A30243:348
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.
Secondly, Then is this a sign, When there is an universal repugnancy in every part 1of a man against sin, not only in his reason and conscience, but in his will, affections and ⟨p. 74⟩whole man. For this seed of grace is nothing, but Regeneration diffusing it self into the understanding, will and affections of the whole soul; so that in every part there is that which is regenerate and purified, as well as that which is corrupt and defiled. Paul, Rom. 7. giveth you a large instance of this in himself, He delighted in the Law of God in the inward man, There was the Law of his mind in him (which was the seed of grace diffused through his whole soul) that did incline him to every good thing commanded in the Law; so that although there was at the same time a law of the members, and the body of sin captivating of him, yet he had also a settled life of grace opposing all those motions of sin; and this particular is diligently to be marked; There is many a man comforts himself in this, my heart is set against sin, and if I be overtaken at any time, my conscience checks me for it, and I condemn my self, so that I say with Paul, The good I would not do that I do. Oh take heed thou do not deceive thy self! for there is a vast difference between the check or resistance of conscience against thy corrupt affections and lusts, and between the opposition of the regenerate part in a man against the unregenerate; for the former is only between two particular faculties, the conscience against the affections, but the later is universal, there is the regenerate part of the will and affections against the unregenerate part. So that in such a case a Christian doth not only say, my conscience bids me do otherwise, I know better things, as Aristotle speaks of his incontinent person, but he also saith, I will better things, I love and delight in better things. Oh therefore consider this sign aright! when thy heart crieth out of sin, Oh thou wilt meddle with it no more! Is this opposition only from conscience enlightened? Is it from that faculty only? Alas if so (as commonly it is no more) thou hast no more sign of grace in thee, then many Heathens have had. When a man is regenerated, not only his conscience is made spiritual to discover the loathsomeness of sin, but his heart also, his love, his delight, whereby he is carried out in all the power of his soul against sin;