A30243:984
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 35
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.
Eighthly, Therefore are men ignorant of this doctrine, because they set themselves 1to know unprofitable things, sooner then profitable. It is a great corruption in our understanding, that we seek to find out those things that do not advantage us, or benefit us; but the things of use and edification, those are laid aside. The Apostle blamed this in the Corinthians, therefore he showeth, That knowledge puffeth up: and he that is proud about his knowledge, he knoweth nothing as he ought to know: Oh, what an unhappy instance are our days of this wild immature knowledge? How many disputes about this and the other controversy? Into what parties and sects are we divided by the pride of knowledge? Whereas now if we did desire to study, discourse, confer, and meditate one those things that tend to regeneration, to mortification, to make us new creatures, this would be to some purpose: You see the Apostle Paul mattered not Jew or Gentile, Circumcision or uncircumcision, but a new creature, Gal. 6. 1. Thus should we be affected: lead not me into labyrinths of disputes; elevate not my understanding with sublimated notions, but instruct me how to be a new creature: what will Philosophical knowledge avail to understand the nature of herbs, and plants, when thou knowest not this divine nature? What will skill in Physic advantage thee, to be able to make sound bodies, and recover out of mortal diseases, if thy soul be not healed of its diseases? What to understand the law of man, and to direct about Purchases, and Evidences, and Assurances of Estates, but knowest no assurance of a spiritual estate? Yea, in Divinity points, to dispute about predestination, universal Grace, Church Government, and all the controversies of the times, when thou knowest not this Doctrine of regeneration? Bernard said, He loved not to read Tully, or any humane Author, because he did not find the name of Jesus there: So do not thou love those disputes, those controversies, those books, where there is not something to mind thee of regeneration: this is to be sought in the first place.
Eighthly, Therefore are men ignorant of this doctrine, because they set themselves 1to know unprofitable things, sooner then profitable. It is a great corruption in our understanding, that we seek to finde out those things that do not advantage us, or benefit us; but the things of use and edification, those are laid aside. The Apostle blamed this in the Corinthians, therefore he sheweth, That knowledge puffeth up: and he that is proud about his knowledge, he knoweth nothing as he ought to know: Oh, what an unhappy instance are our daies of this wilde immature knowledge? How many disputes about this and the other controversie? Into what parties and sects are we divided by the pride of knowledge? Whereas now if we did desire to study, discourse, confer, and meditate one those things that tend to regeneration, to mortification, to make us new creatures, this would be to some purpose: You see the Apostle Paul mattered not Jew or Gentile, Circumcision or uncircumcision, but a new creature,