A30243:2650
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.
2. Lawful true prudence hath for its end the glory of God, the promoting of his 1truth, the advancing of Christ; but now fleshly wisdom hath no other end, but self-preservation, self-advancing. We read of Paul, who did so wisely carry himself that he could without any sin or hypocrisy become all things to all men; But what was his great end? it was to gain some: It was not to make his advantages of them, but Christs. And thus in another place he saith, He had caught them by guile, 2 Cor. 12. 16. But how? Not for himself but for Christ. So that all the prudence Paul used in the preaching of the Ministry to preserve his liberty, and to save his own life, was only to further the Gospel, and to propagate the truths of Christ, That the Church of God might receive no detriment, thy ends will abundantly distinguish what kind of wisdom it is thou hast. If a carnal earthly wisdom, thou matterest not Gods glory, not his truth, not his worship, but thy own safety; whereas godly prudence regards this most, and saith of the truth of God and his glory, as they did to David, Thou art better then ten thousand of us, thou shalt not go into danger; and by this it appeareth, that only a godly man is wise, for he only can propound such divine and public ends to himself.
2. Lawful true prudence hath for its end the glory of God, the promoting of his 1truth, the advancing of Christ; but now fleshly wisdom hath no other end, but selfpreservation, self-advancing. We read of Paul, who did so wisely carry himself that he could without any sin or hypocrisie become all things to all men; But what was his great end? it was to gain some: It was not to make his advantages of them, but Christs. And thus in another place he saith, He had caught them by guile, 2 Cor. 12. 16. But how? Not for himself but for Christ. So that all the prudence Paul used in the preaching of the Ministery to preserve his liberty, and to save his own life, was only to further the Gospel, and to propagate the truths of Christ, That the Church of God might receive no detriment, thy ends will abundantly distinguish what kinde of wisdom it is thou hast. If a carnal earthly wisdom, thou matterest not Gods glory, not his truth, not his worship, but thy own safety; whereas godly prudence regards this most, and saith of the truth of God and his glory, as they did to David, Thou art better then ten thousand of us, thou shalt not go into danger; and by this it appeareth, that only a godly man is wise, for he only can propound such divine and publick ends to himself.