A30243:1458
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.
First, That of Perfection and innocency, wherein God made Adam before his Apostasy: ⟨p. 336⟩And thus the work of the Law was perfectly engraven in Adams heart, both for knowledge to discern, and power to perform. This was a Star sure enough to guide Adam to eternal happiness: Adams soul was not made like a blank paper, for Virtue or Vice to be written on it, in a mere indifferency; but he was made after the image of God, which was righteousness, and true holiness. It was an Image, the whole and universal resemblance of God, and every Lineament was curiously, and accurately drawn. By reason of this, there was no duty to be done, but Adam knew it, there being no ignorance, imprudence, blindness, or folly in his mind; and hereby he had a propension, inclination, facility, and delight in what God commanded, no commandment being an heavy yoke to him.
First, That of Perfection and innocency, wherein God made Adam before his Apostacy: ⟨p. 336⟩And thus the work of the Law was perfectly engraven in Adams heart, both for knowledge to discern, and power to perform. This was a Star sure enough to guide Adam to eternal happinesse: Adams soul was not made like a blank paper, for Virtue or Vice to be written on it, in a meer indifferency; but he was made after the image of God, which was righteousnesse, and true holinesse. It was an Image, the whole and universall resemblance of God, and every Lineament was curiously, and accurately drawn. By reason of this, there was no duty to be done, but Adam knew it, there being no ignorance, imprudence, blindeness, or folly in his minde; and hereby he had a propension, inclination, facility, and delight in what God commanded, no commandment being an heavy yoke to him.
But Secondly, If we speak of man turned an Apostate, and become a wretched prodigal, losing that stock God set him up with; Then though nothing of that holy image be left in him, yet his understanding and conscience being faculties of his reasonable soul, they abide still, else he could not be a man. And although these are wholly corrupted, as to do any thing that is truly good, yet there remains in man fallen, common notions and principles about religion and honestly, which serve for many special uses hereafter to be mentioned: And although in some these have been defaced, and they have grown past feeling, and their sense of God almost extinct, yet for the general these principles have been active in all men.