A30243:2755
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 110
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.
Thirdly, In the matters of Christ, some are Doctrinal, some are practical; and there is the same reason for the receiving of the one, as well as of the other: For the matters 1of faith, some say, He that doth discredit or misbelieve one main Article of faith, he doth misbelieve about all, because there is Eadem ratio formalis fidei, in one as well as another; and therefore the Church never held a Macedonian who denied the Holy Ghost to be God, though he were put to death by the Arians for maintaining Jesus Christ to be God, to be a Martyr; for though he dyed for one fundamental Article, yet because he denied another, he did believe nothing at all aright; only now in matters of faith, you must distinguish between Fundamentals and Superstructions: For Fundamentals, whosoever receiveth one, must receive all the rest, else the whole building will fall to the ground; and for Superstructions, its true, all should be of one accord and mind, speak the same thing, and judge the same thing, but because these are not so clearly laid down in Scripture, nor are conclusions that are very remote so easily discerned as principles, therefore some believe that which another doth not, but because the Wedding-garment consists not in these things, the master of the feast will not cast out for this difference: Then there are practicals, such things as Christ hath commanded us to do, and they are either moral duties, or positive duties: Moral duties are those which are contained in the Moral Law of God, for Christ did not come to destroy these, but confirm them; and for these none can plead ignorance: The inward light of conscience, especially furthered by the light of the word, doth evidently demonstrate all this wickedness; yea, as is to be showed, there is more reason for thy godly life, then thy true faith; for the former is more easily discerned then the latter: And as for the positive duties, which concern us as a Church, in the government of it, and the good orders he hath prescribed thereby; though all people that receive the former, should come up to the latter, yet time and daily instruction must make way for that. Two things Christ requireth of you: First, duties of you as men; then duties as a Church, as a Society meeting by order in all visible worship:
Thirdly, In the matters of Christ, some are Doctrinal, some are practical; and there is the same reason for the receiving of the one, as well as of the other: For the matters 1