A30243:1415
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.
by giving grace to me, and denying it to another of more learning, parts, boldness, and courage, he seemeth to lose by it; others would have improved his Talents better then I have done: Certainly this consideration should be a goad in thy side, thou shouldst say, Lord, it is fit that I should do thee all that service which others would have done, if converted, in my room. It is not fit thou shouldst be a loser by me.
by giving grace to me, and denying it to another of more learning, parts, boldnesse, and courage, he seemeth to lose by it; others would have improved his Talents better then I have done: Certainly this consideration should be a goad in thy side, thou shouldst say, Lord, it is fit that I should do thee all that service which others would have done, if converted, in my room. It is not fit thou shouldst be a loser by me.
Fourthly, It is called Grace, because it enableth a man to do those things which exceed 1all humane power. In this sense grace and nature are always immediately opposite; for as those common gifts of Gods spirit, working of miracles, speaking with tongues, and prophesying, are called grace, because not procured by humane industry, but vouchsafed by Gods benevolence; so much more the enabling of us weak and impotent sinners, to do that which is holy and heavenly, may much rather be called grace. This point, if rightly considered, would make men look upon grace as a more rare and admirable thing then men generally account it to be. Alas, thou livest as thou hast been trained up; thou walkest according to thy education, thou comest to holy Duties as the custom and manner is, but never thinkest until a ⟨p. 326⟩man be prepared by grace from above, he can no more do any thing holily then a poisonous serpent can vent honey. Grace therefore is that, which if once infused into a man, so far as that is operative, makes him live not as a man, much less as a beast, but upon Divine and heavenly principles; hence it is that the godly are said to be partakers of the divine nature, and Christ is said to live in them,