A30243:2450
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.
Secondly, Although this is the good truth of God, yet hereby we do not take away 1the nature of a man, and make him a beast, as the Adversaries calumniate. Oh say they, this is to turn man into a stock or stone, to deprive him of reason and liberty of will. No, we deny the consequence; for although we say, That he is thus 2passive for the initial working of Grace; yet we say he hath his understanding, his reason still, he hath a will still; only, to discern, or will what is good, that he cannot: So then we deny not but a man hath understanding, hath a natural liberty of his will, he cannot be a man if he have not these: but yet in respect of that which is holy, so his mind is blind, his will is obstinate, and rebellious against it. So that in man here are these three things; To be able to understand, to be able freely to will; this is of mere nature. To have a corrupt understanding, and a corrupt will, is of defiled nature. To understand and will what is good, is of sanctified nature: So then, what is the true state of the question, not whether there be an understanding, and the natural faculty of Free-will in a man, or not. None denieth that, every man hath Free-will in natural and civill actions; only the question is about the object of these, whether he hath power to understand or will things that are merely spiritual and supernatural; and this the Scripture doth expressly deny.
Secondly, Although this is the good truth of God, yet hereby we doe not take away 1the nature of a man, and make him a beast, as the Adversaries calumniate. Oh say they, this is to turn man into a stock or stone, to deprive him of reason and libertie of will. No, we deny the consequence; for although we say, That he is thus 2passive for the initial working of Grace; yet we say he hath his understanding, his reason still, he hath a will still; onely, to discern, or will what is good, that he cannot: So then we deny not but a man hath understanding, hath a natural libertie of his will, he cannot be a man if he have not these: but yet in respect of that which is holy, so his mind is blind, his will is obstinate, and rebellious against it. So that in man here are these three things; To be able to understand, to be able freely to will; this is of meer nature. To have a corrupt understanding, and a corrupt will, is of defiled nature. To understand and will what is good, is of sanctified nature: So then, what is the true state of the question, not whether there be an understanding, and the natural faculty of Free-will in a man, or not. None denyeth that, every man hath Free-will in natural and civill actions; onely the question is about the object of these, whether he hath power to understand or will things that are meerly spirituall and supernatural; and this the Scripture doth expresly deny.