A30243:276
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.
The other sinful principle to be ejected, is unbelief and suspicious jealousy over our selves, not giving credit to what we see and feel in our own souls, but argue and cavil against it. For as while a man is in the state of unregeneration, he is always in love with himself, and cannot be brought to loath and dislike himself, as you see in Paul while unconverted; so when the Spirit of God hath throughly humbled us, made us see our beastliness and filthiness, then we run into another extreme, not taking notice of, but even denying the work of God upon our hearts; Their hearts did once so deceive them, that now they know not how to trust them any more. Hence the people of God are subject to no temptation so much as this, Whether they be sincere and upright, they look only to the evil they find in themselves, not the good God hath wrought in them; whereas it is their duty to take notice of all the good God hath vouchsafed to them: for how shall they be thankful unto God, and acknowledge him, if they be ignorant herein?
The other sinfull principle to be ejected, is unbelief and suspitious jealousie over our selves, not giving credit to what we see and feel in our own souls, but argue and cavil against it. For as while a man is in the state of unregeneration, he is alwaies in love with himself, and cannot be brought to loath and dislike himself, as you see in Paul while unconverted; so when the Spirit of God hath throughly humbled us, made us see our beastlinesse and filthinesse, then we run into another extream, not taking notice of, but even denying the work of God upon our hearts; Their hearts did once so deceive them, that now they know not how to trust them any more. Hence the people of God are subject to no temptation so much as this, Whether they be sincere and upright, they look only to the evil they finde in themselves, not the good God hath wrought in them; whereas it is their duty to take notice of all the good God hath vouchsafed to them: for how shall they be thankfull unto God, and acknowledge him, if they be ignorant herein?
Sixthly, When they do not take the fit season, then they also are in danger of miscarriage. Now then it is unseasonable, when they are full of dark, and black temptations,