A30243:443
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.
Fourthly, Spirituality is discerned by the manner. Where the Spirit of God is 1there is zeal, fervency, activity. So that a formal, customary, superficial performing of holy duties is extremely opposite to a spiritual deportment in them. Nescit tarda molimina Spiritus sanctus. Hence it was that it appeared in fire, and in a mighty rushing wind. Thus Stephen and others are said to be full of the holy Ghost, when there was strong and powerful workings of grace in them. Elijah was a man of fire and zeal for God, and God gave him a suitable reward, He was carried to heaven in a fiery chariot, as a conqueror triumphing over all enemies. This the Apostle speaketh of, when Rom. 7. 6. he speaks of the oldness of the letter, and the newness of Spirit. It is an excellent expression, and an happy frame of heart, though some of late have abused that phrase to dangerous errors. Hence the Scripture in an Hebraism calls the excellency and efficacy of a thing, The Spirit of it; As the Spirit of wisdom, The Spirit of understanding, The Spirit of meekness. As the body without the soul is dead, so is a mans spirit without Gods Spirit in any duty. Oh think of this, you who spend your days in an empty formal way of Religion; call as God by the Prophet doth, Come, O wind, and cause these dry bones to gather together and live. Cry as the Church doth, Arise, O North, and blow, O South, upon our Gardens, that our spices may smell; How few spiritual Christians? How few spiritual Duties, public or private are there? The ship of ⟨p. 95⟩thy soul brings home no rich traffic, because it wants this wind. Not that a man who finds himself dead and cold, without the effectual power of Gods Spirit, should neglect Prayer and other Duties, till the Spirit breathe on him, as some have perniciously taught. For our Saviour Matth. 7. supposeth that we are to pray for the Spirit; and David, how often doth he pray, That God would quicken him? But truly such is the coldness, emptiness, that now all Religion is fallen into, that if ever one might desire a Sermon to be clothed with as much dread and terror as the promulgation of the Law was, it might be desired in this point. Till therefore thou eject those spirits that are so contrary to Gods Spirit, as the Spirit of the world especially, never look to take any comfort by thy Religion.