A30243:509
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 3 › Sermon 19
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.
5. Therefore men rest on them because they look on these duties as satisfactory and 1compensatory to God. We think by these ordinances we have made amends to God. It is Bellarmines doctrine, that prayer as it is laboriosa and poenalis, undergone as a laborious penance, is compensatory to God. Now though the doctrine of Popery be renounced, yet unregenerate persons abound in the practice of it.
5. Therefore men rest on them because they look on these duties as satisfactory and 1compensatory to God. We think by these ordinances we have made amends to God. It is Bellarmines doctrine, that praier as it is laboriosa and poenalis, undergone as a laborious penance, is compensatory to God. Now though the doctrine of Popery be renounced, yet unregenerate persons abound in the practice of it.
- 15. Because they look at du•ies as satisfactory.
Lastly, Therefore do carnal people rely on these, because they mistake the nature of 1them. They look upon them as those things which will of themselves make them acceptable to God, notwithstanding any preparation or spiritual managing of them: whereas setting aside the Word of God that works the first grace in us, all other duties they are but as clothes or garments to the body, which cannot warm or heat a dead body; but if there be life in the body to heat them first, then they will increase the heat. And thus it is here, if there be spiritual life in thee, and thou put it forth in these duties, then these duties will corroborate and strengthen it more.
Lastly, Therefore do carnall people rely on these, because they mistake the nature of