A30243:68
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.
Secondly, By this practical knowledge and exercise thou wilt be taken off from 1all needless and vain disputations in matters of Religion, and wilt be more solicitous at home in thy own heart. In former times when the people of God were busy about the touch stone and trial of grace in themselves, they did not launch out into such deep and unprofitable Questions, but now of late since believers have busied themselves in disputes and controversies, and new opinions, this practical knowledge of grace is much neglected, you shall find men sooner disputing about faith then living by faith, talking of heavenly-mindedness then being so indeed. Thus the trees in Gods garden sprout up into suckers and barren boughs, and bear •ittle fruit upon them, 1 Tim. 6. 4. The Apostle doth excellently describe such a temper, he calls it Doting about Questions, or as it is in the Greek, Sick and languishing; Even as much fretting and vexation consumeth the flesh of the body, so do proud and vain affectations of new opinions pine away the soul. What is this but to think that a stone may become bread, and a serpent fish? As it is a Ministers duty to preach only those things that are profitable, The sower went out to sow good seed, not poison, or empty chaff; so it is also required of private Christians, that they do think, confer of, and study those things only that may edify and practically build up their souls. I would not hereby discourage an endeavour in Christians to grow in knowledge. The Apostle reproveth some for being babes, and that he could not speak unto them as spiritual but as carnal, only they must know, that faith hath efficacious purifying acts as well as knowing acts, and therefore our increase must be equal both quoad notitiam, and efficaciam, in respect of knowledge and efficacy also. A Christian may grow either Quoad amplitudinem scientiae or efficaciam scientiae, the enlargement of his knowledge both in respect of the matter, he may know more things then he did, as also in the manner, more clearly, evidently and firmly then he did, or else in the efficacy of his knowledge, though he do not more things then he did, yet he knoweth them more practically, they have a greater influence upon his heart and affections, ⟨p. 8⟩they move and inflame him more then ever they did; now though the former way of increase be necessary and pleasing to God, yet this is much more.