A30243:1165
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.
Be therefore no more blind at noon day: those continual and daily lusts which thou frequently practisest, demonstrate to all the world thou art in thy old state of Gall and Bitterness: If the fountain were sweet, it could not send forth such bitter streams.
Be therefore no more blind at noon day: those continual and dayly lusts which thou frequently practisest, demonstrate to all the world thou art in thy old state of Gall and Bitterness: If the fountain were sweet, it could not send forth such bitter streams.
Secondly, That old darkness and blindness which was upon his mind, is passed away, 1& new lights in the room thereof. I might instance in every particular of old corruption in a man, and show you what a new creation there is instead thereof; but that would be infinite: I shall therefore instance in some remarkable particulars: And what is more notable then that Chaos, which is on every mans heart before conversion, Darkness covering the face of his soul, not able to discern any spiritual thing, yea to judge them folly and madness? What doth a man naturally more scorn and contemn then the practical power, and precise strictness of Godliness? He seeth no loveliness, no Majesty, no beauty in supernatural things: Aristotle saith, That if an old man had the eyes of a young man, he would see as well as a young man, because the soul in its own operations doth not grow old or weary, but the organ of seeing in an old man is more indisposed and unfit: And we may say, if a natural man had the eye of a new creature, he would then see, judge, and discern as a new creature. The Apostle mentioneth this great alteration in men converted, Ephes. 4. Ye were darkness, in the abstract, but now ye are light in the Lord, yea its called Marvellous light by Peter, 1 Pet. 2. 9. For certainly that light of knowledge, faith, and spiritual discerning in a Godly man, is wonderful and admirable. So then where this new creation is, that old stupidity, dullness, blindness, knowing nothing, and regarding nothing of God, doth pals away; and now they know God, believe his word, and are filled with much delight and comfort thereby. Therefore how canst thou judge thy self to be a new creature, whose right eye is put out, whose understanding is wholly darkened? Every sermon is a riddle and parable to thee. The Bible is a book sealed up to thee: Why is it that thou art no more careful to get light in thy heart? How hath nature defended the eye, by placing it in an hollow place of the head, fortifying it with skins and an eyelid, and brows, as a three-fold wall to keep off any thing that may hurt it? And wilt not thou be much more desirous to preserve spiritual sight?