A30243:1035
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, As these groans after God and his favours are hidden, so the principles from whence they are enabled, are wholly invisible, and that not only to the bodily eye, but to the mental eye of a natural man. A carnal man cannot think that any man doth any thing in reference to God, but upon carnal and worldly self-principles: Thus the Pharisees, they charged Christ with vain glory, and his own kindred would have him do his miracles more publicly, that he might be externally advanced: they judged of Christ like themselves: John 7. 3. 4. They did all things from worldly principles, and so they conceived Christ. The Apostle calls this work of Grace, The inner man. The glory of a Christian is within; he prayeth outwardly, but his glory is within; he heareth with the outward ear, but his glory is within: It is the inner man, which is the root and the fountain of all his external actions: now as the root of the tree is hidden, and the spring-head hard to be found out; so it is here, from what inward principle it is that thou art carried out to do the things God commandeth is wholly to be sought into. The Pharisees did against their own consciences blasphemously make it a doubt, by what power he did those wonderful things: but we may upon good ground ask, By whom dost thou pray? dost thou hear? Is it from Gods holy spirit, acting and enabling of thee? Or is it from thy own corrupt principles and suggestions; and this is that which comforts a godly man against all those accusations of Hypocrisy, which the world casteth upon them.
Secondly, As these groans after God and his favours are hidden, so the principles from whence they are enabled, are wholly invisible, and that not onely to the bodily eye, but to the mental eye of a natural man. A carnal man cannot think that any man doth any thing in reference to God, but upon carnal and worldly self-principles: Thus the Pharisees, they charged Christ with vain glory, and his own kindred would have him do his miracles more publickly, that he might be externally advanced: they judged of Christ like themselves: John 7. 3. 4. They did all things from worldly principles, and so they conceived Christ. The Apostle calls this work of Grace, The inner man. The glory of a Christian is within; he prayeth outwardly, but his glory is within; he heareth with the outward ear, but his glory is within: It is the inner man, which is the root and the fountain of all his external actions: now as the root of the tree is hidden, and the spring-head hard to be found out; so it is here, from what inward principle it is that thou art carried out to do the things God commandeth is wholly to be sought into. The Pharisees did against their own consciences blasphemously make it a doubt, by what power he did those wonderful things: but we may upon good ground ask, By whom dost thou pray? dost thou hear? Is it from Gods holy spirit, acting and enabling of thee? Or is it from thy own corrupt principles and suggestions; and this is that which comforts a godly man against all those accusations of Hypocrisie, which the world casteth upon them.