A30243:1683
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 8 › Sermon 64
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.
We come to the Third thing intended, And that is the holiness of the Covenant 1under which all pass that outwardly profess God to be their God, and accept of Jesus Christ to be their Lord. This is the highest holiness next to that of Sanctification, and true Godliness: Now because this is a controverted point, and many who confess an outward Covenant-holiness that was Typical among the Jews, yet deny any such federal holiness in the New Testament, and therefore say all the holiness in the Gospel, is a Moral real holiness; we must be the more tender what we deliver herein.
We come to the Third thing intended, And that is the holinesse of the Covenant 1under which all passe that outwardly professe God to be their God, and accept of Jesus Christ to be their Lord. This is the highest holinesse next to that of Sanctification, and true Godlinesse: Now because this is a controverted point, and many who confesse an outward Covenant-holinesse that was Typical among the Jews, yet deny any such federal holinesse in the New Testament, and therefore say all the holinesse in the Gospel, is a Moral real holinesse; we must be the more tender what we deliver herein.
- 13. The being exreanally in Covenant with God, how it Sanctifies, and how it doth doth not sanctify a man.3. The being exreanally in Covenant with God, how it Sanctifies, and how it doth doth not sanctifie a man.
And 1. Consider, That God who is the supreme Lord and Governor of all, that 1might deal with man only in an absolute way, as a Lawgiver, man being his Creature; yet such is his gracious goodness, that he enters into a familiar Covenant-way with us. God might have commanded us to do such and such things, but never have entered into a Covenant to promise and engage himself to be thus and thus, and to do thus and thus for us. This Covenant of Grace is that which the Scripture doth so often speak of and admire; the substance of it being to become our God, and to make us his people. Now what tongue can express the privilege, and great glory of this condition, to own God for our God; so that thereby his wisdom, his power, his goodness, all is for our advantage; and we come in all duties unto God, not upon absolute terms, but Covenant terms, and that of Grace: Where by God doth as it were lay aside the glory of his Majesty, and his terrible severe justice and becomes like one of us, condescending to us?