A30243:948
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.
Seventhly, Where there is this new-birth, there a man is not only above sin, to eschew and hate that, but also above the world, and all immoderate affections thereunto, 1Eph. 3. it's called the life of God, not only because he works it, but because it imitates his life. Hence in the Scripture not only transgressions are made contrary to this life, but also the Love of father, mother, or any thing that is dear unto us, Mat. 10. 37. so that it is a poor thing for a man thus regenerated to say, he loveth God more then sin, more then the lusts of the flesh; he doth also embrace him more then outward comforts in the world; Thou therefore who hopest thou art a child of God, why is thy soul thus bowed down to the creatures? why art thou so disparaging and debasing that heavenly nature of thine? thou art not made a worm to crawl on the earth, not a serpent to lick the dust of the ground, but ⟨p. 207⟩thou art made like unto God, to love what he loveth, to delight in what he delighteth in: Do not then labour after an impossibility, which is to serve God and Mammon, to bring heaven and earth together. No if this new nature be infused into thee, it makes thee above trade, wealth, friends, honour, life; It filleth thy heart with such heavenly inclinations, that as the stone cannot hang in the empty air, but hasteneth to its centre, so the regenerated heart cannot abide in any thing on this side God; Whom have I in heaven but thee, and whom on earth but thee?
Seventhly, Where there is this new-birth, there a man is not only above sin, to eschew and hate that, but also above the world, and all immoderate affections thereunto, 1Eph. 3. it's called the life of God, not only because he works it, but because it imitates his life. Hence in the Scripture not only transgressions are made contrary to this life, but also the Love of father, mother, or any thing that is dear unto us, Mat. 10. 37