A30243:195
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 1 › Sermon 7
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.
Thirdly, God may therefore keep Assurance from our knowledge, that so when we have it, we may the more esteem it, and the more prize it, taking the greater heed how 1we lose it. We see the Church in the Canticles, when she had despised her Spouses love, how earnest she was to get it again, but it cost her much ere she could have it. Sol nisi cum deficit spectatorem non habet, said Seneca, No body admires the Sun unless when eclipsed, so neither do any highly esteem the favour and love of God, unless when in the loss of it. As it is in temporal mercies, so in spiritual, they are prized Carendo magis, quam habendo, by the wanting of them, more then the having of them: Dost thou therefore pray, and again pray for Assurance, yet can•t not obtain it? then think this delay may be to increase my appetite the more after it, the more to bless God when my soul shall enjoy it.
Thirdly, God may therefore keep Assurance from our knowledge, that so when we have it, we may the more esteem it, and the more prize it, taking the greater heed how 1we lose it. We see the Church in the Canticles, when she had despised her Spouses love, how earnest she was to get it again, but it cost her much ere she could have it. Sol nisi cum deficit spectatorem non habet, said Seneca, No body admires the Sun unlesse when eclipsed, so neither do any highly esteem the favour and love of God, unlesse when in the losse of it. As it is in temporal mercies, so in spiritual, they are prized Carendo magis, quam habendo, by the wanting of them, more then the having of them: Dost thou therefore pray, and again pray for Assurance, yet can•t not obtain it? then think this delay may be to encrease my appetite the more after it, the more to blesse God when my soul shall enjoy it.
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