A30243:2317
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 11 › Sermon 91
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.
Secondly, God working thus a new Nature, and thereby enabling to new actions, 1takes a far other course to make holy, then Moral Philosophy teacheth: For if we read all the Moral Philosophers, persuading us to be temperate, just, or prudent, if you ask them, How shall we come to have the habits of these things? They will tell you, by frequent actions, justa agendo sumus justi, by doing many righteous actions frequently, so we come to have habits. Thus they know no other way, and there is no better Divinity in most people; for they think by doing godly actions, they are made godly: and so they think by walking in Gods commandments, to get a new spirit, which is the clear inverted order to the Text; for God first giveth this New spirit, and then causeth to walk in his Law; we indeed are commanded to be diligent in the use of the means; we must attend to the Ordinances of grace; but till this spiritual life be infused, there is not one good action done by us in a good manner: All that thou dost till this new principle be put in thee, hath but the body of a good action, not the soul of it. Nothing thou dost is pleasing to God, Heb. 11. 6. God is angry with thee all the day long, All things are become polluted, and unclean to thee, Ti•. 1. 15. Oh were not men hardened in their sins, and led captive by the D•vel according to his pleasure: they could never eat, or drink, or take any rest till they got out of that damnable estate, wherein all the day long they were treasuring up wrath against the day of wrath. Belshazzar saw but one hand-writing in the wall against him, and he knew not what it was; yet it struck him with terror and trembling: But now thou hast many hand-writings, and Ordinances against thee, even the whole word of God; and thou canst not but know what they are, yet thou art not affected with fear. What was written of Belshazzar, Thou art weighed, and found too light; The same Gods word saith of all thy Duties, performances, and seeming religion, It is weighed, and it is found too light: And the reason is, because all thy religious duties are like leaves fallen from the tree dried, and without s•p or moisture.
Secondly, God working thus a new Nature, and thereby enabling to new actions,