A30243:270
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.
Secondly, There is a danger about marks of grace, when we try not our graces by 1a true touchstone. When the Apostle commands us to examine and prove our selves, it supposeth there is a sure Canon and Rule to go by, which is to measure and regulate those things we doubt of. And that is the word of God, which David calls the light and lantern to his feet; and Paul commends them as those that are able to make us wise to Salvation; So that as when we are commanded to try the Spirits, and Doctrines of men, there is implied a recourse to the Scriptures, which is the only Star to lead us, insomuch that the whole building of our faith must be cut out of this Mountain, and from this brook are all Davids to fetch their stones, which they shall sling in the head of every Goliath (I mean every heretic) insomuch that in matters of Doctrine, a man doth truly say, Non credo, quia non lego, I do not believe it, because I do not read it. Thus it is also in those injunctions, which are to search and try our hearts, for those do suppose the Scripture to be the true Standard, and whatsoever is too light or faulty, must be discovered by this; for as God is the Principium essendi, the beginning or cause of the being of grace; so Gods word is the Principium cognoscendi, the principle by which we know what is true grace; now from this it is that most men do so easily persuade themselves of their being in a good estate, because they judge of godliness, by the principles of the world and humane grounds, not by Scripture-directions; Scripture-godliness is as different from the moral mans godliness as the Sun is from a Glow-worm. Though this hath a little lustre in a dark night, yet indeed it is nothing but a slimy, earthy worm, insomuch that we may truly say of all the civil, moral and refined lives of men in Christianity, who have not the power of Regeneration in them. What Erasmus said of Seneca, Si i•spicias illum ut Paganus, Christianè scripsit, si ut Christianus, Paganicè. If you look as an Heathen upon him, then he seemeth to you to write as if he were a Christian; but if you look upon him as a Christian, then he seemeth to write as an Heathen.
Secondly, There is a danger about marks of grace, when we try not our graces by 1a true touchstone. When the Apostle commands us to examine and prove our selves, it supposeth there is a sure Canon and Rule to go by, which is to measure and regulate those things we doubt of. And that is the word of God, which David cals the light and lanthorn to his feet; and Paul commends them as those that are able to make us wise to Salvation; So that as when we are commanded to try the Spirits, and Doctrines of men, there is implied a recourse to the Scriptures, which is the only Starre to lead us, insomuch that the whole building of our faith must be cut out of this Mountain, and from this brook are all Davids to fetch their stones, which they shall sling in the head of every Goliah (I mean every heretick) insomuch that in matters of Doctrine, a man doth truly say, Non credo, quia non lego, I do not believe it, because I do not read it. Thus it is also in those injunctions, which are to search and try our hearts, for those do suppose the Scripture to be the true Standard, and whatsoever is too light or faulty, must be discovered by this; for as God is the Principium essendi, the beginning or cause of the being of grace; so Gods word is the Principium cognoscendi, the principle by which we know what is true grace; now from this it is that most men do so easily perswade themselves of their being in a good estate, because they judge of godlinesse, by the principles of the world and humane grounds, not by Scripture-directions; Scripture-godlinesse is as different from the moral mans godlinesse as the Sunne is from a Glow-worm. Though this hath a little lustre in a dark night, yet indeed it is nothing but a slimy, earthy worm, insomuch that we may truly say of all the civil, moral and refined lives of men in Christianity, who have not the power of Regeneration in them. What Erasmus said of Seneca, Si ispicias illum ut Paganus, Christianè scripsit, si ut Christianus, Paganicè. If you look as an Heathen upon him, then he seemeth to you to write as if he were a Christian; but if you look upon him as a Christian, then he seemeth to write as an Heathen.