A30243:268
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 11
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.
First, About the Signs themselves; and that either on the right hand, or left; 1on the right-hand, By prescribing to our selves such Signs as are impossible to be attained in this life. Thus there is an Anabaptistical and a Popish perfection, whereby men are taught to find such a perfect mark of grace, a• that no sin shall be in them, at least for some space of time: but it is no marvel if the soul be perpetually tormented that seeketh for such a ground of comfort within it own self. John who 1 Joh. 3. makes the keeping of Gods Commandments a sign whereby we are of the truth, doth yet Chap. 1. 8. say, That if we say we have no sin, we deceive our selves; yet herein Gods children make many sad wounds for themselves, not distinguishing between the truth and essence of grace, and the degrees of it. Whereas the Scripture makes them blessed that hunger and thirst, yea it doth often describe the godly by their desires, and seeking of his face; now this error is the more fastened upon them, because when they read in books, or hear Ministers preach about the nature and properties of any grace, they are not able to find it in such a vigorous and powerful manner in themselves, whereas they ought to know, it is one thing to speak of grace in Idea in se, in its own nature and definition, another thing to speak of it, as in subjecto, as the Subject partakes of it. When the Ministers of God press any grace upon you, they commonly do it in the abstracted nature of it, as it hath its perfectest lineaments and shape, but as this grace is received in the subject, so it is much debilitated.
First, About the Signs themselves; and that either on the right hand, or left; 1on the right-hand, By prescribing to our selves such Signs as are impossible to be attained in this life. Thus there is an Anabaptistical and a Popish perfection, whereby men are taught to finde such a perfect mark of grace, a• that no sin shall be in them, at least for some space of time: but it is no marvel if the soul be perpetually tormented that seeketh for such a ground of comfort within it own self. John who 1 Joh. 3