A30243:2634
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 106
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.
SERMON CVI.
Reasons why God passeth by Humane Wisdom, with the Difference between it and true spiritual Wisdom; Also the Commendation of Humane Learning, and how necessary it is for a Minister.
Reasons why God passeth by Humane VVisdom, with the Difference between it and true spiritual Wisdom; Also the Commendation of Humane Learning, and how necessary it is for a Minister.
1 COR. 1. 26. Not many wise men after the flesh.
This Text hath discovered two sorts of wise men, The wise man after the Spirit, and The wise man after the flesh; as also, Gods determination about the later, which is full of admiration and terror. He hath not chosen many wise men after the flesh. The characters of carnal wise men, you heard the last day. I shall conclude the first subject here enumerated at this time, and that which remaineth to be considered in the first place is, What are the Reasons why God passeth by this humane wisdom, and makes no account of it, Would it not have made much for the honour of the Gospel? Would it not have been a greater credit and ornament to Religion, to see all the great wise men of the world, to have done like the wise men of the East that came to adore Christ, though lying in a stable? Is not this History famous, that wise men should come so far, and bring their external oblations, and testimonies of high respect to Christ, in that mean and contemptible way, and that in danger of their lives by Herod? In outward judgement these might have been called, The fools of the East, rather then the wise men. This did wonderfully celebrate the name of Christ; and may not a man say, If God would thus affect all the wise men in the world, would not godliness and religion be freed from those blemishes and scandals that have been and still are upon it? They are the simple and more foolish sort of people, that set themselves to the power of religion: None of the subtle profound and wise men of the world will venture too far this way. This I confess is a very plausible pretence, and might have deceived many, did not one example of our Saviour wonderfully confound such objections, where you may see him wonderfully affected with this divine dispensation, his heart is greatly moved with it; I thank thee, O Father, that thou hast hid these things from the wise, and hast revealed them to babes,