A30243:1034
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.
Now come to any natural man, speak of these pangs and troubles of the soul, he knoweth not what they mean, he understands not the meaning of them: as Job said to his miserable comforters, Would your souls were in my souls stead, then you would feel what that wormwood and bitterness is, which I do undergo: so had thy soul been ever in those depths of God, then thou wouldst have known what it is to be in a spiritual travel. The Apostle speaking of the groans which Gods spirit worketh in his children, he calls them groans unutterable, Rom. 8. so are these sighs unutterable, bitterness, and pangs unutterable. It is true, these commotions of the soul are not so remarkable in some, as in others, neither are these things felt alike in all. But there is in every one a sense and feeling of his undone estate, and hunger and thirst after righteousness: now in all these things he is a man in a mystery to the natural man: these things are transacted secretly in a mans heart: examine therefore thy self: Hast thou ever been a man thus affected, thus exercised? hath the spirit of God convinced thee of sin? hath thy heart been loaded with sin? hath the Law discovered sin? hath every thing been as if turned into blood? As Stephen saw heaven opening to receive him, so hast thou as it were hell opened to devour thee, here ⟨p. 227⟩are the beginnings of a new birth; not as if regeneration lay in these, no, How many have felt sorrow, terror, yet have proved abortives? but in many of Gods children, this is introductory, and when happily completed, these fears and troubles are mingled with much faith and confidence: God hath said to thy soul, as well as of the woman's travel, In sorrow shalt thou conceive and bring forth.
Now come to any natural man, speak of these pangs and troubles of the soul, he knoweth not what they mean, he understands not the meaning of them: as Job said to his miserable comforters, Would your souls were in my souls stead, then you would feel what that wormwood and bitterness is, which I do undergo: so had thy soul been ever in those depths of God, then thou wouldst have known what it is to be in a spiritual travel. The Apostle speaking of the groans which Gods spirit worketh in his children, he calls them groans unutterable, Rom. 8. so are these sighs unutterable, bitterness, and pangs unutterable. It is true, these commotions of the soul are not so remarkable in some, as in others, neither are these things felt alike in all. But there is in every one a sense and feeling of his undone estate, and hunger and thirst after righteousness: now in all these things he is a man in a mystery to the natural man: these things are transacted secretly in a mans heart: examine therefore thy self: Hast thou ever been a man thus affected, thus exercised? hath the spirit of God convinced thee of sin? hath thy heart been loaded with sin? hath the Law discovered sin? hath every thing been as if turned into blood? As Stephen saw heaven opening to receive him, so hast thou as it were hell opened to devour thee, here