A30243:2808
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 112
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, They that are thus chosen, the preaching of the Gospel comes not unto them in word only, but in a full and efficacious power on their heart, and assurance of their understanding: We Ministers of the Gospel may here take up our lamentations, 1To whom is the Gospel preached, any more then mere bare words? Do not our Sermons, as the Psalmist said of our lives, Pass away as a tale that is told? Oh this is an ill sign! consider that place, 1 Thess. 1. 4, 5. Knowing (brethren) your Election of God: The Apostle speaks so of others, either in the ⟨p. 650⟩judgement of charity, or from that spirit of discerning, which was vouchsafed some in the Apostles times: Well, how comes Paul to know this? by this glorious effect, Verse 5. For our Gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance: See what the end and issue of every Sermon should be, it should come with power, and with the Holy Ghost into your hearts; viz. The Spirit of God accompanying the word, works faith, conversion, and a through reformation of our lives: Its therefore very good to consider, with what power the word preached falls into thy heart: Doth it convince thee, humble thee, mollify and soften thee, this argueth thou belongest to God. John 8. Our Saviour argued on the contrary, that the Pharisees were not of God, because they did not hear with faith and obedience his word: Thus you see, great discoveries may be made of men, according to the efficacy Gods word hath upon their hearts. Every faithful Minister is like John, a voice, but if he be no more, then he said of the Nightingale, vox & praeterea nihil, a voyce, and nothing else; woe be to that Auditor who feels it no more: Ezekiel was no more to his hearers; God tell shim, He was like a pleasant song to them, Ezek. 33. 32. they would come and hear as his people, but they would do nothing; If therefore the Election of God ever put forth any glorious power on thee, thou wilt find it in this some time or other, that the word preached will be more then the word of a man, more then a mere humane Oration, or verbal Declamation: Oh! it will be like fire in thy bowels, like a two edged sword in the secret places of thy heart; thou wilt cry out, Verily God is here: Oh the power, the conviction, the meltings of my soul that I feel within me!