A30243:957
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.
The second obstruction is, A self-fullness, an heart puffed up with humane excellencies, ⟨p. 209⟩1which indeed are but as the grass and the flower of the field; for so Peter having spoken of this incorruptible nature we attain unto, he maketh it more excellent than any humane power, prudence or righteousness, 1 Pet. 1. 24. because all this fadeth, but the Word of God which begets this new nature abideth for ever; and therefore of all the things in the world, which John Baptist was especially to proclaim aloud, as to make way for Christ, was that, All flesh is grass, which the Prophet understandeth not so much of our mortality, and vain •ives, as of our righteousness, humane excellency, and whatsoever hath repute in▪ this world: upon this ground it was, that the Pharisees were so ignorant about this, that if we read among the School-men, men of great parts and strong abilities, we shall find very little, or nothing at all of Regeneration; yea, if we read the Popish Authors whether Doctrinal, or Devotional, we shall not find any thing at all about this new Birth; and whence is this? Because some of them are busied with high and sublime Disputations, some in the external Rites and Ceremonies of Religion, and these puffing up the heart in a fleshly manner, they are no fit Disciples to receive this great Truth about Regeneration.
The second obstruction is, A self-fulness, an heart puffed up with humane excellencies, ⟨p. 209⟩1which indeed are but as the grasse and the flower of the field; for so Peter having spoken of this incorruptible nature we attain unto, he maketh it more excellent than any humane power, prudence or righteousnesse, 1 Pet. 1. 24. because all this fadeth, but the Word of God which begets this new nature abideth for ever; and therefore of all the things in the world, which John Baptist was especially to pr•claim aloud, as to make way for Christ, was that, All flesh is grasse, which the Prophet understandeth not so much of our mortality, and vain ives, as of our righteousnesse, humane excellency, and whatsoever hath repute in this world: upon this ground it was, that the Pharisees were so ignorant about this, that if we read among the School-men, men of great parts and strong abilities, we shall finde very little, or nothing at all of Regeneration; yea, if we read the Popish Authors whether Doctrinal, or Devotional, we shall not finde any thing at all about this new Birth; and whence is this? Because some of them are busied with high and sublime Disputations, some in the externall Rites and Ceremonies of Religion, and these puffing up the heart in a fleshly manner, they are no fit Disciples to receive this great Truth about Regeneration.