A30243:1988
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 9 › Sermon 77
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.
Its a true and good saying of Ambrose, Homo recedens malè a Deo, cecidit in seipsum, Man falling from God, fell into his own self: So that he is as a beast tied up in a close dungeon; his thoughts, his affections, his designs are only for himself, original corruption hath brought this perverse distemper on a man; look then that thou break this Dragons head: Thou wilt find thy self within (how glorious soever in thy externals) like Ezekiels wall, whereon were portrayed the forms of all creeping and abominable things; or like Peters sheet, that had all the kinds of unclean beasts within, Thus thy heart hath all manner of vile and foul lusts cleaving unto thee; and therefore though thou wert as innocent from actual sins, as once in thy cradle, yet thou art to turn to God, and to forsake that present condition.
Its a true and good saying of Ambrose, Homo recedens malè a Deo, cecidit in seipsum, Man falling from God, fell into his own self: So that he is as a beast tyed up in a close dungeon; his thoughts, his affections, his designs are onely for himself, original corruption hath brought this perverse distemper on a man; look then that thou break this Dragons head: Thou wilt finde thy self within (how glorious soever in thy externals) like Ezekiels wall, whereon were pourtrayed the forms of all creeping and abominable things; or like Peters sheet, that had all the kindes of unclean beasts within, Thus thy heart hath all manner of vile and foul lusts cleaving unto thee; and therefore though thou wert as innocent from actual sins, as once in thy cradle, yet thou art to turn to God, and to forsake that present condition.
Secondly, That man is still in sin, and so needs conversion unto God, who 1hath daily inward delights and lusts after sin, though it may be, fear, and shame, and outward punishment keep them from acting the evil they would do. It was a received opinion among the Pharisees, and many Heathens, that the mere will and purpose to sin, did not deserve punishment, no not from God: From man indeed it cannot: but to think thoughts, desires, and inward purposes of sin, are free also with God, is to deny the Law to be a spiritual law, forbidding, all the inward motions and affections of sin; it is to deny God to be a father of spirits, who beholdeth and trieth the inward man, and doth most abhor spirit-filthiness. Hence Peter,