A30243:1059
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 38
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.
A third sort of those who miscarry in this new Birth, are Abortives, such 1who come not to their maturity. Now although it be true, That in the true life of Grace there cannot be properly any Abortive, and where the life of Grace hath once been, though in the least degree, that is an immortal and incorruptible life, yet we may call them Abortives, because seemingly in their own judgement, and to all others they had the life of Grace, but yet it comes to no true ripeness in them; Their Profession, their Duties; are wild Grapes. These are denoted in the third kind of hearers, in whom the seed came up, and there was Fruit, but saith the Text they did not [Greek or Hebrew], They did not bring that fruit to perfection, to ripeness. Thus Christ tells the Church, He did not find her works perfect, Revel. 2. There was much outward appearing goodness, but they were not solid, perfect works. Thy Duties are ripe, when all that sour juice and bitterness is excocted, when they are not done out of Formality, Customariness, Hypocrisy, when they are done from right Principles, in an holy manner, and to holy ends. So that thy Profession, thy Family Duties, and all thy external Demonstrations of Grace, do not prove any thing, unless they be ripe, and unless Grace be predominant in them, though they cannot be done without all dross. But hath not God in his Providence showed […] our Humiliations and Professions have been to him, in the very fruit of the Trees, and the Corn of the Ground, nothing kindly ripes, but waterish, and so not making wholesome or pleasant food for the sustenance of man. Truly even such hath our Righteousness, our Reformation been, and that under his Judgements. Our Prayers, our Family Duties, our solemn Assemblies have been full of corrupt bitterness within. As that Body cannot be sound, though it may appear never so well that hath inward vital Diseases; so let thy outward ⟨p. 235⟩Conversation be never so unblameable and pious, yet if there be not a sound constitution within, it will not endure; Know then this consideration goeth deeper then the former, this happily may shake the foundation of all thy Hopes and Comforts thou hast had a long while.
A third sort of those who miscarry in this new Birth, are Abortives, such