A30243:248
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.
But first, An humane testimony may be an introductory preparation, to believe that 1which is Divine. And in this sense, there is an humane Witness to the things of God. Thus the woman of Samaria witnessed of Christ, and they were moved by her testimony, although afterwards they did believe, because of Christ himself. Thus also John Baptist bare Witness of Christ; and in this sense our Divines acknowledge the Authority of the Church, and so explain that of Augustine, who said, He would not have believed the Scriptures, had not the Authority of the Church moved him.
But first, An humane testimony may be an introductory preparation, to believe that 1which is Divine. And in this sense, there is an humane Witnesse to the things of God. Thus the woman of Samaria witnessed of Christ, and they wer moved by her testimony, although afterwards they did believe, because of Christ himself. Thus also John Baptist bare Witnesse of Christ; and in this sense our Divines acknowledge the Authority of the Church, and so explain that of Augustine, who said, He would not have believed the Scriptures, had not the Authority of the Church moved him.
- 1Answ. 1.
Secondly, We say not the Graces of Gods Spirit, can or do witness of themselves, 1The sealing and witnessing is efficiently from the Spirit of God, they are only the means by which Gods Spirit makes known it self. And therefore as colours, though they be the object of sight, yet they cannot actually be seen without light shining upon them: so neither are we able to behold the good things God hath wrought for us without the Spirit of God.
Secondly, We say not the Graces of Gods Spirit, can or do witnesse of themselves,