A30243:1691
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 64
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.
4. The offer and tendering of this Covenant is not enough to make a people outwardly holy, but there must be an outward and visible accepting of it. The Gospel 1hath been preached to many people, who yet rejected it; and therefore not taking the Covenant, continued still in their natural pollution and uncleanness; and this is necessarily to be pressed upon you: for most Christians know not, or attend not to what they do. There is none of you who are Baptized, and own the title of Christians, but ye have entered into a Covenant with God, you have promised to be his, you have resigned up your selves unto him, as your Lord, whose Laws you will obey. Thus as many as are baptized, are said, To put on Christ Jesus, Gal. 3. 27 That is, their external profession, and Sacramental obligation, 1 Pet. 3. 21. That Answer of a good Conscience is an allusive expression to Covenants and Contracts which are mutually made between parties. Oh then, that all you who glory in your Baptism and Christianity, and thereby in a kind of holiness, would remember what those stipulations were? Were not those engagements to •enounce the devil, to forsake all wicked ways, and to cleave only to him? Because you entered into such an agreement, and made such an external profession, therefore thou art in a sense under the Covenant, and so hast a Covenant-Sanctification. But all this will not avail without true, real, and practical holiness, and amendment of thy life.
4. The offer and tendring of this Covenant is not enough to make a people outwardly holy, but there must be an outward and visible accepting of it. The Gospel 1hath been preached to many people, who yet rejected it; and therefore not taking the Covenant, continued still in their naturall pollution and uncleannesse; and this is necessarily to be pressed upon you: for most Christians know not, or attend not to what they do. There is none of you who are Baptized, and own the title of Christians, but ye have entred into a Covenant with God, you have promised to be his, you have resigned up your selves unto him, as your Lord, whose Laws you will obey. Thus as many as are baptized, are said, To put on Christ Jesus,