A30243:613
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 23
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.
In the next place the duty is set down Positively, Try the Spirits, which is to be meant thus, by the word of God: for all trial supposeth some rule by which the thing tried is to be examined: and this duty is imposed upon all believers, who though they have not a judgement of Decision, yet have of Discretion for their own selves.
In the next place the duty is set down Positively, Try the Spirits, which is to be meant thus, by the word of God: for all tryal supposeth some rule by which the thing tryed is to be examined: and this duty is imposed upon all believers, who though they have not a judgement of Decision, yet have of Discretion for their own selves.
In the Third place you have the reason of this Examination, Because many false Prophets are gone out into the world; Many who shall boast of the Spirit, and say, It lodgeth with them: And that we may be the better guided in this Examination, he layeth down one rule as it concerneth Doctrine, verse 2. Hereby we know the spirit of God, if it confesseth that Jesus Christ is come into the flesh: which may be understood either largely, as acknowledging all matters that pertain either to the person and office of Christ; so that although we may acknowledge Christs incarnation; yet if we deny his offices, we offend against this rule, and so have the Spirit of Antichristianism, as in Popery; or else more strictly, for that determinate particular point of Christs incarnation; for though a man be heretical in other points, and so have the spirit of Antichrist, yet so far as it acknowledgeth this truth, it is of God. And thus Austin said, Heretics and Schismatics are of the Church, so far as they hold any thing that is true and good: but wherein they are divided from truth, they are divided from the Church, and wherein they are united in truth, they are united to the Church.
In the Third place you have the reason of this Examination, Because many false Prophets are gone out into the world; Many who shall boast of the Spirit, and say, It lodgeth with them: And that we may be the better guided in this Examination, he layeth down one rule as it concerneth Doctrine, verse 2. Hereby we know the spirit of God, if it confesseth that Jesus Christ is come into the flesh: which may be understood either largely, as acknowledgeing all matters that pertain either to the person and office of Christ; so that although we may acknowledge Christs incarnation; yet if we deny his offices, we offend against this rule, and so have the Spirit of Antichristianism, as in Popery; or else more strictly, for that determinate particular point of Christs incarnation; for though a man be heretical in other points, and so have the spirit of Antichrist, yet so far as it acknowledgeth this truth, it is of God. And thus Austin said, Hereticks and Schismaticks are of the Church, so far as they hold any thing that is true and good: but wherein they are divided from truth, they are divided from the Church, and wherein they are united in truth, they are united to the Church.