A30243:2394
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 94
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, As Gods Word is the rule they walk by, so God himself is the companion 1that they ought to walk with. You are not alone in this walk, but God is with you. The Scripture hath a three-fold phrase: There is walking with God, walking before God, and walking, or following after God, and they all have their peculiar Emphasis. To walk with God; Thus Enoch is said to do, Gen. 4. 22, and that implieth an heavenly, holy, and humble, yet familiar enjoyment of God in our way. Can two walk together except they be agreed? And therefore no wicked man can walk in these paths of godliness, because not agreed with God: God is an adversary and an enemy to them: but the godly in this their journey to heaven have sweet communion with, and enjoyment of God: As God spake to Moses as one friend to another, by way of apparition; so doth God in a spiritual way to the godly; God is graciously present with him, he supports him, comforts him: And if he said, Come• jucundus pro vehiculo est, A pleasant Companion is in stead of a Coach in the journey; How much more admirable is it to have God our Companion in the way. Then there is to walk before God, Gen. 17. 1. Thus Abraham is commanded, and that is so to walk in the ways of Godliness, as to eye God, to have a respect to please him, to take heed of the most secret sins, knowing God hath an omniscient eye, and therefore that is the ground of sincerity, which the Scripture calls Perfection; Walk before me and be perfect. Lastly, the Scripture hath the expression of walking after God, in opposition to that phrase, of walking after their Idols, or other gods, or the imagination of their own hearts, Jer. 18. 12. And that is, when men follow the directions and guidance God vouchsafeth, especially in matter of worship: God goeth before us, as it were, with the light of his Word in his hand, and we are to follow after. This truth hath been too spiritual, even for all the ages of the Church almost, who have not followed God in their worship; but the Customs and superstitious Inventions of men. Now among other qualifications in walking that the Scripture may speak of, there are four observable.