A30243:1363
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 7 › Sermon 50
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.
1. By rooting us upon Christ, and building us upon him; by which means the 1gates of hell cannot prevail against such an one: Where grace is in the heart, there also Christ dwells, and grace is but the fruit, Christ is the root, Col. 2. 7. Grace is like the navel string, especially faith, whereby the soul is united to Christ, and fetcheth nourishment from him. Our Saviour maketh a difference of two builders in Christianity, both raise up and edify, have a profession, an outward from of Religion, but one buildeth upon sands, and another upon the rock. Now he buildeth on sands, whosoever taketh up the way of Religion upon any worldly, carnal or corrupt principle: If it be built upon education, custom, formality, this is like a stone not fastened to the corner stone, and so a sudden tempest will hurl it down; therefore Ephes. 3. when the Apostle had prayed, that they might be strengthened in the inward man (the words spoken of in my Text) he addeth, Rooted and grounded in love, in the love of Christ; till therefore thou art homogeneous with Christ, as it were, and dost love him because of holiness and godliness sake, thy heart is loose and uncertain: If the tree had no rooting in the earth, it would be as subject to fall as any leaf it beareth: If the ship be not anchored, its carried with every wind; so unless grace settle thee upon Christ, and thou cleave to him, there is no temptation but will hurry thee this way and that way: Even a reed that is apt to be shaken with every wind, if tied to a rock, stands unmoveable; so thy heart naturally false, deceitful, inconstant, and full of treachery to God, if fastened to Christ, then as Christ is the same yesterday, and to day, so art thou; As the times did not, nor have not changed Christ, so neither will they thee, when grounded on him; if therefore you see men leaner in the ways of godliness then before, not so much in the practical exercise of Grace, it's because they run as sheep among the brambles and briers of disputes, and lose their wool, they do not keep close by faith to the live Tree, which would convey sweet fullness: Happy therefore is that Christian, who daily goeth out like that woman to touch Christ, that so he may find virtue come from him to heal him:
1. By rooting us upon Christ, and building us upon him; by which means the