A30243:2369
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.
Fourthly, There must be such acting and enlivening grace, as well as the principles, Because otherwise God would lose great part of his glory, in bringing a 1man to heaven: For not only Justification, but Salvation is attributed unto Grace; and Rom. 9. Its not of him that willeth, or runneth, but of him that calleth and electeth: Now grace could not have the glory of all from the beginning to the end, if God should not constantly enable and help in the progress of godliness, as well as at the beginning: So that if God did only give principles of grace, and not daily assist and enable; we might indeed be thankful unto him for what once he did for us, but we might thank our own power, and sacrifice to our own will for what is done afterwards: But what hast thou, saith the Scripture, that thou hast not received? 1 Cor. 4. 7. Its a general assertion, Every good and perfect gift comes from the father of lights, James 1. and we cannot think a good thought, much less have any good affections or desires, though already converted, of our selves, if grace were not always ready at hand: So that this truth should put the soul into daily and constant thankfulness, because it hath daily and constant supply from the throne of grace.
Fourthly, There must be such acting and inlivening grace, as well as the principles, Because otherwise God would lose great part of his glory, in bringing a 1man to heaven: For not onely Justification, but Salvation is attributed unto Grace; and Rom. 9. Its not of him that willeth, or runneth, but of him that calleth and electeth: Now grace could not have the glory of all from the beginning to the end, if God should not constantly inable and help in the progress of godliness, as well as at the beginning: So that if God did onely give principles of grace, and not daily assist and inable; we might indeed be thankful unto him for what once he did for us, but we might thank our own power, and sacrifice to our own will for what is done afterwards: But what hast thou, saith the Scriture, that thou hast not received?