A30243:246
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.
Secondly, It cannot be denied but that it is a more noble and excellent way to believe 1in the Promise, by a faith of dependency and adherence, then to believe upon the sense and evidence of Graces in us, yet this latter also is lawful and encouraged by God; For therefore it was that God gave the gift of miracles, that by such wonderful things appearing to sense, they might be persuaded to believe in God. We have a clear instance in Thomas John 20. where he is reproved for his unbelief: but upon his seeing and feeling the wounds of Christ, he makes a clear confession, My God, and my Lord. This was laudable in him, but yet saith our Saviour, Blessed are they that believe and see not. Where Thomas is not excluded from blessedness, though he did believe and see, but only the former show forth a more blessed work of grace upon themselves. We may therefore believe because of Gods Word; and we may believe because of sense: this may be an help to our faith, and therefore God hath appointed Sacraments for this end, not that the things we see are properly the object of our faith, for Ubi vides, non fides, Faith is the evidence of things not seen. Thus Thomas had one thing for the object of his sight and feeling, which was the wounds of Christs body, and another thing for the object of his faith, which was, That Christ was God. Thus in the Sacrament, That which is the object of our sense, is not the object of our faith, only we are helped by these, as motives to believe. Although therefore to have any help from sense to believe, be a comparative weakness, yet supposing this condition we are in, it is a duty to be encouraged thereby. Hence he that did believe because of miracles, did his duty, and sinned not therein: yea Ahaz is severely rebuked, because he would not take a sign to confirm his faith in the promise God made for the Kingdoms deliverance.
Secondly, It cannot be denied but that it is a more noble and excellent way to believe 1in the Promise, by a faith of dependency and adherence, then to believe upon the sense and evidence of Graces in us, yet this latter also is lawfull and encouraged by God; For therefore it was that God gave the gift of miracles, that by such wonderfull things appearing to sense, they might be perswaded to believe in God. We have a clear instance in Thomas