A30243:1031
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.
Secondly, Men who have not the inward sense of this work upon their hearts, may yet be able to give the description of it. This they have either by learning, or reading of books, or hear-say; so that if you ask many, What regeneration is? They can tell you it is a change of the whole man from that state of corruption we are born in, to the state of holiness: or it is the renewing of the image of God in us by degrees, which we have lost: This account they are able to give; yea, a man may be able by way of dispute and scholarship to say more, and dispute more about it, then that man who is regenerated; so that many an Orthodox man is able to prove the necessity of regeneration, and to clear it in its nature, better then one not so perfect: but there is a Theological knowledge, and a practical experimental knowledge; no question but an unregenerate man, may in a Theological way maintain Divine truths better then a regenerate man, that hath not such abilities: a Godly man doth believe, when he is not able to answer all those doubts and objections that are made about any definition of faith, that is usually given: and it is observed that many times those that have the greatest learning and parts, do most disdain the practical plain things of regeneration: Surgunt indocti, & rapiunt caelum, It was the old speech of Austins, Idiots and unlearned men take the kingdom of heaven by violence, when learned men are shut out. Bradwardin, a great scholar called Doctor Profundus, the profound Doctor, speaks of himself how offended he was at the reading of Pauls Epistles, because he had not Metaphysicum ingenium, a Metaphysical head: and we see by miserable experience, what affectations men have to speak, and hear sublime Ministers, and aerial notions, accounting those things that make for our spiritual edification, and inward renovation, to be but plain simplicities; ⟨p. 226⟩but this will prove to be gold and silver, when the other will be only hay and stubble.
Secondly, Men who have not the inward sense of this work upon their hearts, may yet be able to give the description of it. This they have either by learning, or reading of books, or hear-say; so that if you ask many, What regeneration is? They can tell you it is a change of the whole man from that state of corruption we are born in, to the state of holiness: or it is the renewing of the image of God in us by degrees, which we have lost: This account they are able to give; yea, a man may be able by way of dispute and scholership to say more, and dispute more about it, then that man who is regenerated; so that many an Orthodox man is able to prove the necessity of regeneration, and to clear it in its nature, better then one not so perfect: but there is a Theological knowledge, and a practical experimental knowledge; no question but an unregenerate man, may in a Theological way maintain Divine truths better then a regenerate man, that hath not such abilities: a Godly man doth believe, when he is not able to answer all those doubts and objections that are made about any definition of faith, that is usually given: and it is observed that many times those that have the greatest learning and parts, do most disdain the practical plain things of regeneration: Surgunt indocti, & rapiunt caelum, It was the old speech of Austins, Ideots and unlearned men take the kingdom of heaven by violence, when learned men are shut out. Bradwardin, a great scholer called Doctor Profundus, the profound Doctor, speaks of himself how offended he was at the reading of Pauls Epistles, because he had not Metaphysicum ingenium, a Metaphysical head: and we see by miserable experience, what affectations men have to speak, and hear sublime Ministers, and aerial notions, accounting those things that make for our spiritual edification, and inward renovation, to be but plain simplicities;