A30243:1306
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 6 › Sermon 47
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.
Having thus explained the Doctrine, let us consider what use may be made of this,
And first, Is it thus usual with God, To raise stones to be children to Abraham, 1to make a barren wilderness a pleasant garden? then what Encouragement may the Ministers of God have, where they see the greatest opposition and averseness? Alas God doth not find men with a natural propensity to good things, but he creates them. God doth not find men Lambs, but he makes Wolves Lambs; sometimes where Paul had a mind to go, hoping to do good, the Spirit of God did prohibit him to go, and at other times he is sent to a people, that was not likely. This made the Prophet say, He was found of those that sought him not. We are with Abraham not to look to the dead womb of the Creatures, but to the mighty Power of God, who calleth things that are not, as if they were. It was Moses his sin of unbelief, and for which only he was hindered from entering in Canaan, that when God bad him strike the Rock, to have water gush out, he was unwilling, and doubted whether God could do it or no. Let not the Ministers of God sin through unbelief, as if to God, the conversion of men were not possible, because its impossible to men. When the Disciples had been fishing all night, and catched nothing, Christ afterwards bids ⟨p. 295⟩them throw in their nets, and it was so full of fish that the net was in danger of breaking. So then let us be encouraged in our work, for all those who are ordained to life in a Parish, they will believe, they will be converted at one time or other. And because the Ministers of God know not the secret counsels of God, therefore are we to preach to all, to wait patiently upon all, as if every one were to be saved. Therefore the Apostle exhorts us to instruct in patience and meekness, even those that gainsay, if peradventure God may give them repentance, 2 Tim. 2. 25. Though they are not sure their instruction will do any good, there be a difficulty in it, yet they must not give over.