Spiritual Refining, Title page – To the reader
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 at the Anchor and Bible in Pauls Church-yard, near the little North-door, 1652.
TO THE READER.
IAm not diſcouraged to publiſh this plain Practical Treatiſe to the world, although it bring no Peacocks from Ophyr, no ſtrange affected words or opinions. You ſhall not come out to ſee here, A man cloathed with ſoft raiments, but rather one like that man of Jericho, greatly wounded, deſiring oyl to be poured therein. And indeed holy and ſpiritual matter hath moſt convincing Majesty, when words do not obſcure it; Painting of a Diamond hinders the luſtre thereof: What Tully ſaid of the Philoſopher, is much more true of the Divine, Si affert eloquentiam, accipio; ſi non habet, non admodum flagitem. Therefore it being my main ſcope to bring the Reader into a powerful experimental Diſcovery of True Grace upon his own heart: I thought Words, Opinions, Notions and Controverſies would be like Aſahel's Carkaſs in the way, to move men to gaze on them, while they neglected more neceſſary and excellent matter. The true Work of Grace ſeparated from the Counterfeit, with the aſſurance thereof, is the main Subject of this Book, and ſhould be of our conſtant thoughts and meditations; this will be uſeful, when all other things will vaniſh; As Noahs Ark continued on the Waters, when all the ſtately Palaces of the world were overwhelmed. Grace justifying is indeed the treaſure of a Chriſtian, but Grace ſanctifying is the Key to open thereunto: Grace juſtifying is much to be preſſed, either to broken contrite hearts, or when corrupt Doctrines (as in Popery) have dangerouſly infected; but Grace ſanctifying is conſtantly to be urged to every natural man, and all unbottomed Profeſſors: Now there is no man that knoweth how it fareth with us in theſe dayes, but muſt acknowledge this Subject very uſeful. The vitals of godlineſs muſt be in a ſpecial manner preſerved; that inward infuſed heat must not be weakned by uſeleſs evaporations: Diſputes: Opinions and Differences of Judgement, muſt not be ſuckers to draw away nouriſhment from the ſubſtantial parts of holineſs. Our Saviour himſelf choſe this ſubject above all other to preach to his hearers; It was not their flocking after him in multitudes did content him, but upon all occaſions he instructed them in the deep, ſure and rooted work of Grace: even in his Miniſtery, he ſeparated the Sheep from Goats, the Wheat from the Chaff, and the good Ground from the bad, the wiſe Virgin from the fooliſh. This then is the one neceſſary thing, and they chooſe the better part who prefer it before all controverſal matter. Oh that all would be invited to taſte and ſee how ſweet the Practical Power of Grace is above all Notional Diſcourſes! And oh that this Book, if thou vouchſafeſt to reade it, might be to thee like Eliſha's ſtretching himſelf upon the dead Childe, to bring ſpiritual life with the Operations thereof! I have alſo (the matter requiring) diſperſed through the Treatiſe Practical Arguments againſt Arminianiſm, which is not onelyonly repugnant to many eminent pregnant places of Scripture, but (as Doctor Ames well urged againſt Grevinchovins) is contrary Communi ſenſui fidelium, The Experience and ſenſe all the faithfull have had of Gods gracious working upon them. It hath greatly grieved me to ſee men of great Repute amongst their Diſciples at leaſt, publickly to avouch ſuch Doctrines, without any trembling or heſitation; for who will not be ready to fall down and worſhip the guilded Image of Error, at the ſound of ſuch Sackbuts and Pſalteries. But I hope the People of God will ſay to ſuch Teachers, Non eſt diſputandum de guſtu, That which we have ſeen and felt, as it were, upon our Souls, that we will adhere unto. I ſhall ſhut up all with Luthers Prayer, A Doctore glorioſo, Paſtore contentioſo, & inutilibus quaeſtionibus liberet Eccleſiam Deus, From a Doctor that ſeeks only his own glory, from a contentious Paſtor that affects to remove the bounds of Truth, and from unprofitable Queſtions, Let God deliver his Church.
Amen.
Sutton-Coldfield July the 3d. 1652. ANTHONY BURGESSE.