A30243:2368
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.
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⟩2and comfort that can be: Do thou set thy self upon the works of Faith, Repentance, Mortification of the dearest and strongest corruption, though thou art apt to be discouraged, and savest, It cannot be, yet God is ready to help with his hand. Paul speaking of those high expressions of grace, To know how to abound, and how to want, he addeth, I can do all things, through Christ that strengthens me, Phil. 4. 13. A godly man hath a kind of Omnipotency; he can do what God can do, because he hath the help of God enabling him thereunto: A Christian then should not dishearten himself with such thoughts as these, What shall I do when death comes? What if such sudden calamities should overwhelm me? for he must remember, that God useth to put forth his hand at that time; and then Peter is emboldened to go upon the waters to Christ.
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 inable 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⟩2and comfort that can be: Do thou set thy self upon the works of Faith, Repentance, Mortification of the dearest and strongest corruption, though thou art apt to be discouraged, and savest, It cannot be, yet God is ready to help with his hand. Paul speaking of those high expressions of grace, To know how to abound, and how to want, he addeth, I can do all things, through Christ that strengthens me,