A30243:1135
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.
6. This Creature must rather be made of God solely, than the heavens and earth; 1for although the Scripture doth often celebrate the power and wisdom of God, in founding the earth upon nothing, and stretching out the heavens; yet this Creation upon a mans heart, and his life, is far more wonderful: Hence it's ordinarily said, That it's a greater wonder to make a man holy and godly, then it is to create a world.
6. This Creature must rather be made of God solely, than the heavens and earth; 1for although the Scripture doth often celebrate the power and wisedome of God, in founding the earth upon nothing, and stretching out the heavens; yet this Creation upon a mans heart, and his life, is far more wonderfull: Hence it's ordinarily said, That it's a greater wonder to make a man holy and godly, then it is to create a world.
- 1VI. It is a greater work than the Creation of the World.
For first, it cost God only a word when he made that; Let there be light, and there was light; but ere this mercy could be purchased for any, Christ was to become man and dye for us; so that God doth not only speak, but in his man-hood suffer; for you must know, as justification and pardon of sin is a fruit of Christs blood, so is also this new Creation, and new making of us.
For first, it cost God onely a word when he made that; Let there be light, and there was light; but ere this mercy could be purchased for any, Christ was to become man and dye for us; so that God doth not onely speak, but in his man-hood suffer; for you must know, as justification and pardon of sinne is a fruit of Christs bloud, so is also this new Creation, and new making of us.