A30243:1168
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.
Fourthly, That old end, aim, and scope, to which he formerly referred all things, is now changed, and a new white is now set up. Every man hath some ultimate end 1to which he doth refer all his actions, that is, the centre to which he falls. Now while a man is this old Creature, he looks no further then at earthly comforts, pleasures, and advantages in this world: Thus they are like brute beasts, measuring their happiness by those objects that do please the sense: and as Eve desired to taste the fruit, Because it was lovely to the eye; so do they long to taste of that fruit which is pleasing to their corrupt appetites: But saith the Apostle, Whether we live, we live to the Lord, and whether we dye, we dye to the Lord, Rom. 14. 8. Whom have I in heaven but thee, saith David? whereas the property of every natural man is described, Psal. 4. Many say, Who will show us any good? and the contrary disposition of the regenerate showeth it self, But Lord, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us: So that if thou art a new creature, thy end is no longer to grow great in the world, no longer to fulfil thy brutish lusts, but to glorify God, and save thy soul: And this end being earnestly and affectionately desired by thee, thou dost diligently practice all those means that obtain this end in praying often, in examining thy self often, in humiliation, and reformation often. As the supreme Orb carrieth all the inferior Orbs about with its own motion, so this great and noble end wheels about all thy actions; every thing is subservient thereunto. Now if we would ask men, What is the great aim and end you propound to your selves in this world? Though with their tongue they would happily say, the salvation of their souls; yet with their lives they would deny this: For if thy end be changed, the means would be changed, the way would be changed thou dist use to live in.
Fourthly, That old end, aim, and scope, to which he formerly referred all things, is now changed, and a new white is now set up. Every man hath some ultimate end 1to which he doth refer all his actions, that is, the center to which he falls. Now while a man is this old Creature, he looks no further then at earthly comforts, pleasures, and advantages in this world: Thus they are like bruit beasts, measuring their happinesse by those objects that do please the sense: and as Eve desired to tast the fruit, Because it was lovely to the eye; so do they long to tast of that fruit which is pleasing to their corrupt appetites: But saith the Apostle, Whether we live, we live to the Lord, and whether we dye, we dye to the Lord,