A30243:472
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.
Fourthly, This emptieth it self in doing and procuring all spiritual good to them. 1To love is to will good to another, that is, their proper, convenient good. Thus to love the Brethren is to pray much for them, to be diligent in the exhorting and provoking of one another to good; for of such a love and hatred which regards spiritual things, the Apostle speaketh, as by his instance in Cains hatred appeareth, which was from a spiritual consideration, Prov. 27. 17. As iron sharpneth iron, &c. so a man sharpneth the countenance of his friend, that is, as the instrument which is rusty, or edge dulled, is made serviceable by the file; so is one godly man quickened up by another. The Church is compared to a flock of sheep, whereof every one brought twins, that is, their fruitfulness, and vers. 9. in the same Chapter, Christian love is compared to Ointment and Perfume, which hath much sweetness and strengthening in it; yea reproof is sometimes necessary, as David witnesseth, when he said, Let the righteous smite me, and it shall be better then oil: yea this love is so far commanded that sometimes it's our duty to lay down our lives for the Brethren.
Fourthly, This emptieth it self in doing and procuring all spiritual good to them. 1To love is to will good to another, that is, their proper, convenient good. Thus to love the Brethren is to pray much for them, to be diligent in the exhorting and provoking of one another to good; for of such a love and hatred which regards spiritual things, the Apostle speaketh, as by his instance in Cains hatred appeareth, which was from a spiritual consideration, Prov. 27. 17. As iron sharpneth iron, &c. so a man sharpneth the countenance of his friend, that is, as the instrument which is rusty, or edge dulled, is made serviceable by the file; so is one godly man quickned up by another. The Church is compared to a flock of sheep, whereof every one brought twins, that is, their fruitfulnesse, and vers. 9. in the same Chapter, Christian love is compared to Ointment and Perfume, which hath much sweetnesse and strengthning in it; yea reproof is sometimes necessary, as David witnesseth, when he said, Let the righteous smite me, and it shall be better then oil: yea this love is so farre commanded that sometimes it's our duty to lay down our lives for the Brethren.