A30243:1325
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 48
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.
Secondly, Good works are such actions as we are enabled to by the grace of God. 1God is said to be the Author of every good, and perfect gift, James 1. No man unless enabled and sanctified by the spirit of God can do the least good work; as a beast is not able to act the things of reason: For the imaginations of a mans heart are only evil, and that continually, Gen. 6. so that there is not room for the least good therein. How then must man plunged in sin say, he is not good, neither can do good? The tree must be good, else the fruit cannot be good; and thus a man must be engrafted in Christ, and partake of his fatness, else all is but a wild Olive, and wild Grapes. And upon this ground it is, that the Orthodox maintain that position against Papists, That all the works of unregenerate men are sins, as they come from them. Though Amasiah and Jehu do those things which are right in Gods eyes for the matter of them, yet in respect of circumstances, they exceedingly fail, and so they are made sins to them. Whereupon is that necessary distinction, That an action may be said to be good materially for the matter of it: Thus when a wicked man prayeth, heareth, he doth that which is good for the matter; or formally, that is, when they are done upon such principles, in such a manner, and to such an end as God requireth: So that to do a good work there is requisite the help of Gods spirit to lift us up. As Zacheus was too low of himself to see Jesus, he was fain to go up into a tree; so we are too too short to reach unto any good work; it is ⟨p. 300⟩above our reach till the spirit of God lift us up. Oh that unregenerate men did receive this Truth as engrafted in their souls; I have lived thus long and have not done one good work, yet I have been without Christ, destitute of his spirit, & so a branch separated from the vine: Oh how little, or no hope at all have I! What shall I do? Have pity upon me all ye that know me, and pray for me: not one good work in all my life time! but a continual sinning hath run through my conversation. And this every unregenerate man must say, though not profane, but very civil and ingenuous, yet if not a new creature, he is not created to any good work. We are created to it: our free will or moral education cannot prepare us for them;