A30243:796
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 29
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.
5. This historical faith, though it be not enough to Justification and salvation, 1yet it's absolutely necessary, and is to be laid down as the foundation. The ground why men living under the Ministry are damned, is because they have not so much as historical faith. Who hath believed our report? They do not firmly believe that there is a God, that there is an hell, that the threatenings of God are true; for if so, what fear, what great alterations would this make upon them! We see what humane faith will do, if a man believeth that he is in such danger, that such enemies lie in wait to kill him, that he is condemned by the Law to death, how restless and troubled is his soul? how much more would the heart of a sinner quake within him, if he did believe That Word of God which doth thus threaten and damn my sins is infallibly true, it will be made good, do I what I can: heaven and earth will sooner fall to pieces then one iota or tittle of it: Whether shall I fly from it? how shall I escape it? These vehement workings of faith would be like fire in his bowels, burning and consuming him, till he be cooled by the blood of Christ. Therefore though this faith be not enough, yet here is no building without this foundation.
5. This historicall faith, though it be not enough to Justification and salvation, 1yet it's absolutely necessary, and is to be laid down as the foundation. The ground why men living under the Ministry are damned, is because they have not so much as historicall faith. Who hath beleeved our report? They do not firmly beleeve that there is a God, that there is an hell, that the threatnings of God are true; for if so, what fear, what great alterations would this make upon them! We see what humane faith will do, if a man beleeveth that he is in such danger, that such enemies lie in wait to kill him, that he is condemned by the Law to death, how restlesse and troubled is his soul? how much more would the heart of a sinner quake within him, if he did beleeve That Word of God which doth thus threaten and damn my sins is infallibly true, it will be made good, do I what I can: heaven and earth will sooner fall to pieces then one iota or tittle of it: Whether shall I fly from it? how shall I escape it? These vehement workings of faith would be like fire in his bowels, burning and consuming him, till he be cooled by the bloud of Christ. Therefore though this faith be not enough, yet here is no building without this foundation.