A30243:944
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.
Thirdly, Hereby the work of […] grace is manifested to be a real, active, working thing in a man: for why is it compared to life, to a new birth, to a fountain, but 1only to show that these things are not imaginations or dreams, but carry along with them real operations? As a man cannot have fire in his bosom, but he will quickly find it scorching and heating there, so […] man cannot have this new nature infused into him, but it will incline and move the soul, not suffering it to lie still: see what a fire this kindled in Davids, and Pauls hearts, therefore the spirit of regeneration, Isa 4. is compared to […] spirit of burning, which like fire consumeth the dross, a godly man is said to […] rivers of water running out of his belly. It's true the people of God are some […]es in desolations, in desertions, they feel no life, they apprehend no power of […]e upon their souls, and then they look upon themselves as dry bones, withered […]anches: but this is for a while only, this is a temptation, and afterwards the […] of grace will manifest it self more: The Tree though it hath life in it, yet in the winter buds not, blossoms not, so neither may that principle of grace discover it self in its good effects, and then it doth not hold, that a good tree may be known by its good fruit: Thus Austin in his confessions doth acknowledge these real and powerful motions of God upon his soul.
Thirdly, Hereby the work of 〈…〉 grace is manifested to be a reall, active, working thing in a man: for why is it compared to life, to a new birth, to a fountain, but 1only to shew that these things are not imaginations or dreams, but carry along with them reall operations? As a man cannot have fire in his bosome, but he will quickly finde it scorching and heating there, so 〈…〉 man cannot have this new nature infused into him, but it will incline and move the soul, not suffering it to lie still: see what a fire this kindled in Davids, and Pauls hearts, therefore the spirit of regeneration, Isa 4. is compared to 〈…〉 spirit of burning, which like fire consumeth the drosse, a godly man is said to 〈…〉 rivers of water running out of his belly. It's true the people of God are som• es in desolations, in desertions, they feel no life, they apprehend no power of e upon their souls, and then they look upon themselves as dry bones, withered anches: but this is for a while only, this is a temptation, and afterwards the of grace will manifest it self more: The Tree though it hath life in it, yet in the winter buds not, blossomes not, so neither may that principle of grace discover it self in its good effects, and then it doth not hold, that a good tree may be known by its good fruit: Thus Austin in his confessions doth acknowledge these reall and powerfull motions of God upon his soul.