A30243:1185
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 43
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.
Two ways a man may apply himself to God: either, First, As he may be known 1by the creatures. Of this the Apostle discourseth much Rom. 1. for in them he revealeth his wisdom, power and goodness, and so the Gentiles are condemned, because they did not glorify him as God; they did not go as far as by the Moon-light of Nature they were guided: But suppose they had glorified God according to the knowledge they had of him, and did not detain the truth in unrighteousness; yet in those acts they were not new Creatures, because there wanted faith in God revealed in his Word, which is the soul to every action, and the Salt that seasons it. ⟨p. 266⟩Therefore there is a second way of the souls tendency to God, and that is, As he is revealed in his Word, and made known in Christ, being drawn unto him by his 2Spirit, and so lifted up above all his natural abilities, and this is the expression of of a new Creature; So that what Luther prayed for Melanchthon, Rapiat te Deus, ex humanis in divina, è tuis in sua, is to be poured out in the behalf of every natural man. If you see a Paul crucified to the world, having his Conversation in heaven, knowing how to abound, and how to want, enabled to do all things, through Christ that strengthens him; that his former sins he once lived in, do not still stick close to him, and damn him; you may as much wonder as they did, when they saw the Viper upon his hand did not kill him; and when they said, The gods are come down to us in the likeness of men; and Paul would return the same answer as then was, Why do you look upon us, as if we had done these things by our own power? but in the name of Christ are they wrought. If you see a man walking holily, humbly, reformed from sin, say, This is the great power of God to salvation.
Two wayes a man may apply himself to God: either, First, As he may be known 1by the creatures. Of this the Apostle discourseth much Rom. 1. for in them he revealeth his wisdome, power and goodness, and so the Gentiles are condemned, because they did not glorifie him as God; they did not goe as far as by the Moon-light of Nature they were guided: But suppose they had glorified God according to the knowledge they had of him, and did not detain the truth in unrighteousnesse; yet in those acts they were not new Creatures, because there wanted faith in God revealed in his Word, which is the soul to every action, and the Salt that seasons it.