A30243:66
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 1 › Sermon 2
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.
First, He will enjoy the sweetness and benefit of the Ordinances, which men of parts 1and gifts only do not. How many are there who in our Church-administrations are like old Barzillai that had lost his taste and hearing, and so cared not for Davids feasts and music? David, Psa. 19. preferreth Gods Word in sweetness above the honey and honey-comb, Psal. 84. is spent in admiring the loveliness and beauty of Gods Ordinances: Now (alas) a man without the experimental work of grace upon his soul, can no more be affected with these, then a blind man with colours, Cant. 1. 4. Because of thy ointment poured forth, therefore the ⟨p. 7⟩virgins love thee; Christ in his Ordinances doth as Mary, Open a box of ointment, which diffuseth a spiritual savour in Church-Assemblies to the godly, and this only the experimental Christian feels. Chrysostom sometimes in his Sermons speaking of the more hidden and choice principles of the Christian Religion, useth this phrase, Sciunt initiati quid dico, Those that are initiated or admitted into our mysteries know what I mean. Thus also may the Ministers of God, preaching either of the bitterness of sin, the sadness of spiritual desertions, or the fullness of Christ, the sweetness of his fellowship and communion, say, The practised, exercised Christian knoweth what I mean; formal customary Christians are strangers unto that virtue and efficacy which is communicated in spiritual Ordinances. Cant. 4. 12. The Church is compared to a garden shut up, a fountain sealed, which is to be understood not only in respect of the defence and protection God vouchsafeth his Church, that none can destroy her; but also, because strangers and wicked men are not able to drink of her delicacies, or smell of her sweetness. A spiritual Sermon is a Fountain sealed up, the spiritual administration of a Sacrament, is a Garden enclosed; formal notional Christians understand not, or perceive the full sweetness thereof. There were many people in a throng and crowd about our Saviour, but the infirm woman only, felt efficacy come from him: so many may attend the Ordinances, frequent the Assemblies, but some few only find the inward power of Christ derived unto their souls: As therefore Thomas, though upon an ill ground, said, He would not believe Christ to be risen, unless he saw his wounds, and put his fingers into them: