A30243:601
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.
Thirdly, Know that orthodoxy or a right judgement is easier obtained then the renovation 1of the other faculties of the soul. We are easier persuaded to believe the truth, then to love the truth; How many times were the Pharisees convinced of the truth, and of the light, yet they could not love it, or delight in it? And as moral Philosophy tells us, The understanding draweth the object to it, but in the will and affections the object draweth them to it; so that if a man loveth the earth, he is earthy; if he loves the lusts of the flesh, he is fleshly: but if a man understand or know that which is spiritual, he is not presently spiritual; and this is the reason, why God and Angels do Scire malum, know evil, but they cannot veil malum, will that which is evil, because the understanding abstracts from all the imperfections of the object, as it is in its self, but the object of the will draweth down the faculty to it, as it is in its self. There is also another reason, why it is easier to know the truth then to love it, Because the understanding is a mere passive faculty, and cannot refuse the object of truth, when laid before it. But the will and affections are active and rebellious, not necessarily carried out to their objects: and this is the reason why many a man believeth many a truth, which yet he hateth, and wisheth it were false, because the object works on the understanding irresistibly. And therefore till grace come and work so insuperably and irresistibly upon the will also, it never boweth or yields to God. Oh therefore say, that besides that general knowledge of the truth, and the zealous maintaining of it, there is necessary a further, more peculiar, particular, and operative way of grace upon thy heart. What is the reason that you may have many an orthodox man write many learned books against errors, yet know not the meaning of those truths upon his heart? But only because true Doctrine is not enough without a gracious alteration of the whole man, ⟨p. 128⟩A man may learnedly dispute for the grace of Conversion against Arminians and others, yet not feel the power of conversion upon his own soul.
Thirdly, Know that orthodoxy or a right judgement is easier obtained then the renovation 1of the other faculties of the soul. We are easier perswaded to believe the truth, then to love the truth; How many times were the Pharisees convinced of the truth, and of the light, yet they could not love it, or delight in it? And as moral Philosophy tels us, The understanding draweth the object to it, but in the will and affections the object draweth them to it; so that if a man loveth the earth, he is earthy; if he loves the lusts of the flesh, he is fleshly: but if a man understand or know that which is spiritual, he is not presently spiritual; and this is the reason, why God and Angels do Scire malum, know evil, but they cannot velle malum, will that which is evil, because the understanding abstracts from all the imperfections of the object, as it is in its self, but the object of the will draweth down the faculty to it, as it is in its self. There is also another reason, why it is easier to know the truth then to love it, Because the understanding is a meer passive faculty, and cannot refuse the object of truth, when laid before it. But the will and affections are active and rebellious, not necessarily carried out to their objects: and this is the reason why many a man believeth many a truth, which yet he hateth, and wisheth it were false, because the object works on the understanding irresistably. And therefore till grace come and work so insuperably and irresistably upon the will also, it never boweth or yields to God. Oh therefore say, that besides that general knowledge of the truth, and the zealous maintaining of it, there is necessary a further, more peculiar, particular, and operative way of grace upon thy heart. What is the reason that you may have many an orthodox man write many learned books against errors, yet know not the meaning of those truths upon his heart? But onely because true Doctrin is not enough without a gracious alteration of the whole man,