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.

Title: 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.

Author: Burgess, Anthony, d. 1664.

Collection: Early English Books Online

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what this regeneration is not, you will finde excluded from this number, most of those who yet externally account themselves in Christs flock, and children in his house: do not therefore judge spirituall 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 gar∣lands 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 severall opinions that fly abroad in the world, mindeth this necessary thing?In the next place, let us consider wherein this lyeth: and that in the generall we Wherein rege∣neration lieth. may say is the restauration in some measure of that image of God, in which we were created: Adam was made after Gods image and likenesse, Gen. 1. 27. holy as he was, Eph. 4. 24. called therefore the Son of God, Luke 3. 38. This consisted in an universall rectitude of the whole man, in an holy frame of all the parts, faculties, and affections in a man: now when Adam fell, this curious workmanship was bro∣ken to pieces; no part, no affections could do their duty: grace therefore regene∣rating is to restore and repair these breaches again: The blinded understanding is inlightned, The contumacious will obedient, The stony heart softned, The unruly affections crucified, so that this grace of regeneration makes the most excellent alteration and wonderfull change that can be. It's far more then raising the bodies out of the grave, and making them incorruptible and glorious, and certainly if the people so wondred to see a lame cripple walk, a blinde man see, how ought we to admire the greatnesse of Gods power in this supernaturall change? Now this Image of God had these remarkable things in it; There was an universall har∣mony and proportion of all graces; for it is not the Image of a man if there be only the head or the hands, there must be the proportion of the whole body; so in this work of regeneration there must be an universall alteration: Every part must be born again, as well as every part is corrupted and every part shall be glo∣rified. Then again in this Image there is likenesse and resemblance, for so to be an image, is a relative thing, and therefore by this we are said to be born of God, to be children of God, because we have an heavenly disposition, love what he lo∣veth, delight in what he delighteth, hate what he hateth. Even as wicked men are said to be of their Father the devil, Joh. 8. 44. because they do his works, they lie, are malicious to the godly, resist and oppose the means of grace, as Satan: Thus the godly are of God their Father, because his works they do, are holy as he is, mercifull as he is, righteous as he is, though with a vast disproportion. Lastly, There was connaturallity and sutablenesse of this image with mans nature, inso∣much that Divines call that righteousnesse naturall, not in respect of the principles from whence it came, for so it was supernaturall, but the subject unto whom it was a due perfection, supposing Gods will to create man for the enjoying of him∣self, even as his soul also may be said to be due to him; Now although this rege∣neration be to us supernaturall, and wholly of meer grace, yet when it is in fused, it makes such a change that the waies of God are a delight to him, I delight in the Law of God in the inward man: There is a sweet proportion between the heart that is made an holy subject, and the Law of God which is an holy ob∣ject.But more particularly let us consider the nature of it.First, This new-birth makes grace to be in us by way of an infused life, and super∣naturall principle, fixed, and permanent; It giveth a man esse supernaturale, a su∣pernaturall 1. being: Therefore is it called the hidden man, the inward man, 1 Pet. 3. 4. The new creature, the divine nature. It's compared to a root, to a foun∣tain, to a foundation; and now for want of this, we see so much inconstancy and unsetlednesse in the matters of religion and piety. Men have not a new nature, they have only new notions, or new motions, not new natures. When grace be∣comes thus a rooted principle in us, then though the windes and storms blow, a 0