A30243:87
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 3
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, They may have some practical experience of the bitterness of sin, and 1the terrors that come by it. We may not think that the terrors upon Cain and Judas, were by a mere natural light of conscience, for such could quickly be distinguished, but there was also the Spirit of God convincing and setting sin home upon the conscience, Hence Rom. 8. the Spirit of God is called, The Spirit of bondage and fear, because it works such fear and trouble in the heart of a sinner, not the sinfulness of them, but the troublesome motions and stirrings of them in our souls: Thus we may not say, that those humiliations of Ahab and the Israelites, when they cried out to God because of their sins, were by the mere power of their natural free-will, but by the common work of the Spirit of God; and thus those many gripes and wounds of heart, which are inflicted upon many in the preaching of the Word, whereby the memory of their sins is like wormwood and gall to them, floweth from the Spirit of God; whatsoever is wrought instrumentally by the Word, is efficiently from Gods Spirit; and this experience confirmeth that many men who yet are not made new creatures, have an hell sometimes in their hearts, their consciences can tell that it is a bitter thing to sin against God. Yea because the time hath been, when they have had such wounds and blows, they therefore conclude, that they were in the new birth, and although they brought forth nothing but wind in all that pain, yet they rejoice as if a man-child, a new creature were born. It may not therefore be denied, but even one who is a wild olive, and not yet implanted in Christ, may have the inward feeling of Gods displeasure for sin, may be able to tell you the time hath been they could not eat, or drink, or sleep, but cried out, Oh their sins, sins, sins; but yet do not demonstrate Christ dwelling in them.
Secondly, They may have some practical experience of the bitternesse of sinne, and 1the terrors that come by it. We may not think that the terrours upon Cain and Judas, were by a meer natural light of conscience, for such could quickly be distinguished, but there was also the Spirit of God convincing and setting sinne home upon the conscience, Hence Rom. 8. the Spirit of God is called, The Spirit of bondage and fear, because it works such fear and trouble in the heart of a sinner, not the sinfulness of them, but the troublesom motions and stirrings of them in our souls: Thus we may not say, that those humiliations of Ahab and the Israelites, when they cried out to God because of their sins, were by the meer power of their natural free-will, but by the common work of the Spirit of God; and thus those many gripes and wounds of heart, which are inflicted upon many in the preaching of the Word, whereby the memory of their sins is like wormwood and gall to them, floweth from the Spirit of God; whatsoever is wrought instrumentally by the Word, is efficiently from Gods Spirit; and this experience confirmeth that many men who yet are not made new creatures, have an hell sometimes in their hearts, their consciences can tell that it is a bitter thing to sinne against God. Yea because the time hath been, when they have had such wounds and blows, they therefore conclude, that they were in the new birth, and although they brought forth nothing but winde in all that pain, yet they rejoyce as if a man-childe, a new creature were born. It may not therefore be denied, but even one who is a wilde olive, and not yet implanted in Christ, may have the inward feeling of Gods displeasure for sinne, may be able to tell you the time hath been they could not eat, or drink, or sleep, but cryed out, Oh their sins, sins, sins; but yet do not demonstrate Christ dwelling in them.