A30243:1701
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 65
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.
To this in the first place I Answer, That amongst men, who judge by outward appearance, 1and cannot try the hearts and reins, which is Gods Sovereignty, these things are much admired, and received for Sanctification. Hence if we see a man have good utterance and gifts in prayer, with affectionate enlargements; if he speak of some joy and sweetness he hath in the Ordinances; if he can confer and dispute with some illumination of mind and understanding in religious things; we are apt to take all that glisters thus, for gold: and because others do put such an esteem upon them; therefore they that have such gifts do easily persuade themselves that they are sanctified also. But these gifts of Gods Spirit are not sanctification. A man may have all those enumerated excellencies, and yet be an unregenerated man. For,
To this in the first place I Answer, That amongst men, who judge by outward appearance, 1and cannot try the hearts and reins, which is Gods Soveraignty, these things are much admired, and received for Sanctification. Hence if we see a man have good utterance and gifts in prayer, with affectionate inlargements; if he speak of some joy and sweetnesse he hath in the Ordinances; if he can confer and dispute with some illumination of mind and understanding in religious things; we are apt to take all that glisters thus, for gold: and because others doe put such an esteem upon them; therefore they that have such gifts do easily perswade themselves that they are sanctified also. But these gifts of Gods Spirit are not sanctification. A man may have all those enumerated excellencies, and yet be an unregenerated man. For,
- 1Answ. He may not
First, You have many instances of those who have had these gifts, and yet no true 1