A30243:1153
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 42
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.
I come therefore in the next place to the second thing implied in the adjunct that qualifieth this Creature, It is a new creature, which denoteth the great excellency, and noble nature of it: for so the word New is used frequently in Scripture, for that which is excellent and admirable; though here in the Text it doth especially relate to an opposition between the Old things that formerly were done by this Regenerate person, and the New things he now exerciseth himself in.
I come therefore in the next place to the second thing implyed in the adjunct that qualifieth this Creature, It is a new creature, which denoteth the great excellency, and noble nature of it: for so the word New is used frequently in Scripture, for that which is excellent and admirable; though here in the Text it doth especially relate to an opposition between the Old things that formerly were done by this Regenerate person, and the New things he now exerciseth himself in.
The Observation from the Text is obvious. The work of grace regenerating maeth 1us altogether new.
- 1Obs.
That new and glorious Body which the people of God shall have by their resurrection, doth not more exceed this vile, mortal, and infirm body that we now bear about with us; then the alteration and change God makes in the soul when he reneweth it, causeth it for the future to differ from what it was formerly; then proud, now humble; then earthly, now heavenly. Then it was like Naaman before his washing, full of a loathsome leprosy; but now like his skin after his washing, fresh and beautiful. Before it was like a Lazarus, full of noisome Ulcers and sores; but since it is like Absalom, that was comely from the head to the foot. This