A30243:585
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 22
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.
That doctrinal disputations and difference of judgements in matters of Religion cannot 1be relied upon as symptoms and evidences of Grace.
- 1Observ.
Even the strong Christian who had the truth of his side, could not prove his godliness from his opinion or practice in this controversy, because the Kingdom of God consisted not in these things. The Apostle speaketh the like in another disputation, that did much exercise the godly, 1 Cor. 8. 8. about eating things offered to Idols. But meat commendeth us not to God, for neither if we eat are we better, neither if we eat not, are we the worse. The Greek words are emphatical, [Greek or Hebrew], we do not abound, we have done no such great matter, neither [Greek or Hebrew] do we fall short of others, as if we were not so excellent. Thus also the Apostle, Heb. 14. 9. It is good (that is better) to have the heart established with grace, rather then meats, rather then Doctrines and Disputations about them; where you see Disputations and Opinions do not establish, are not the staff of a mans heart; Grace only is so. Yea the Apostle in that grand controversy which did so much exercise the Church at first, viz. the Disputation about Circumcision, and the observation of it, speaketh manifestly, Gal. 6. 15. In Jesus Christ neither Circumcision or uncircumcision availeth any thing, but a new creature. Let not therefore men for a particular opinion which they conceive truer then others, boast themselves, appropriate godliness only unto that way. Although we are very prone to do so, yet the Scripture discovers such arguments to be only broken reeds.
Even the strong Christian who had the truth of his side, could not prove his godlinesse from his opinion or practice in this controversie, because the Kingdom of God consisted not in these things. The Apostle speaketh the like in another disputation, that did much exercise the godly,