A30243:232
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.
Sixthly, Another rank of Arguments may be From all those places of Scripture that are indicative, or estensive of this truth; And for this, let us take John in his 1first Epistle, who is most express in this way, as if he would on purpose destroy the contrary error, 1 John 2. 3, 4, 5, Hereby we know that we know him, if we keep his commandments, &c. The Apostle compareth our imperfect or hypocritical knowledge with a true knowledge of Christ. The true knowledge is operative, and bringeth obedience: The hypocrites knowledge is light only, and no heat at all. Now the Apostle layeth down two Propositions, first, That where there is a true knowledge of Christ, there is an observation of his Commandments; Secondly, ⟨p. 47⟩That by this observation of his Law, we may know that our knowledge is good. To the same purpose also he speaketh in the two following verses; first, For our faith, that it must not only be carried to Christ as a propitiation for sin, but also to him as an example whom we are to imitate, he ought to walk as Christ walked, and by this imitation of Christ (saith the Apostle) we know we are in him, where observe two things; First, That by saith we come to be implanted in Christ. Secondly, That we discover this our being in him by an holy walking; None therefore that plead for Sanctification as an evidence of Justification, make our graces to be those things that put us into Christ, and by which we are justified; but these are testimonies and witnesses to declare the truth of our real being in Christ. Proceed we to the third Chapter, vers. 10. In this the children of God, and the children of the devil are manifest, [Greek or Hebrew] in this, that relateth to the axioms going before, He that is born of God sinneth not, which is thus to be understood, viz. He sinneth not, from such a full and habitual purpose of will, so as that his sin extinguisheth the seed of grace within him; now howsoever this manifestation of the children of God and of the devil to others be but conjectural, yet to the godly man, whose heart by regeneration is cured in part of that innate guile which cleaveth to it, it is clear without any deceit. At v. 13. the Apostle exhorteth the godly not to wonder, if the world hate them; and to amplify their consolation herein he addeth v. 14. We know we are translated from death to life, because we love the brethren.