A30243:2156
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 84
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.
First, From the freedom and arbitrariness in his works: He doth in heaven and earth whatsoever he pleaseth. The spirit bloweth where it listeth, John 3. Though therefore God hath tied and bound us to wait on the Ministry, we must frequent the Ordinances, yet he hath not bound himself to work at every time, to every Auditory. God keeps this sovereignty to himself: one Ministry shall be more successful then another, and at one time more then another, and to some people more then others: Yea, many times God makes the weakest, and most unlikely Ministry to be more fruitful then a learned able one: even as Leah, that was more deformed, had more Children then Rachel, who was more comely and beautiful. So that as it is solely in Gods will, to whom he will to send a faithful Ministry, he gives to some that make no use of it, yea that hate it and are weary of it; and again denieth it to others that long for it, or that would with the Tyrians and Sidonians manifest greater affections to it. Thus also when he hath bestowed this Ministry upon a people, it is successful no otherwise then he will appoint: And herein we are to advance Gods dispensations, which are wise and just, though the reasons be not always visible to us. Even as although God gave the Apostles power to work miracles, yet they could not do these when and where they pleased, for then Paul would have recovered Epaphroditus; but they did them only when he vouchsafed power. So that it is not of us that plant or water, But of God that giveth increase, 1 Cor. 3.
First, From the freedome and arbitrarinesse in his works: He doth in heaven and earth whatsoever he pleaseth. The spirit bloweth where it listeth, John 3. Though therefore God hath tyed and bound us to wait on the Ministrie, we must frequent the Ordinances, yet he hath not bound himself to work at every time, to every Auditory. God keeps this soveraignty to himself: one Ministrie shall be more successfull then another, and at one time more then another, and to some people more then others: Yea, many times God makes the weakest, and most unlikely Ministrie to be more fruitfull then a learned able one: even as Leah, that was more deformed, had more Children then Rachell, who was more comely and beautifull. So that as it is solely in Gods will, to whom he will to send a faithfull Ministry, he gives to some that make no use of it, yea that hate it and are weary of it; and again denieth it to others that long for it, or that would with the Tyrians and Sydonians manifest greater affections to it. Thus also when he hath bestowed this Ministrie upon a people, it is successeful no otherwise then he will appoint: And herein we are to advance Gods dispensations, which are wise and just, though the reasons be not alwaies visible to us. Even as although God gave the Apostles power to work miracles, yet they could not do these when and where they plesed, for then Paul would have recovered Epaphroditus; but they did them only when he vouchsafed power. So that it is not of us that plant or water, But of God that giveth encrease,