A30243:322
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 2 › Sermon 13
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.
2. It's uncomfortable, because it putteth a man upon the searching and finding out that which is impossible, for how canst thou ever come to know whether thou couldest be content to love God and serve him, if there were no heaven? Thou mayest make metaphysical abstractions about these things, but there can never be any real separation of one from the other, and therefore it is impossible to know what thy heart would do in such cases. It is true, Paul Rom. 9. useth an hyperbolical expression, I could wish to be an Anathema for my brethren's sake, that is, to be separated from Christ, and all communion with his privileges, that so the Jews might be saved, for the saving of all them might seem to make more for Gods glory then the salvation of one man; but the Apostle speaks not absolutely I do wish, but I could wish, viz. if it were possible, or if it were lawful; and in this he doth declare the vehemency of his love toward them. It is therefore good both for Ministers and people to be wary, that they lay no snares upon others or themselves in this point.
2. It's uncomfortable, because it putteth a man upon the searching and finding out that which is impossible, for how canst thou ever come to know whether thou couldest be content to love God and serve him, if there were no heaven? Thou maist make metaphysicall abstractions about these things, but there can never be any reall separation of one from the other, and therefore it is impossible to know what thy heart would do in such cases. It is true, Paul Rom. 9. useth an hyperbolicall expression, I could wish to be an Anathema for my brethrens sake, that is, to be separated from Christ, and all communion with his priviledges, that so the Jews might be saved, for the saving of all them might seem to make more for Gods glory then the salvation of one man; but the Apostle speaks not absolutely I do wish, but I could wish, viz. if it were possible, or if it were lawfull; and in this he doth declare the vehemency of his love toward them. It is therefore good both for Ministers and people to be wary, that they lay no snares upon others or themselves in this point.