A30243:242
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 10
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.
The second place is Ephes. 1. 13. In whom after the believed, ye were sealed with 1the holy Spirit of Promise. Where you have this Witnessing or Assurance expressed metaphorically by sealing, which is used to ratify and confirm things; now God doth thus seal us, not for his sake, but ours, that we may be persuaded of his love; God doth not seal as a Merchant his wares, that he may know them, but as a Father doth his Testament, or deeds of Gift, to assure his Child of such favour towards him. But you will say, What is this sealing? The Metaphor will declare it: As in sealing, the Seal makes an impression of its own likeness in the wax; so God in sealing unto us makes an impression of his own holy image in us, and by this we are assured. They therefore who understand this sealing of the extraordinary and miraculous gifts of Gods Spirit, hit not the mark, because these were not necessary signs of Adoption, and also they were not bestowed upon every particular believer; we must therefore understand it of the sanctifying graces of Gods Spirit: And here you may also observe that faith whereby we receive Christ first, is not the evidence, as some plead, because it is after their believing, for the word is in the time past: that it is meant of holiness, doth appear also by the words following, Sealed by the holy Spirit of Promise, where the Spirit of God is called the Spirit of the Promise, either because he doth confirm the Promises, or else because he is the fruit of the Promise; and holy, because of the holiness he works in his children, which is their sealing; so that as God the Father is said to seal Christ, when he gave him those abilities which were required to a Mediator, anointing him with all grace, and witnessing by miracles he was his Son; Thus doth God the Father seal his children to him by furnishing them with all the graces of his holy Spirit, and by these they know they are of God.
The second place is Ephes. 1. 13. In whom after ye believed, ye were sealed with 1the holy Spirit of Promise. Where you have this Witnessing or Assurance expressed metaphorically by sealing, which is used to ratifie and confirm things; now God doth thus seal us, not for his sake, but ours, that we may be perswaded of his love; God doth not seal as a Merchant his wares, that he may know them, but as a Father doth his Testament, or deeds of Gift, to assure his Childe of such favour towards him. But you will say, What is this sealing? The Metaphor will declare it: As in sealing, the Seal makes an impression of its own likenesse in the wax; so God in sealing unto us makes an impression of his own holy image in us, and by this we are assured. They therefore who understand this sealing of the extraordinary and miraculous gifts of Gods Spirit, hit not the mark, because these were not necessary signes of Adoption, and also they were not bestowed upon every particular believer; we must therefore understand it of the sanctifying graces of Gods Spirit: And here you may also observe that faith whereby we receive Christ first, is not the evidence, as some plead, because it is after their believing, for the word is in the time past: that it is meant of holinesse, doth appear also by the words following, Sealed by the holy Spirit of Promise, where the Spirit of God is called the Spirit of the Promise, either because he doth confirm the Promises, or else because he is the fruit of the Promise; and holy, because of the holinesse he works in his children, which is their sealing; so that as God the Father is said to seal Christ, when he gave him those abilities which were required to a Mediator, annointing him with all grace, and witnessing by miracles he was his Son; Thus doth God the Father seal his children to him by furnishing them with all the graces of his holy Spirit, and by these they know they are of God.