A30243:256
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.
We answer, This would not follow, for although the heart be in supposed guilt, and 1so questioned, yet the judging of this, is by the Spirit of God, and our hearts not as guilty, but as sanctified; and all this according to the rules of Scripture. Indeed this absurdity followeth in a pharisaical or formal man, who is altogether carnal, and hath not the Spirit of God, or any supernatural principles; when he acquitteth himself, he is both the guilty Person, and the Judge too; and by this means they give false judgement, calling evil good, and darkness light, but it is not thus with believers.
We answer, This would not follow, for although the heart be in supposed guilt, and 1so questioned, yet the judging of this, is by the Spirit of God, and our hearts not as guilty, but as sanctified; and all this according to the rules of Scripture. Indeed this absurdity followeth in a pharisaical or formal man, who is altogether carnal, and hath not the Spirit of God, or any supernatural principles; when he acquitteth himself, he is both the guilty Person, and the Judge too; and by this means they give false judgement, calling evil good, and darknesse light, but it is not thus with believers.
- 1Answ.
A fifth Doubt may be from the difficulty, if not impossibility of any certainty by 1signs: for take we any sign, suppose love of the brethren, that must be explained of such love as is because they are brethren, and of such a love as proceedeth from upright principles, and pure motives, and with many other qualifications, which will be as hard to know, as the inward root of grace it self.
A fifth Doubt may be from the difficulty, if not impossibility of any certainty by