A30243:1027
Spiritual refining
Spiritual refining: or A treatise of grace and assurance Wherein are handled, the doctrine of assurance. The use of signs in self-examination. How true graces may be distinguished from counterfeit. Several true signs of grace, and many false ones. The nature of grace under divers Scripture notions or titles, as regeneration, the new-creature, the heart of flesh, vocation, sanctification, &c. Many chief questions (occasionally) controverted between the orthodox and the Arminians. As also many cases of conscience. Tending to comfort and confirm saints. Undeceive and convert sinners. Being CXX sermons preached and now published by Anthony Burgess sometime fellow of Emanuel College in Cambridge, and now pastor of the church of Sutton-Coldfield in Warwickshire.Spiritual refining: or A treatise of grace and assurance Wherein are handled, the doctrine of assurance. The use of signs in self-examination. How true graces may be distinguished from counterfeit. Several true signs of grace, and many false ones. The nature of grace under divers Scripture notions or titles, as regeneration, the new-creature, the heart of flesh, vocation, sanctification, &c. Many chief questions (occasionally) controverted between the orthodox and the Arminians. As also many cases of conscience. Tending to comfort and confirm saints. Undeceive and convert sinners. Being CXX sermons preached and now published by Anthony Burgess sometime fellow of Emanuel Colledge in Cambridge, and now pastor of the church of Sutton-Coldfield in Warwickshire.
London: printed by A. Miller for Thomas Underhill, 1652
Title page typeset from the transcription.
A TREATISE OF GRACE and ASSURANCE; Being CXX. SERMONS. › Section 4 › Sermon 37
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Obs. The work and Grace of Regeneration, is rather felt and perceived by him that 1hath it, then that which can be expressed, or made known to a mans self or others, it being a wonderful hidden, and secret life.
- 1Obs.
The wind we feel and perceive in the motions of it; but the Originals of it, we are not able exactly to describe: so it is in this great work: What the wise man speaks about the framing of the child, We are not able to describe how the bones, and all other parts of the infant are composed, Eccles. 11. 5. which made David say, He was fearfully, and wonderfully made. The like doth God do about our new birth, We are fearfully and wonderfully made again; so that the difficulty to perceive aright of this work, may arise partly from that corruption which is inbred in every one, and partly the unsearchableness of the thing it self; and to this latter Christ relateth: so that he only who hath the inward power of it upon his own soul, can best discern of it: and we may say of this grace, as well as that of the Gospel, Eye hath not seen, or ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man, to conceive what the work of God is herein.
The wind we feel and perceive in the motions of it; but the Originals of it, we are not able exactly to describe: so it is in this great work: What the wiseman speaks about the framing of the child, We are not able to describe how the bones, and all other parts of the infant are composed, Eccles. 11. 5. which made David say, He was fearfully, and wonderfully made. The like doth God do about our new birth, We are fearfully and wonderfully made again; so that the difficulty to perceive aright of this work, may arise partly from that corruption which is inbred in every one, and partly the unsearchablenesse of the thing it self; and to this latter Christ relateth: so that he onely who hath the inward power of it upon his own soul, can best discern of it: and we may say of this grace, as well as that of the Gospel, Eye hath not seen, or ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man, to conceive what the work of God is herein.