A30243:210
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 8
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.
Seventhly, The Properties and Effects of Grace, may be considered Absolutely, 1as they are Properties, or Relatively, as they are Signs. Now the Scripture speaks of these both ways, Gal. 6. 25. He that is Christs, hath mortified the flesh with the affections and lusts thereof. So 2 Cor. 5. 17. He that is in Christ is a new creature; Old things are past away, and all things are become new. Thus also Rom. 8. 1. Those that are in Christ Jesus are said to walk after the spirit, not after the flesh. All these Texts and the like, are only indicative, and descriptive of those subjects who are godly in their Properties; but John in his Epistles doth speak of these as they are signs, whereby we know we are of God; as more largely is to be showed. There is a great difference between these two, for a Christian may have all the adjuncts and fruit of grace, and yet they not be signs to him, for he may be ignorant that they are in him, yea he may be strongly persuaded through temptation that he hath them not; and how often are the people of God in this sad darkness, concluding themselves hypocrites, A barren wilderness, unsavoury salt, when yet they are the pleasant Garden of Christ! Now if these Effects were in them by way of signs, it is impossible but they should conclude themselves in a state of grace and peace: So that to be a sign is a Relative Being, by which we are brought into remembrance of something else. Thus the Sacraments are signs. Thus Rahabs red thread was a sign to remember the Israelites for her preservation. Then are the Effects of Grace by way of Marks and Signs, when in the beholding of them, we see the causes that wrought them, we see Election, Justification, Adoption and Regeneration from whence these flow, concluding thus, All these great and heavenly things could not be in my soul, were not Christ and his Spirit there; this rich and glorious furniture could not be in my soul, were not the King of Glory there. The flowers of this garden would not smell so sweetly, did not the wind blow upon them.
Seventhly, The Properties and Effects of Grace, may be considered Absolutely, 1as they are Properties, or Relatively, as they are Signs. Now the Scripture speaks of these both wayes, Gal. 6. 25. He that is Christs, hath mortified the flesh with the affections and lusts thereof. So