A30243:1097
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 5 › Sermon 40
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.
SERMON XL.
Showing the Necessity of the New Creature.
Shewing the Necessity of the New Creature.
GAL. 6. 15. For in Christ Jesus, neither Circumcision, or Uncircumcision availeth any thing, but a New Creature.
The Apostle at the 11th Verse concludeth this Epistle with a testification of his love and kindness to them: For his reproofs had bin sharp, yet love caused them, and that is good of Austins, Dilige, & loquere quod vis, Love, and then speak what thou wilt. The Argument of his love is seen in the length of his Letter; a large Letter argued large affections, and that with his own hand; whereas many of his other Epistles were written by others. The second demonstration of his love is in warning them against false Apostles, whom he describes by their ambition and hypocrisy: Their hypocrisy, they desired [Greek or Hebrew], an excellent word, To make a fair show. As strumpets commonly more trim up themselves than grave Matrons, so falsehood is more varnished and painted than truth. Then their ambition is described in affecting Disciples, Ambitio scenam desiderat, Ambition loves to have some look on and applaud. Lastly, there is the carnal advantage they look at, it is to avoid persecution: For the Jews being zealous of the Law, and persecuting to the death those that seemed to take it away; these false Apostles to avoid danger would retain the Doctrine of Christ, and the Ceremonial Law also: Thus they were as Reeds shaken with every wind. Now the Apostle to oppose them, instanceth in the contrary grace in himself, God forbid that I should glory, save in the Cross of Christ, &c. Persecutions for the Gospel I fear not, but glory in them; and hereupon layeth down a general sentence, an excellent practical Aphorism, In Christ Jesus neither Circumcision, or uncircumcision availeth any thing, but a new Creature. As if he should have said, you are wholly taken up in disputations about