A30243:2449
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 97
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.
First therefore, we distinguish between a man in his first Conversion, and afterwards in the progress of it. In the first moment and instant of Conversion, which is the taking away the heart of stone, and giving an heart of flesh; there we say man 1is merely a subject passive, and receiving the work of God, he doth not any ways co-operate, he hath no strength or power to join with God; but as Austin saith well, These things are wrought in nobis, sine nobis, in us, yet without us, God works this spiritual life, this tender heart in us, without our help or strength; Even as when Christ raised up any dead men, he put natural life into them, this was done in them, yet without their help; Life was put into Lazarus, and Lazarus had no helping hand to effect this: I shall prove this in the grounds of the Doctrine, I only now explain it. This then is the truth of God, and plainly grounded on Scripture, that man in the first instant of Conversion, hath no Free will, no power working with God, but is a mere passive subject, receiving the mighty work of God upon his soul: but if you consider man in the progress of Sanctification, thus having received this heavenly supernatural life, he is not a mere patient, but being acted and moved by God, he also acts and moveth: Then indeed we need grace to quicken and enliven those principles of grace, as before was proved; but yet we do not need a new life to be infused into us.
First therefore, we distinguish between a man in his first Conversion, and afterwards in the progresse of it. In the first moment and instant of Conversion, which is the taking away the heart of stone, and giving an heart of flesh; there we say man 1is meerly a subject passive, and receiving the work of God, he doth not any wayes co-operate, he hath no strength or power to joyn with God; but as Austin saith well, These things are wrought in nobis, sine nobis, in us, yet without us, God works this spirituall life, this tender heart in us, without our help or strength; Even as when Christ raised up any dead men, he put natural life into them, this was done in them, yet without their help; Life was put into Lazarus, and Lazarus had no helping hand to effect this: I shall prove this in the grounds of the Doctrine, I onely now explain it. This then is the truth of God, and plainly grounded on Scripture, that man in the first instant of Conversion, hath no Free will, no power working with God, but is a meer passive subject, receiving the mighty work of God upon his soul: but if you consider man in the progresse of Sanctification, thus having received this heavenly supernatural life, he is not a meer patient, but being acted and moved by God, he also acts and moveth: Then indeed we need grace to quicken and inliven those principles of grace, as before was proved; but yet we doe not need a new life to be infused into us.