A30243:1128
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 41
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.
First, In that it's called a Creation. and God only can create. For to create there 1are required these particulars:
First, In that it's called a Creation. and God onely can create. For to create there 1are required these particulars:
- 1Arguments. 1. God only can create. Requisite to Creation, I. Infinite power.Arguments. 1. God onely can create. Requisite to Creation, I. Infinite power.
1. An infinite virtue and power; in so much that the most solid Divines do hold, That no Creature can be used as an instrument in Creation, much less be a principal: For seeing it is the giving of a Being to something out of nothing, no Creature can work but upon some materials provided; But God when he Created the world, when he made that Chaos, there was nothing pre-existent: Hence that power of God which turneth our hearts unto him, is said to have [Greek or Hebrew], Ephes. 1. 19. an exceeding great strength with it; compared to that power of raising Christ from the grave. Hence Christ in converting the hearts of men towards him, making them at his command to follow him, demonstrated his Divine Power more than in all external miracles. Oh then we need not wonder to see men love their sins and delight in them, notwithstanding they hear and know to the contrary. Alas the Ministers are not able, no more than the women at Christs Sepulchre were, to remove the stone upon mens hearts, yea this is heavier than that, for there came an Angel and rolled it away; but here God only can speak to this Mountain to be removed into the Sea; see we then a man by nature dead in sin, and by voluntary practice buried in it; if ever this man came to be holy, and to live in holiness, wonder at it, as if a new world were made; for only an infinite power could make this alteration, As Divines to prove that God made the world, it could not be made of it self, give many fit examples to convince thereof: If a man see a glorious house built up in a curious and most exact manner, he concludeth, That house did not make it self; or if one have an instrument of music curiously tuned, and excellent Music played upon it, he concludeth, This doth not make it self, or its Music; so the world being so curiously and harmoniously composed, called therefore [Greek or Hebrew], did not of a sudden put it self into this excellent glory: As they argue thus from the world, we may much more argue from the godly life of a Regenerated man, see such a man leaving off with detestation all his former wickedness, and that because he loveth God, and delighteth in holiness, see you him acting above the praises of men from God, and to God; this man could not do this of himself, but God hath changed him.