A30243:2950
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 117
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 heart of man is deceitful, its such a deep we cannot fathom: Who can understand 1his errors? saith David, Cleanse me from secret sins, Psal. 19. 13. There may be a great deal of unknown wickedness in me, such pride, such earthliness, such unbelief, that I never can understand.
- 1Object.
To this I Answer, That though a man may be deceived in his judgement about himself, yet it doth not follow, that he is always defacto deceived: We say, General 1Councils may err, yet they did not always defacto cry, so it may fall out, that a man in judging about himself may be deceived, but that he is in every ⟨p. 679⟩act deceived, this would bring gross Scepticism into the world; no man could tell his own thoughts, his own affections, and there could not be such a thing as Truth in the world. Now the Scripture speaks the contrary, 1 Cor. 2. 11. What man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of a man within him? So that you see, a man may know the things of his own spirit. Again, if this were so, then no man could discern his Dogmatical faith, as well as his saving faith; no man could tell whether he were a Protestant or a Papist, or a Socinian; for the heart being deceitful, as is objected, I may think I believe such a point, and such a point, when indeed I do not; and so the Academical doubting shall come in, Nothing is known, and nothing is believed.
To this I Answer, That though a man may be deceived in his judgement about himself, yet it doth not follow, that he is always defacto deceived: We say, General