A30243:219
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 9
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.
2 COR. 13. 5. Examine your selves, prove your own selves, &c.
WE have laid down several Propositions tending to the clearer Discovery of this truth about Signs or Marks of Grace. I now come to show The Lawfulness, yea the Duty both of Ministers and People to proceed by this method. For although my proper work is only to speak of the fruits of Grace, as they evidence a principle of Sanctification within, yet I shall in this grasp also that other Question Of evidencing our Justification by inherent gracious 1Qualifications within us, this latter being expressly written and preached against; so that by this means godly Christians are plunged into several entanglements of conscience, and know not how to come out. I shall therefore (God assisting) bring Arguments to confirm us in this Duty: only let us first understand, What the true practical Case and Question is. And first the Question is not, Whether a 2Christian in his first act of Faith, whereby he closeth with Christ, applieth him, and is engrafted in him, ought to see inherent Qualifications in him, by way of Signs and Evidences? for this is not possible: we must first by faith be implanted in Christ, before there can be any fruits demonstrating this our insition in him. The Apostle John, 1 John 2. 5. maketh the observation of Gods Commandments a sign that we are in Christ, therefore we are in Christ before by faith; and thus in all the Promises, where a Christian loaden with sin is invited to Christ, there is not required a Knowledge or Certainty of what condition he is in, Whether his graces be true or no, but only out of the sense and feeling of his own unworthiness to apprehend Christ It is therefore a falsehood to preach thus, Thou mayest not rely upon Christ for Justification, till thou hast certainty and evidence in thy heart, whether grace be truly in thee or no? for the Scripture makes them blessed that hunger and thirst, that mourn, and calls those that are burdened, and they shall have ease, although they may not have certainty of the work of grace at that time. This therefore is diligently to be attended unto, because it cannot be denied but at this Rock many a tender Christian splits himself.