A30243:344
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 14
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.
But my foundation is upon the context, the opposition Paul makes between a righteous and unrighteous man, in respect of the roots whence they are, and then from the second Proposition, which is the reason why he sinneth not, because the seed abideth in him, by which metaphorically is meant the principle of grace wrought in him by the Spirit of God, and that not only so, for Adam had the seed of grace, yet sinned it away, but because its preserved by the Covenant of grace. This place is brought to prove perseverance in grace, and no strength of wit hath yet been able to overcome it. The third Proposition is higher then the former, for it doth not only deny the act of sin, but the power of it. Neither can he sin, viz. in the sense before explained; and the fourth Proposition is a ground of the third, because he is born of God. Some make this reason the same with the former, but there seemeth to be this difference, the one signifieth that inward permanent principle of grace: The other that divine resemblance of God which is in us by this regeneration. The first Proposition is, That this difference between the righteous and unrighteous about sin is a sure sign, whereby the godly man is manifested both to himself and others that he is godly.
But my foundation is upon the context, the opposition Paul makes between a righteous and unrighteous man, in respect of the roots whence they are, and then from the second Proposition, which is the reason why he sinneth not, because the seed abideth in him, by which metaphorically is meant the principle of grace wrought in him by the Spirit of God, and that not only so, for Adam had the seed of grace, yet sinned it away, but because its preserved by the Covenant of grace. This place is brought to prove perseverance in grace, and no strength of wit hath yet been able to overcome it. The third Proposition is higher then the former, for it doth not only deny the act of sin, but the power of it. Neither can he sin, viz. in the sense before explained; and the fourth Proposition is a ground of the third, because he is born of God. Some make this reason the same with the former, but there seemeth to be this difference, the one signifieth that inward permanent principle of grace: The other that divine resemblance of God which is in us by this regeneration. The first Proposition is, That this difference between the righteous and unrighteous about sinne is a sure sign, whereby the godly man is manifested both to himself and others that he is godly.