A30243:1544
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 58
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 civilized Virtue falls short, because it hath not been built upon a sure, deep and humble foundation; which is, the acknowledgement of our natural corruption 1and the horrible stain that is now throughout the whole man: They were also ignorant of the sinfulness of those inward motions, and first suggestions to sin, which Paul doth so bemoan and bewail himself for, as a miserable captive. Now if a man build never so fair an Edifice, upon a slighty and weak foundation, when any storm ariseth, all will fall presently to the ground. All men indeed, have acknowledged virtue hard and difficult to flesh and blood, they placed it upon an high hill, to which it was hard climbing, but yet they did not make it impossible to flesh and blood. Some of the Heathens conceived, the seeds and foundations of virtue were in our nature, as sparks of fire are in a flint stone, which are stricken out, though with an hard blow; but man is said To be dead, not asleep in sin, Ephes. 2. and our Regeneration is called a Resurrection, not an awakening from evil ways. Grace is not sowed in an heart, as seed in the ground, which the earth brings forth by a natural power, and inbred strength; but as Sarah did conceive, wholly by the power of God: Thus doth the heart of a man bring forth the fruits of righteousness. Here then is the certain ground of mens mistakes, they lay not a sure foundation at first; they think not sin hath made such a deep and inward wound upon a mans soul, and therefore they seek not out for such a deep and inward cure: Oh know then! that although thy life be never so externally virtuous, yet if thou hast not begun with this principle of Debasement, all the work of grace is to begin a new in thee.
First, This civilized Vertue falls short, because it hath not been built upon a sure, deep and humble foundation; which is, the acknowledgement of our natural corruption 1and the horrible stain that is now throughout the whole man: They were also ignorant of the sinfulness of those inward motions, and first suggestions to sin, which Paul doth so bemoan and bewail himself for, as a miserable captive. Now if a man build never so fair an Edifice, upon a slighty and weak foundation, when any storm ariseth, all will fall presently to the ground. All men indeed, have acknowledged vertue hard and difficult to flesh and blood, they placed it upon an high hill, to which it was hard climbing, but yet they did not make it impossible to flesh and blood. Some of the Heathens conceived, the seeds and foundations of vertue were in our nature, as sparks of fire are in a flint stone, which are stricken out, though with an hard blow; but man is said To be dead, not asleep in sin,