A30243:161
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 1 › Sermon 6
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.
3. A carnal Presumption ariseth many times from the outward comforts and plenty ⟨p. 29⟩1they enjoy. They look upon their Riches, Children, Honours, as so many Testimonies of Gods Love to them, and Arguments of the Reward of their Obedience. Because the Scripture hath many temporal Promises unto those that walk in Gods ways, they finding themselves blessed with such advantages, do thence from infer their Piety. But the Scripture gives many Antidotes against this tumour and swelling, telling us that such stand in slippery places, yea that these things may become a snare unto them, increasing both their sin and torment. Quandoque divitae dantur ad poenam, said Augustin, as Solomon observed, Riches, for the hurt of the owners. That place in Ecclesiastes, No man knoweth love, or hatred by these things below, doth not, as the Papists would have it, prove no Assurance at all, but no Assurance by outward mercies and favours, Dives received his good things in this life, and Lazarus evil things; but a genuine Assurance that is most powerful and operative in all outward distresses and miseries. You see it in David by some of his Psalms, how confident in God, when all outward things did witness the contrary! Thus Hezekiah when under the stroke of death, is supported with the truth of Grace in his soul: but all carnal confidence vanisheth in time of distress, they then rage and rave, not knowing what to do; See then what it is that beareth up thy heart, that keeps up thy Spirit: Is it thy Wealth, thy Estate? Alas, how are these things bestowed many times upon those whom God hates, if these go to happiness then Christ was not happy, who became poor that we might be rich? It was well observed by Augustin, That God giveth Riches sometimes to wicked men, that we may not think they are good in themselves; and sometimes he giveth them to godly men, that we may not think them evil in themselves. God may give thee these things, and not Christ, but if he giveth us Christ, how shall he not with him give us all things else?
3. A carnal Presumption ariseth many times from the outward comforts and plenty ⟨p. 29⟩1they enjoy. They look upon their Riches, Children, Honours, as so many Testimonies of Gods Love to them, and Arguments of the Reward of their Obedience. Because the Scripture hath many temporal Promises unto those that walk in Gods waies, they finding themselves blessed with such advantages, do thencefrom infer their Piety. But the Scripture gives many Antidotes against this tumor and swelling, telling us that such stand in slippery places, yea that these things may become a snare unto them, encreasing both their sinne and torment. Quandoque divitae dantur ad poenam, said Augustin, as Solomon observed, Riches, for the hurt of the owners. That place in Ecclesiastes, No man knoweth love, or hatred by these things below, doth not, as the Papists would have it, prove no Assurance at all, but no Assurance by outward mercies and favours, Dives received his good things in this life, and Lazarus evil things; but a genuine Assurance that is most powerfull and operative in all outward distresses and miseries. You see it in David by some of his Psalms, how confident in God, when all outward things did witnesse the contrary! Thus Hezekiah when under the stroke of death, is supported with the truth of Grace in his soul: but all carnal confidence vanisheth in time of distresse, they then rage and rave, not knowing what to do; See then what it is that beareth up thy heart, that keeps up thy Spirit: Is it thy Wealth, thy Estate? Alas, how are these things bestowed many times upon those whom God hates, if these go to happiness then Christ was not happy, who became poor that we might be rich? It was well observed by Augustin, That God giveth Riches sometimes to wicked men, that we may not think they are good in themselves; and sometimes he giveth them to godly men, that we may not think them evil in themselves. God may give thee these things, and not Christ, but if he giveth us Christ, how shall he not with him give us all things else?