A30243:2367
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 11 › Sermon 93
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, The people of God have earnestly begged for this acting grace, as not thinking the principles of grace enough: Thus David often, Quicken my heart, incline 1my heart (saith he) to keep thy testimonies: That man prayed, That Christ would increase his faith; yea, all the prayers that you read any godly men have made for the acts of grace, that they might repent, believe, walk holily, all these do plainly convince, that God doth not only give the life of grace, but the constant motions of that life afterward: So that if God did not work these exercises of grace for us also, it would be a vain thing to importune God in prayer for them.
Secondly, The people of God have earnestly begged for this acting grace, as not thinking the principles of grace enough: Thus David often, Quicken my heart, incline 1my heart (saith he) to keep thy testimonies: That man prayed, That Christ would increase his faith; yea, all the prayers that you read any godly men have made for the acts of grace, that they might repent, believe, walk holily, all these do plainly convince, that God doth not onely give the life of grace, but the constant motions of that life afterward: So that if God did not work these exercises of grace for us also, it would be a vain thing to importune God in prayer for them.
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Thirdly, God doth this latter, as well as the former, Because he encourageth the godly to set upon the exercise of grace, because he will enable them, and assist 1them therein: Thus the Apostle, Work out your salvation with fear and trembling: Why? because its God that worketh in you to will and to do: This argument may seem very strange, Work, because God worketh in you; but its the greatest reason ⟨p. 551⟩