A30243:938
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 4 › Sermon 34
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.
Fifthly, Neither are those common gifts and graces which sometimes are bestowed upon reprobates, this regeneration: Judas was not born again though he had 1power to work miracles, and was enabled to preach the Gospel of Christ. It is not with man as trees, every leaf and blossom argueth some life in the tree; but not in man, every ability to preach, to pray, though with great approbation, doth not manifest supernatural life. These indeed come from Christ enabling us and assisting us, but not dwelling in us: such as these are abortives or monsters, they are in a probable way of being born again, but prove unshapen, sometimes by deficiency, sometimes by redundancy, and sometimes these have pains and pangs of heart, their souls are in travel, as if Christ would be formed in them, but at last there is nothing but wind and emptiness, the issue of them, so that if you consider ⟨p. 204⟩what this regeneration is not, you will find excluded from this number, most of those who yet externally account themselves in Christs flock, and children in his house: do not therefore judge spiritual parts and head-abilities any such great matter, for if these come not from a new heart within, if they are not streams flowing from this fountain, they will vanish like vapours, and be but as the garlands of flowers that were upon the beasts that were near sacrificing: Oh but how is this work of regeneration and gracious mercy of God now neglected? Who attendeth to it? Who in the midst of these several opinions that fly abroad in the world, mindeth this necessary thing?
Fifthly, Neither are those common gifts and graces which sometimes are bestowed upon reprobates, this regeneration: Judas was not born again though he had 1power to work miracles, and was inabled to preach the Gospel of Christ. It is not with man as trees, every leaf and blossome argueth some life in the tree; but not in man, every ability to preach, to pray, though with great approbation, doth not manifest supernaturall life. These indeed come from Christ inabling us and assisting us, but not dwelling in us: such as these are abortives or monsters, they are in a probable way of being born again, but prove unshapen, sometimes by deficiency, sometimes by redundancy, and sometimes these have pains and pangs of heart, their souls are in travell, as if Christ would be formed in them, but at last there is nothing but winde and emptinesse, the issue of them, so that if you consider