A30243:2562
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 12 › Sermon 102
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, The effectually called, they do carefully observe and watch against all those contrary calls, that would turn them out of the way: For you must know as 1God hath his voice calling; so sin and the devil they have their sweet Sirenian Songs; They have their calls also, one calls one way, the other a contrary way. Solomon tells us of wisdom, that is, Godliness uttering her voice in the streets, crying aloud, Pro. 1. 7. To the simple and unwise that they get understanding: and then again he tells us of the whorish woman, as diligent to call in the simple man that passeth by, to defile himself. Our Saviour bids us Be wise as Serpents, Mat. 11. 16. Now as he stoppeth his ear that he may not hear the charmers, though charming never so wisely, because it's for his destruction; so much rather ought we to close up the ear against all those sweet allurements of sin, and temptations thereunto: Ulysses his companions were all turned into beasts, (as they feigned) because they would drink of those enticing cups, and hearken to the Sirenian Songs. And therefore men are degenerated into all lusts and beastliness, because they hearken to sense, to lusts, they attend to their call and cry. As Eve giving ear to the Serpent, and not refusing him at first, was immediately destroyed; now then the truly called ones, they stop the ear against the world, against carnal wisdom, and hearken only what God saith, what the Scripture saith. It is many times the profession of a Christian; Oh if I could but know when God calls to me! If I could but understand his will what he would have me to do, then I would run after him; now there is no such way to find out God calling of thee, as to bid all carnal reasonings, all fleshly consultations stand aloof off. If a man would see the true representation of his face in a glass; he must wipe off all the dust and filth, and so if thou wouldst discern Gods calling of thee from all other false calls, be sure that earthly considerations be not laid in the scale: Thus Paul refused that consultation which flesh and blood proffered him, Gal. 1. 16. and so Christ bid Peter, Depart for he was a Satan to him, Mat, 8. 33. an adversary to him.
Secondly, The effectually called, they do carefully observe and watch against all those contrary cals, that would turn them out of the way: For you must know as