A30243:1716
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 65
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.
This may suffice to comfort those who stand thus suspended from God, and cast 1like Absalom from Davids face. What encouragements may be given to that Christian, who finds indeed Sanctification in him, but in a low degree, he is a Babe, a child, not a grown man: now to such an one, no comfort ought to be administered, so as to make him sit still, that he should have a nil ultra. No, Paul himself, who ran like the Sun swiftly fulfilling his race, Phil. 3. yet forgets what is behind, and makes fast on to what is before: so that to grow in grace is a necessary duty, and we ought to be carried on to perfection, Heb 6. Yea it many times may give ground of suspicion to Gods people, whether they have grace in them, or no; because they are at such a stand: yea not so well, but sometimes in decays and great dullness; so that if the increase of riches add to the desire of them, how much rather should the increase of grace still provoke thee more and more? But yet thou art not without many grounds of hope and comfort.
This may suffice to comfort those who stand thus suspended from God, and cast 1like Absolom from Davids face. What incouragements may be given to that Christian, who findes indeed Sanctification in him, but in a low degree, he is a Babe, a child, not a grown man: now to such an one, no comfort ought to be administred, so as to make him sit still, that he should have a nil ultra. No, Paul himself, who ran like the Sun swiftly fulfilling his race, Phil. 3. yet forgets what is behind, and makes fast on to what is before: so that to grow in grace is a necessary duty, and we ought to be carryed on to perfection, Heb 6. Yea it many times may give ground of suspition to Gods people, whether they have grace in them, or no; because they are at such a stand: yea not so well, but sometimes in decayes and great dulnesse; so that if the increase of riches add to the desire of them, how much rather should the increase of grace still provoke thee more and more? But yet thou art not without many grounds of hope and comfort.
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