A30243:1404
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 7 › Sermon 52
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.
The former Doctrine being dispatched, we now come to treat upon that which I chiefly intended this Text for: viz. That subject matter which doth establish and confirm the heart: For Grace here is made the ballast, the pondus, the weight that doth establish and settle the soul. Now howsoever the word grace be of divers significations in the Scripture, and it is very necessary to understand it aright, because mistakes in this, have caused all those dangerous errors in Popery: For wheresoever we read that justification and salvation is by grace, they understand it presently of some good thing in us, and so take us off from looking on Christ, to rest in our selves; but we are justified as some Philosophers say we see, intus recipiendo, non extra mittendo, By receiving from God, not giving any thing to God.
THe former Doctrine being dispatched, we now come to treat upon that which I chiefly intended this Text for: viz. That subject matter which doth establish and confirm the heart: For Grace here is made the ballast, the pondus, the weight that doth establish and settle the soul. Now howsoever the word grace be of divers significations in the Scripture, and it is very necessary to understand it aright, because mistakes in this, have caused all those dangerous errors in Popery: For wheresoever we read that justification and salvation is by grace, they understand it presently of some good thing in us, and so take us off from looking on Christ, to rest in our selves; but we are justified as some Philosophers say we see, intus recipiendo, non extra mittendo, By receiving from God, not giving any thing to God.
Briefly therefore to inform you, take notice that Grace hath its less principal, and more principal or noble significations; less principal, as when it is used for the external glory, comeliness, or loveliness of a thing. In which sense it is said, The grace 1of the flower perisheth, or for thankfulness and gratitude, 1 Cor. 14. as the Latinists say, Haber gratias, the Alms and Charity also of Believers, is styled [Greek or Hebrew], Grace. But the more noble significations are for Active Grace, or Passive Grace: active Grace, I call that love, and free mercy of God without us, whereby we are justified and accepted to salvation: In this sense Grace is said to justify, and we have remission of sins by grace, i. e. by the favour and love of God only, not any thing that we have done. This true explication overthroweth the main pillars of Popery: and in this sense where you read of grace in the New Testament it is most frequently used.