A30243:211
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.
Eighthly, Signs (as to our purpose) may be divided into two ranks. Natural, 1which by a necessary consequence signify; Thus smoke doth signify there ⟨p. 41⟩is a fire; or Voluntary by will and appointment, such as the Sacraments are; for howsoever there be some natural Analogy and fitness in the Sacraments between the signs, and the things signified, yet the determinate appointing of such a signification, is merely by the appointment of God; now concerning the Properties and Effects of Grace, as they are signs, we cannot say, they are merely Natural, nor merely Voluntary, but of a mixed Nature; They are not merely Natural, because then whosoever hath grace working in him, would perceive and know he hath so, but experience confuteth that; therefore the Spirit of God witnessing and assuring is required, besides the presence of grace in us. It is true, that saying of Augustine's is much celebrated and used against Popish doubting, Quisquis credit, sentit see habere fidem in cord, Whosoever doth believe, perceiveth in himself that he doth believe. Hence it is that our Divines say, As he that hath fire in his bosom feeleth fire is there; He that tasteth of a sweet object, perceiveth the sweetness of it, and he that is awake, knoweth he is awake; so he that hath the operations of Gods Spirit, knoweth that these are wrought by God in him, and that he is not deceived. But howsoever these are true in respect of the genuine and proper work of that supernatural life in us, yet there may be several impediments from within through sin, especially unbelief intervening, or obstructions without, by Gods desertion and forsaking of us, that we cannot perceive the good things God hath done for us, Thus they are not Signs in a mere Natural way. Nor yet can we say they are merely Voluntary signs, for the Effects of grace are the proper and genuine fruit of grace; and wheresoever Sanctification is, there is supposed Justification inseparably. They are therefore evidences of our interest in Christ, yet so as they manifest this, Only by the light of the Spirit; as some Philosophers say of the Stars, that they have an innate light of their own, but yet they are not conspicuous and visible without the light of the Sun.
Eighthly, Signs (as to our purpose) may be divided into two ranks. Natural, 1