A30243:464
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 18
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.
1. That this love be to them, because they are brethren. We may love godly men 1for other respects then their godliness, because they may be wise men, learned men, potent men in the Kingdom, or men that have loved us, and showed us much kindness, but this is nothing of grace, here is only nature all the while. Hence the Apostle Peter saith, Love the brotherhood in the Abstract, because it is the brotherhood. The Wasps fly about the Tradesman's shop, not out of love to him, but the honey and fruit that is there. The Crows and Vultures sit by the dying beast, not because they love it, but for themselves. Thus godly men may be loved for carnal ends and advantages, and no wonder at this, seeing such a mercenary and hypocritical love may be proffered to God himself, as we see in the hypocrites of Israel.
1. That this love be to them, because they are brethren. We may love godly men 1for other respects then their godlinesse, because they may be wise men, learned men, potent men in the Kingdom, or men that have loved us, and shewed us much kindnesse, but this is nothing of grace, here is onely nature all the while. Hence the Apostle Peter saith, Love the brotherhood in the Abstract, because it is the brotherhood. The Wasps flie about the Tradesmans shop, not out of love to him, but the hony and fruit that is there. The Crows and Vultures sit by the dying beast, not because they love it, but for themselves. Thus godly men may be loved for carnal ends and advantages, and no wonder at this, seeing such a mercenary and hypocritical love may be profered to God himself, as we see in the hypocrites of Israel.
- 1II. The object of our love the Brethren. 1. Because they are Brethren.
2. As to the brethren, because godly, so the more godly the more we love them; For as the covetous man, the more wealth increaseth the more he loveth it; And