A30243:2818
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.
Thirdly, Consider, We are not to live by our own experiences and feelings that we have, whether of joy, or fears, but by the word of God: Its a very dangerous 1delusion, when a man makes his own sense and experience, the rule to walk by: He must bring his heart, and all things to the word, to be directed by it, guided by it. Now the word of God that commands every one in particular to believe, to repent, to draw near to God; this the word enjoineth every one, Why then art thou troubling thy self about the secret things of God, which can never be known? These revealed commands and duties, they belong to thee; How much better were it therefore to shake off all those temptations, as Paul did the Viper from his hand; and say, Let me rise up and fall to my duty: The command is plain, unquestionable, Come unto me all ye that are heavy laden, Mat. 11. Ho every one that thirsteth come, John 7. Now then, if these Texts be so clear, so evident, how darest thou refuse them? If sin trouble thee, then let sin against these Commandments trouble thee. We have a most pregnant instance in this case, Mat. 11. 22. The woman of Canaan when she desired help from Christ, see what a repulse Christ gave her, Its not fit to give children's bread to Dogs: He calls her a Dog, he tells her, children's bread did not belong to her; Whose heart would not this break? was not this in effect to tell her, she was a reprobate, the promise of Grace did not belong to her? Though Christ spake this by way of trial, to draw out her importunity the more: Well, what saith the woman to all this? yet she will catch some thing for an argument still of hope, Truth Lord, yet the Dogs eat of the crumbs that fall from the table: Let me be a Dog, let me be unworthy, I confess my self so, I feel my self so, yet deny not the crumbs, the least mercy I shall prize; and upon this answer what great commendation did Christ give her faith? Look you then, here is a ⟨p. 653⟩copy for thee to write after, endeavour to be like this woman; O Lord, though I feel no comfort, though I be a Cast-away, though I be a dog, yet let me have but the crumbs, the least expressions of thy love, and they will refresh me: So that you see, these temptations are not to deject, but to draw out thy importunity, to quicken up thy affections, as you shall hear afterwards.