A30243:1450
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 54
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 the Title, The work of the Law, i. e. The substance of the ten Commandments, which do summarily comprehend all duties to be done, and all sins to be avoided.
2. By the manner, It is written in their hearts. Though it be implanted, and engrafted, yet the Apostle useth this expression of Writing, because the Moral Law was written on Two Tables; only you must not take this expression like that of Jeremiah, Jer. 31. as Pelagius, and others have done, where God makes a Covenant, To write his Law in their hearts; for that is a gracious writing de novo, whereby God infuseth grace into his Children, enabling them to walk in his Commandments with all propensity and delight, from sanctified principles within. But here he speaks of that natural engrafting which God hath made upon the consciences of men, whereby they judge good to be embraced, and evil to be abhorred. It is true, there are learned men, and most of the Ancients go that ways also, who expound this of Gentiles, but believers and converted; for it may seem to attribute too ⟨p. 335⟩much to Nature, to say, That Heathens do by nature the things of the Law: but when you hear in what sense they are said to do it, you will quickly perceive that to be no such great matter, as may put them in a capacity of salvation. I shall not trouble you with the interpretation of Flaccius Illyricus, much toiling about the sense of this place, which makes so directly against his opinion about Original sin.
2. By the manner, It is written in their hearts. Though it be implanted, and ingraffed, yet the Apostle useth this expression of Writing, because the Moral Law was written on Two Tables; onely you must not take this expression like that of Jeremy, Jer. 31. as Pelagius, and others have done, where God makes a Covenant, To write his Law in their hearts; for that is a gracious writing de novo, whereby God insuseth grace into his Children, enabling them to walk in his Commandements with all propensity and delight, from sanctified principles within. But here he speaks of that natural ingraffing which God hath made upon the consciences of men, whereby they judge good to be imbraced, and evil to be abhorred. It is true, there are learned men, and most of the Ancients go that ways also, who expound this of Gentiles, but believers and converted; for it may seem to attribute too