of Dying to Christ; with three sorts of Hindrances, which must be laid a∣side; and what must be our work; before Hearing, in Hearing, and after Hearing.
    • SIGN. XII. VVHen you are so little prepared for the solemn Assemblies, that they come before you think of them, or long for them.
  • CHAP. XIII. Proving the state of such to be sad, who assem∣ble together more for fear of mans eye than Gods: with four Discriptions, how such may be known, (or know themselves) with two Causes of this decay.
    • SIGN. XIII. VVHen you come to the Assembly, more for fear of brethrens eye, than Christs eye.
  • CHAP. XIV. Shewing our state dying, when we are more troubled at the decayes in our House, than in Christs House; with four marks to know when we are so dying.
    • SIGN XIV. VVHen the decay in Christs House, less troubles you than the decay in your own House.
  • CHAP. XV. Shewing that want of weeping in some, when others of Christs Children with grief are stooping, declares such to him a dying: shew∣ing also in four respects how we are to pitty; with four Remedies against this Decay.
    • SIGN XV. WHen you can see Christs Children stoop with trouble, and you not, or little Sympathize with them.
  • CHAP. XVI. Shewing that when the name of Christ, and credit to his Gospel; is not so dear to us as personal sufferings, we are then surely on the dying hand: and that in estate, body and life, we ought to submit if called to suffering: with four Causes of Decay here.
    • SIGN XVI. VVHen you will rather betray the Name of Christ Jesus, and the credit of his Gospel by your silence; then appear for it, to your own suffering and disparagement.
  • CHAP. XVII. Shewing, that sinning through impatience, under Offences; is a certain mark of deep decay; with Objections, and Answers, pro∣ving the degrees of anger; and three Causes why Christians are impatient unto sin.
    • SIGN XVII. VVHen at a small offence, you are so impatient that you commit great sin.
  • CHAP. XVIII. Proving those Christians to be almost dead, that make it more their business, to get the Form than the Power of Religion; with its Causes and Remedies.
    • SIGN XVIII. VVHen you are more careful to get the words of Christs People, than the spirit of Christs People; the Form than the Power.
  • CHAP. XIX. Containing in it a description of a decaying Christian, by his light trouble at Miscar∣riages, though known to Gods eye, while kept from mans eye; with two special Causes of this Decay.
    • SIGN XIX. VVHen you are not much troubled at your own Miscarriages, while they are kept from publick view.
  • CHAP. XX. Shewing the heart very bad, when under faults it cannot bear plain dealing; with three Causes of this badness.
    • SIGN XX. VVHen you love least those Brethren, that deal most faithfully with you, in the opening your soars, and tendering your Remedies.
  • CHAP. XXI. Proving the condition of the rich as well as the poor, to be a condition of trouble; and that whether it be common or more than ordinary, to be answerable in prayer; with a discripti∣on of the different kinds of trouble; with pro∣fitable Objections answered.
    • SIGN XXI. VVHen under more than ordnary trou∣ble, afflictions, or straits, you are not more than ordnary in Prayer.
  • CHAP. XXII. Containing in it an Assertion of the Causes of Affliction; and that without great provoca∣tion God is not wont to afflict his people; and though provoked, very unwilling to extremi∣ty: With four Objections that seem to com∣plain against this Doctrine, Answered.
    • SIGN. XXII. VVHen you are mighty careless to In∣quire after the spiritual cause of Affliction, and mighty careful to Inquire after the natural cure.
  • CHAP. XXIII. Proving those Christians under great Decay, that pray more in Affliction to have it remo∣ved, than sanctified; with three Causes of this Decay.
    • SIGN XXIII. VVHen you pray more for Afflictions being removed, than sanctified.
  • CHAP. XXIV. Containing in it six Seasons, in which Chri∣stians ought to humble themselves by fasting; proving those under great decay, that in times of calamity can find no necessity for fasting.
    • SIGN XIV. WHen under Gods Calamity, you can neither find necessity, nor excellency, to humble your selves by fast∣ing.
  • CHAP. XXV. Containing in it the evil of Ignorance, in not knowing wherefore Gods Rod is come, nor what good it hath done: with three Directi∣ons how to know when persons are under this Decay; and three Remedies against it.
    • SIGN XXV. VVHen Gods Rod worketh so little up∣on you, that you can neither tell wherefore it is come, nor what good it hath done.
  • CHAP. XXVI. Shewing where sin takes its beginning, and how by degrees if hearkned to, it works ruin; with six special Marks, how persons (though pardoned) may know when God will suffer them to fall into sin anew.
    • SIGN XXVI. VVHen the thoughts of thy dear∣est Lust, or any other sin, is pleasing to thee.
  • CHAP. XXVII. Shewing Satans way, by which he Gets in our day most advantage upon Churches; and a plain discovery of the first rise of the Qua∣kers; shewing also the great Law of Edifica∣tion, to be preferred in all Doctrine; with Cautions to such as live out of all Church way.
    • SIGN XXVII. VVHen you are mighty curious about the lesser matters of Gods Law, and mighty careless about the weightier.
  • CHAP. XXVIII. Shewing the necessity of humble waiting, and confident depending upon the holy Spirit, to help in the great work of mortification; the necessity whereof is shewed in seven particu∣lars, with six directions how to get and keep this holy Spirit.
    • SIGN XXVIII. VVHen the holy Spirits help to the great work of mortification, seems not of absolute need to you.
  • CHAP. XXIX. Treating of Spiritual Ignorance of our ever∣lasting condition; and five Scriptures tend∣ing to reducement from carnal security; and three special Causes of such a damning De∣cay.
    • SIGN. XXIX. VVHen your are so Ignorant of your Spiritual standing, that you know not whether you grow or decay.
  • CHAP. XXX. Shewing the miserable estate, of such as after longer acquaintance with Christ, are less in love to him; with six Causes of this Decay.
    • SIGN XXX. WHen increase of time in Christs acquaintance, worketh decrease of Affection to Christs Company.
• ERRATA.