A30243:2651
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.
3. Carnal wisdom is only the ability and enlarging of the intellective parts of a 1man. His judgement, his invention, his memory; but then for the heart, the will and affections, they remain wholly in sin, so that such men have no inclination, no delight in any thing but what is evil. But now godly prudence is accompanied with the sanctification of the heart and affections, they are made obedient and flexible to God, they are set upon no earthly thing beyond the bounds God hath prescribed, and this is a main difference; for according to some Philosophers opinion, and the Scripture seemeth to incline that way, The heart is the seat of all wisdom, Cor sapit, pulmo loquitur, is the old saying. So that if the heart be carnal and polluted, then the wisdom thereof is so; and commonly the corrupt will and affections bribe and defile the understanding; so that we may say in fleshly wisdom the heart and affections they are corrupted, and then they corrupt the understanding, that whereas the understanding should go before them, they go before the understanding, and it is with such a man, as Copernicus saith it is in the great world, the earth moveth, and the Sun stands still, so their earthly affections they move, they work, they do all, and their reason or wisdom stands still, not directing at all; but godly prudence that sanctifieth a mans will and affections, it beginneth in the head, and so descends to the heart, I pray God ye be sanctified in spirit, soul and body; It beginneth first in that which is most ⟨p. 620⟩sublime and intellectual in a man. So then fleshly wisdom is like a Glow-worm upon a dunghill, there is some lustre, but on a noisome dunghill; they have parts, abilities, but like a jewel in a Swines snout; whereas this wisdom is said to be first pure, Jam. 3. 17. and then follow the other properties, its first pure.
3. Carnal wisdom is only the ability and enlarging of the intellective parts of a 1man. His judgement, his invention, his memory; but then for the heart, the will and affections, they remain wholly in sin, so that such men have no inclination, no delight in any thing but what is evil. But now godly prudence is accompanied with the sanctification of the heart and affections, they are made obedient and flexible to God, they are set upon no earthly thing beyond the bounds God hath prescribed, and this is a main difference; for according to some Philosophers opinion, and the Scripture seemeth to incline that way, The heart is the seat of all wisdom, Cor sapit, pulmo loquitur, is the old saying. So that if the heart be carnal and polluted, then the wisdom thereof is so; and commonly the corrupt will and affections bribe and defile the understanding; so that we may say in fleshly wisdom the heart and affections they are corrupted, and then they corrupt the understanding, that whereas the understanding should go before them, they go before the understanding, and it is with such a man, as Copernicus saith it is in the great world, the earth moveth, and the Sun stands still, so their earthly affections they move, they work, they do all, and their reason or wisdom stands still, not directing at all; but godly prudence that sanctifieth a mans will and affections, it beginneth in the head, and so descends to the heart, I pray God ye be sanctified in spirit, soul and body; It beginneth first in that which is most