A30243:1341
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 49
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.
Now because I did not intend to dwell long on this part of the Text, and because the comfort and profit of a good work, lieth not in the Doctrine and knowledge of it, but in the practice and exercise, I shall therefore be large in the Use, and so conclude this point.
Now because I did not intend to dwell long on this part of the Text, and because the comfort and profit of a good work, lyeth not in the Doctrine and knowledge of it, but in the practice and exercise, I shall therefore be large in the Use, and so conclude this point.
Use. First, Is it a necessary fruit of a new creature to walk in good works? then ⟨p. 305⟩the evil and ungodly deeds of most in the Christian world, showeth that they are in that old damnable condition they were born in. If we consider the general conversation of most men, What deeds of darkness, and of sin and Satan may be found in them? That which Salvian complained of the lives of Christians in his days, may not we also take up? Praeter paucissimos quosdam, quid est aliud omnis catus Christianorum, quam sentina vitiorum? Besides a very few that fly sins, and endeavour to keep themselves unspotted from the world, What is the whole company of Christians, but a sink of all vices? You may sooner find men reos malorum omnium, quam non omnium, You may sooner find men guilty of all sins, then of some only, And Facilius majorum criminum, quam minorum, And sooner men guilty of the greater crimes, then of the less; yea, he addeth, almost all the whole Church is brought to such a reproach and scandal of manners, ut incuncto populo Chrrstiano genus quoddam sanctitatis sit, minus esse vitiosum, That in all the Christian world it is a kind of holiness to be less vicious. Doth he not speak as if he lived in our times? For except some few in every Congregation, which are like the Gleanings to the harvest; are not people generally ignorant, profane, ungodly, so that it is a kind of great holiness to be less wicked then others? His Oaths not so dreadful, his malice not so rancorous, his drunkenness not so beastly: If men be less wicked, we are apt to judge them virtuous men, such a deluge of sin doth overflow: But oh the patience of God who beholds and seeth all this ingratitude, rebellion, and hostility against his Majesty, yet forbeareth to take present vengeance.