A30243:2131
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 83
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.
Secondly, As God hath appointed this Office, so it is the expression of his wonderful goodness and love to mankind therein. Hence God doth so often tell the Jews of this his great love to them, that he sent them his Prophets, rising early and warning of them: and in Ephes. 4. they are called the gifts, which Christ gave after his Ascension; and indeed they are greater than any temporal mercies, if men could spiritually judge. The giving of us the heavens and the earth, with all the abundance thereof, is not like to the giving of faithful Ministers to a people. Therefore God to comfort the people of Israel when they were in great extremities, he tells them, He will give them such Pastors as shall rule after his own heart, Jer. 3. 15. And their eyes shall see their Teachers, though he feed them with the bread of affliction, Isa. 30. 20. Hence are those triumphing expressions to them by the godly; How pleasant are the feet of those who bring the glad tidings of the Gospel? Rom. 10, 15. And how can it be but thought an exceeding great mercy, when God who needeth us not, shall yet send his Ambassadors daily to us, to entreat us to be reconciled unto him? As if a glorious Emperor should send Messengers to win the affections of a poor despised Beggar to be espoused to him.
Secondly, As God hath appointed this Office, so it is the expression of his wonderfull goodnesse and love to mankind therein. Hence God doth so often tell the Jewes of this his great love to them, that he sent them his Prophets, rising early and warning of them: and in Ephes. 4. they are called the gifts, which Christ gave after his Ascension; and indeed they are greater than any temporall mercies, if men could spiritually judge. The giving of us the heavens and the earth, with all the abundance thereof, is not like to the giving of faithful Ministers to a people. Therefore God to comfort the people of Israel when they were in great extremities, he tells them, He will give them such Pastors as shall rule after his own heart, Jer. 3. 15