A30243:1495
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 56
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, This Law of God in mens hearts, is demonstrated by these excellent Tractates and discourses, which many by the help of natural light only have written; wherein 1although they are as blind as Bats and Owls, in the Sun-shine of the Gospel, in respect of any true gracious thing, yet they do wonderfully approve that which is good and righteous in the general, condemning and dissuading from that which is evil. Thus the Moral discourses of Seneca, Plutarch, Plato, and some of the Stoics, speak very high things about that which is virtuous, and that which is vicious; insomuch that many mens Divinity in their Sermons, or Contemplations and Devotions, have been nothing but the choice flowers pulled out of their garden. This (I confess) is justly to be blamed, and severely reproved: ⟨p. 347⟩for Scripture matter, either in things of faith, or things to be done, doth as much excel all those Notions, either in majesty or purity, as the Sun doth an Ignis Fatuus, or any Ignited Meteor: But I know not how it falls out, whether of the witty invention in them, or eloquent expressions, those Heathen Authors have delighted some, more then Davids Psalms, or Pauls Epistles; especially many of the Jesuits in their Religious Tractates, stuff their discourses with Seneca's Contemplations, or Moral Inventions. Now although it be true, that it were a great error to take John Baptist, though a great Prophet, for Christ, much more a Seneca or a Plato (though styled Divine) for a Christ; yet if we speak of the sphere of nature, how far she hath been able to accuse vice, and plead for virtue, herein they have been wonderful; take Tullies Book De Ossiciis: If men and their public conversation, did keep to that fidelity in words, righteousness in deeds, and love to the public against all particular profit, it would make the lives of men very admirable, though not godly: And it is a great honour to those Books of the Heathens, that the Apostle himself doth sometimes allege verses out of such Authors, and that for morality also; witness that sentence, Evil words corrupt good manners; which is sanctified (saith Tertullian) or made Ecclesiastical, as Hierom, by Paul, it being a verse of the Comedian Menander;
First, This Law of God in mens hearts, is demonstrated by these excellent Tractates and discourses, which many by the help of natural light onely have written; wherein