A30243:1464
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.
Thirdly, God leaveth these practical impressions upon us, that so what is good 1may be honoured and praised, what is evil may be matter of shame and reproach. It is an excellent thing to consider, That the things of piety, and justice, and all goodness, have a remarkable reverence in the hearts of all men. Who would not be thought to be pious, to be just, to be righteous? Now how could these come to have such Authority amongst men, if there were not something in Nature to approve it? So wickedness, that is condemned and censured by all mankind: Now no man is willing to be thought an ungodly man, an unjust man; and whence is all this, but still from this work of the Law written in mens hearts? Hence are those rules, Omnis peccans est ignorans, and Nemo potest velle malum, quâ malum, Evil is forward to come in Goodnesses clothes, else it could not be embraced by any man. This makes much to justify the nature of what is good and right; for all men, though never so savage or barbarous, they do adore it in the general, though in the particular they have greatly mistaken.
Thirdly, God leaveth these practical impressions upon us, that so what is good 1may be honoured and praised, what is evill may be matter of shame and reproach. It is an excellent thing to consider, That the things of piety, and justice, and all goodnesse, have a remarkable reverence in the hearts of all men. Who would not be thought to be pious, to be just, to be righteous? Now how could these come to have such Authority amongst men, if there were not something in Nature to approve it? So wickednesse, that is condemned and censured by all mankinde: Now no man is willing to be thought an ungodly man, an unjust man; and whence is all this, but still from this work of the Law written in mens hearts? Hence are those rules, Omnis peccans est ignorans, and Nemo potest velle malum, quâ malum, Evill is forward to come in Goodnesses clothes, else it could not be embraced by any man. This makes much to justifie the nature of what is good and right; for all men, though never so savage or barbarous, they do adore it in the generall, though in the particular they have greatly mistaken.
- 13. That what is good may be honoured.