A30243:473
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.
Lastly, This is seen in bearing their burdens, and forbearing their infirmities; 1Bearing their burdens; hence as members of the same body they are to weep with those that weep, and rejoice with those that rejoice. They are to be like the strings of an instrument, touch one, and they all sound; And forbearing infirmities, Gal. 6. 1. Ye that are spiritual restore such an one; The word signifieth, Set him in joint again, as if a godly man overtaken by sin should cause as much grief to the whole body, as a dis-jointed member useth to do; So that to love the Brethren (if all things be considered) is a choice and difficult sign of grace; it is not every one that is thus affected. Now here is a proper Question, Whether if Brethren be fallen into heresies and wicked errors, it be not against the love of brethren, to set against them, to endeavour the suppression of them? And certainly the matter may be so carried, as thou mayest discover not only an hatred of their errors, but their godliness also; again it may be so, that thou mayest most of all discover thy love to their godliness, only hatred to their false doctrines: but this is a large field, and many things are to be said to it, else we cannot give full satisfaction to the Point.
Lastly, This is seen in bearing their burdens, and forbearing their infirmities; 1Bearing their burdens; hence as members of the same body they are to weep with those that weep, and rejoyce with those that rejoyce. They are to be like the strings of an instrument, touch one, and they all sound; And forbearing infirmities, Gal. 6. 1. Ye that are spiritual restore such an one; The word signifieth, Set him in joint again, as if a godly man overtaken by sinne should cause as much grief to the whole body, as a dis-jointed member useth to do; So that to love the Brethren (if all things be considered) is a choice and difficult sign of grace; it is not every one that is thus affected. Now here is a proper Question, Whether if Brethren be fallen into heresies and wicked errours, it be not against the love of brethren, to set against them, to endeavour the suppression of them? And certainly the matter may be so carried, as thou maiest discover not only an hatred of their errours, but their godlinesse also; again it may be so, that thou maiest most of all discover thy love to their godlinesse, only hatred to their false doctrines: but this is a large field, and many things are to be said to it, else we cannot give full satisfaction to the Point.