A30243:438
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 17
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.
A second Corollary is, That the gracious and sanctifying works of Gods Spirit, 1are only a testimony of being in God, not those common gifts of his Spirit, such as parts, abilities, assistance and enlargements in Duties, no nor Prophecies and Revelations, if such were to be had. These indeed men most covet after, as accompanied with more applause and admiration; but it's better to speak one word with the grace of Gods Spirit, then ten thousand with the mere gift of his Spirit. One would wonder indeed, why God should distribute such glorious gifts to those, whom he doth not love to eternal life; but his ways are always just, though sometimes unknown to us; yea there are other workings of Gods Spirit that come nearer to sanctification, and yet are not it. Such are, some sorrow about sin, some illumination in judgement, some joy and delight in the Ordinances, yet these argue only Gods Spirit working in us, not dwelling in us. And these operations are only transient not permanent; and it is a good rule of Bonaventures, Illa tantum dicuntur esse in animâ, quae sunt in eâ per modum quietis, caetera sunt magis ab animâ, quam in animâ. Those things are properly in the soul which are in it by way of rest, and centre in it. Yea hence it is (which is much to be observed) that all those operations of Gods Spirit in an unregenerate man, whether of the former or latter sort, they are provocative or excitative of the flesh only in a man. Thus Judas by all those gifts of Gods Spirit to him, was made more fleshly. A temporary believer by all his faith and joy is made more fleshly; for hereby he groweth more confident in himself, less poor in his Spirit, and so less perceiving the need of Christ, and his grace, by which he is more settled in a carnal way. Therefore observe, whether all thy assistance, enlargements, transient motions of Gods Spirit, have not this event in thee, to make thee carnal and corrupt in a refined manner.
A second Corollary is, That the gracious and sanctifying works of Gods Spirit, 1are only a testimony of being in God, not those common gifts of his Spirit, such as parts, abilities, assistance and enlargements in Duties, no nor Prophecies and Revelations, if such were to be had. These indeed men most covet after, as accompanied with more applause and admiration; but it's better to speak one word with the grace of Gods Spirit, then ten thousand with the meer gift of his Spirit. One would wonder indeed, why God should distribute such glorious gifts to those, whom he doth not love to eternal life; but his waies are alwaies just, though sometimes unknown to us; yea there are other workings of Gods Spirit that come nearer to sanctification, and yet are not it. Such are, some sorrow about sinne, some illumination in judgement, some joy and delight in the Ordinances, yet these argue only Gods Spirit working in us, not dwelling in us. And these operations are only transient not permanent; and it is a good rule of Bonaventures, Illa tantum dicuntur esse in animâ, quae sunt in eâ per modum quietis, caetera sunt magis ab animâ, quam in animâ. Those things are properly in the soul which are in it by way of rest, and centre in it. Yea hence it is (which is much to be observed) that all those operations of Gods Spirit in an unregenerate man, whether of the former or latter sort, they are provocative or excitative of the flesh onely in a man. Thus Judas by all those gifts of Gods Spirit to him, was made more fleshly. A temporary believer by all his faith and joy is made more fleshly; for hereby he groweth more confident in himself, lesse poor in his Spirit, and so lesse perceiving the need of Christ, and his grace, by which he is more setled in a carnal way. Therefore observe, whether all thy assistance, enlargements, transient motions of Gods Spirit, have not this event in thee, to make thee carnal and corrupt in a refined manner.