A30243:1655
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 8 › Sermon 63
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.
Secondly, Those that are sanctified, have a ready and willing obedience to the truth and commands of God: Therefore it is called Sanctification of the Spirit to Obedience, 1 Pet. 1. 2. It is impossible to have Sanctification, and not to have a cheerful and willing obedience to all those duties that are required of us. Doth God say to the proud, Be humbled, if sanctified, he obeyeth immediately? Doth God say to the profane, Be sober and heavenly; when sanctified he yields immediately; insomuch that all those hearers who live in visible disobedience to the word of God preached, they have no evidence of their sanctification: Obedience is better then sacrifice. God looks to that more then praying, hearing, or coming to the Ordinances: Dost thou say as Christ? Lo, I come to do thy will, O God, thy Law is written within my heart. Thus David being sanctified, professeth his ready and willing obedience unto God: And Paul also, Lord, What wilt thou have me to do? Act. 9. 6. He gives his heart up to God like a blank, let God set down what he pleaseth: As fire doth melt the toughest Iron, and makes it in any frame you would have it, Thus the spirit of sanctification doth melt and affect the soul, that it becomes cheerfully obedient in duties of the greatest self-denial, and contrariety to flesh and blood. Oh then think not within thy self, I hear thus much, I come to Church thus often; but what obedience is there in thy life? That crowneth all thy duties; that is the glory of all religion. The Israelites that proffered thousands ⟨p. 387⟩of Lambs, yea the children of their body were not so acceptable, as if they had done justly, and walked humbly with God: Obedience is a necessary fruit of sanctification.
Secondly, Those that are sanctified, have a ready and willing obedience to the truth and commands of God: Therefore it is called Sanctification of the Spirit to Obedience, 1 Pet. 1. 2. It is impossible to have Sanctification, and not to have a chearfull and willing obedience to all those duties that are required of us. Doth God say to the proud, Be humbled, if sanctified, he obeyeth imediately? Doth God say to the prophane, Be sober and heavenly; when sanctified he yeilds immediately; insomuch that all those hearers who live in visible disobedience to the word of God preached, they have no evidence of their sanctification: Obedience is better then sacrifice. God looks to that more then praying, hearing, or coming to the Ordinances: Dost thou say as Christ? Lo, I come to do thy will, O God, thy Law is written within my heart. Thus David being sanctified, professeth his ready and willing obedience unto God: And Paul also, Lord, What wilt thou have me to do?