A30243:1918
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 9 › Sermon 74
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 Second Error to be avoided, is to attribute any merit or worth to a patient 1bearing of afflictions, as if by this we could merit either grace or glory. The Apostle indeed saith of Afflictions, That they do work an eternal weight of glory, 2 Cor. 4. 17. but the word doth not there signify a proper causality, only God doth make afflictions advantageous for his children glory: Do not then think, that because thou hast a miserable life here, God is bound to make thee amends in the life to come: Those that say such things, know not that their sins have deserved all wrath in this world, and the world to come. This stone being removed out of the way, I proceed to describe the manner how these outward calamities may further conversion.
The Second Error to be avoided, is to attribute any merit or worth to a patient 1bearing of afflictions, as if by this we could merit either grace or glory. The Apostle indeed saith of Afflictions, That they do work an eternal weight of glory, 2 Cor. 4. 17. but the word doth not there signifie a proper causality, onely God doth make afflictions advantagious for his children glory: Do not then think, that because thou hast a miserable life here, God is bound to make thee amends in the life to come: Those that say such things, know not that their sins have deserved all wrath in this world, and the world to come. This stone being removed out of the way, I proceed to describe the manner how these outward calamities may further conversion.
- 1Nor by way of merit for the patient bearing of them.
And first, They are very advantageous to set the word preached upon our hearts: