A30243:2842
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 113
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, Those that walk worthy of this heavenly call, they keep themselves 1unspotted from the wickedness of the world, they are not conformed to the ways and customs thereof. Thus the Apostle prayeth earnestly, Rom. 12. That they might not be conformed to the world, but transformed in their mind; & true religion is that which keeps a man unspotted from the world, Jam. 1. 28. If God hath called thee out of this dungeon, out of this noisome and filthy place, its for thee to cast off all thy rags, and not to carry about thee so much as the smell thereof. The whole world lieth in wickedness, saith the Apostle; And if ye were of the world, saith Christ to his Disciples, the world would love you. Though the godly are in it, yet not of it. Thou dost therefore then walk in a way beseeming this holy profession, when thy life is singular, and contrary to the world, thou hatest what that loveth, thou lovest what that hateth. Thy thoughts and affections are above these things. As God made the fowls at first out of the waters, but they left them, and fl•e up in the air towards the heavens: So it ought to be with us; though we are born of flesh and blood, and have one being from below, yet we are to soar above. Do not then defile thy self with the pitch here below. Be as the Sun-beams upon the dunghill, that are not polluted by the vapours thereof. Be as those three worthies in this fire, and yet not have thy garments singed.
Secondly, Those that walk worthy of this heavenly call, they keep themselves 1unspotted from the wickednesse of the world, they are not conformed to the wayes and customs thereof. Thus the Apostle prayeth earnestly, Rom. 12. That they might not be conformed to the world, but transformed in their minde; & true religion is that which keeps a man unspotted from the world, Jam. 1. 28. If God hath called thee out of this dungeon, out of this noisome and filthy place, its for thee to cast off all thy rags, and not to carry about thee so much as the smell thereof. The whole world lieth in wickednesse, saith the Apostle; And if ye were of the world, saith Christ to his Disciples, the world would love you. Though the godly are in it, yet not of it. Thou dost therefore then walk in a way beseeming this holy profession, when thy life is singular, and contrary to the world, thou hatest what that loveth, thou lovest what that hateth. Thy thoughts and affections are above these things. As God made the fowls at first out of the waters, but they left them, and fle up in the air towards the heavens: So it ought to be with us; though we are born of flesh and blood, and have one being from below, yet we are to soar above. Do not then defile thy self with the pitch here below. Be as the Sun-beams upon the dunghil, that are not polluted by the vapours thereof. Be as those three worthies in this fire, and yet not have thy garments singed.