A30243:1336
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 49
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.
A second rule is, That good works are not to be limited to one kind, but are to be 1extended as far as the Law of Gods commands. Thus the Obedience to the first commandment is a good work, to the second, & so to every one; for the Law is a rule of good works, and as the Logicians say, There is no created being, but it is reduced into ⟨p. 303⟩one of the ten predicaments: So there is no duty or good work commanded of us, but it is contained in one of those Ten words, as Moses calls them: A word is there used for a Precept, as often in the Hebrew. This is good to be observed, that so we may be conscionable and abounding in every good work. Good works are works of piety, works of righteousness, works of charity: Every work that comes from a good cause, commanded by the rule of goodness, performed in a good manner, to a good end, is a good work, whether the object matter be God or man; and howsoever use hath almost appropriated the phrase Good works, to those of charity, yet the Scripture extendeth it to all the good fruits of a godly life: And in the Scripture sense, no man can do one good work, which hath not a principle to do all. Godly obedience is copulative, and he that doth a good work, because God commands it, will do all because God commands it. This consideration would make us not like Herod, to do many things, but like Zechariah and Elizabeth, To walk in all the commandments of God, Luke 1. 6. Thou prayest and hearest, because this good work God commandeth: Oh thou, fool, Doth not God also command thee to be chaste, to be sober, to be heavenly minded? The graces of God are chained together; he that hath one, hath all: and therefore it is to be wondered at, to see what hypocrisy may be in a mans heart to be affected with some good works; he could have no peace in his conscience if he should omit them, and yet can totally neglect others without any remorse at all: If thou hadst committed murder, the guilt of blood would torment thy conscience, torture thy soul. Why should not uncleanness, cursing, do the like? Doth not the same God that saith, Thou shalt not Kill, say also, Thou shalt not commit Adultery?
A second rule is, That good works are not to be limited to one kind, but are to be 1