A30243:1169
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.
Fifthly, All his former false ways of worship and service of God, they are renounced, and now he serveth God after a new manner. Thus all the heathens when 1they came under this New Creation, they threw away their Idols, they forsook their false gods; and if they were not Idolaters, but trained up in superstitious ways, and a Traditional worship invented by their Fore-fathers, as the Jews were, they forsook this also. The Kings daughter is to forget & forsake her Fathers house. We see Paul spends much in his Epistles to take off the Godly from those very Ordinances God himself had commanded, when the time of their abrogation was come. Not but that even this New Creature, may for want of good light and instruction be far plunged into superstitious and unlawful worships: But as the Day-star shall arise in their hearts, so by degrees the night will wear away. What agreement hath Christ with Belial? saith the Apostle, handling the case of communicating with Idolaters in their Worship, 1 Cor. 6. Seeing they are the Temple of the Lord. It is worth the observation, Isa 2. when the people of God by his heavy judgements upon them for their Idolatry, shall be weary of it, it is said, They shall throw their Idols to the Bats and Owls, that is into dark corners and holes: A fit expression; for as their Idols were blind, Eyes they had, but did not see; so they shall cast them away unto blind creatures. This should make people take heed how they plead for any old thing in religion, merely because it is old; for then thou shouldest have continued in thy old popery, in thy old superstition, which many years ago thou didst live in. Remember we are to be new Creatures in the Lord, and so must leave all old false ways; though there may be the good old paths also that we must enquire after, Jer. 6. 16. when new errors have overwhelmed us.
Fifthly, All his former false waies of worship and service of God, they are renounced, and now he serveth God after a new manner. Thus all the heathens when 1they came under this New Creation, they threw away their Idols, they forsook their false gods; and if they were not Idolaters, but trained up in superstitious waies, and a Traditional worship invented by their Fore-fathers, as the Jews were, they forsook this also. The Kings daughter is to forget & forsake her Fathers house. We see Paul spends much in his Epistles to take off the Godly from those very Ordinances God himself had commanded, when the time of their abrogation was come. Not but that even this New Creature, may for want of good light and instruction be far plunged into superstitious and unlawful worships: But as the Day-star shall arise in their hearts, so by degrees the night will wear away. What agreement hath Christ with Belial? saith the Apostle, handling the case of communicating with Idolaters in their Worship,