A30243:352
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.
Fourthly, This is a sign, in that hereby a godly man in some measure, and by degrees, 1doth not only leave outward gross sins, but even conquer and crucify the inward body of sin. Gal. 5. He hath crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts thereof; and he is said to crucify the body of sin, and the deeds of the flesh; and herein this sign is most eminently significant; for a man cannot simply take comfort from this, he hath indeed once been such and such an ungodly sinner, he hath wallowed in such mire, but now he hath given over all those courses; a man (I say) cannot barely take comfort from this leaving of actual gross sins, unless there be a mortifying of them in the root, in the affections and motions thereunto; for Peter speaks of some, who had escaped the pollution of the world, and that through the knowledge of Christ, yet were Swines and Dogs in their nature. Wherein doth Paul Rom. 7. so passionately bewail his captivity to sin, but only in respect of the inward motions thereof? Thus David, Psal. 51. stayeth not upon his murder and adultery, but goeth to that foul fountain, He was conceived in sins, and entreats God to create in him a clean heart. If therefore thou would fain know whether thou art borne of God or no; See how pure and clean thou desirest to make thy self within, how doth the fountain of blood within thee dry up?
Fourthly, This is a sign, in that hereby a godly man in some measure, and by degrees, 1doth not only leave outward grosse sins, but even conquer and crucifie the inward body of sinne. Gal. 5. He hath crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts thereof; and he is said to crucifie the body of sinne, and the deeds of the flesh; and herein this sign is most eminently significant; for a man cannot simply take comfort from this, he hath indeed once been such and such an ungodly sinner, he hath wallowed in such mire, but now he hath given over all those courses; a man (I say) cannot barely take comfort from this leaving of actual grosse sins, unlesse there be a mortifying of them in the root, in the affections and motions thereunto; for Peter speaks of some, who had escaped the pollution of the world, and that through the knowledge of Christ, yet were Swines and Dogs in their nature. Wherein doth Paul