A30243:1274
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 6 › Sermon 46
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.
In the third place observe this, That as here in the Text we are called in the 1general Gods workmanship, so in other places we have the particular kind of workmanship expressed; For Gods word doth use several similitudes to express our relation ⟨p. 287⟩to God, that so what one is not emphatical to declare, the other may do it. Thus we have handled the relation of Sons, which is more then his workmanship; for an house is the Artificers workmanship, but it is not his Child, and therefore he hath not such endeared affections to it. In other places they are called, The wife of Christ, to show their intimate conjunction, That they are bone of his bone, and flesh of his flesh; but in other places the Workmanship of God, under the instance of an house. As a man dwells in his house, so God doth not only make us his people, but he dwells in us afterwards: Now how rich and glorious must that soul be, who hath Christ lodging and resting in it? He that sits in his Glory at the right hand of God, doth also abide and dwell in thy heart. In other places, this workmanship is not only called an House, but a Temple, 1 Cor. 3. and that denoteth more then an House, viz. a peculiar destination and consecration of it to God. Thus every godly man converted is made a Temple of the holy Ghost. Its peculiarly dedicated to God; so that lusts and Satan have nothing to do there. Thus you see what kind of Workmanship we are, Gods House, Gods Temple. Oh the marvellous dignity and purity that ought to be in every New Creature! How comes Owls and Satyrs, lusts of darkness to be in the Temple of the Lord! sometimes we are his Workmanship of a Vine-yard, or a pleasant Garden, as the book of Canticles signifieth, planted as Eden was by God himself? Now how come briars and brambles up in Gods Garden? So that the consideration of our being Gods Workmanship should make us take heed there be nothing of sins, or the Devils workmanship in us.
In the third place observe this, That as here in the Text we are called in the 1general Gods workmanship, so in other places we have the particular kinde of workmanship expressed; For Gods word doth use several similitudes to expresse our relation