A30243:2370
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.
Fifthly, If so be that in natural things, where God hath given natural principles of actions, yet they cannot act, without daily concourse of God, how much more 1must this hold in supernaturals: Take the fire, that is a natural Agent, and so determined to one action; viz. To burn, yet if God doth suspend his influence, his actual motion, as in the example of the three Worthies, then it cannot burn; and this is much more seen in natural creatures: In him we live, and move, and have our being, saith the Apostle; we do not only live by him, but we are not able to move or stir without him. Now if it be not enough for a man to have God give him life once, but he must daily enable him to move and stir, will not this follow much more in supernatural things? Cannot we stir the hand or the foot without him? and can we stir the heart or affections to God without him? So that as God, though he did rest from the works of Creation, yet he doth not from them of Conservation: But hitherto, saith Christ, I and my father work: So neither in the spiritual new creature doth God cease from daily conservation, and constant help in all its actions.
Fifthly, If so be that in natural things, where God hath given natural principles of actions, yet they cannot act, without daily concourse of God, how much more 1must this hold in supernaturals: Take the fire, that is a natural Agent, and so determined to one action; viz. To burn, yet if God doth suspend his influence, his actual motion, as in the example of the three Worthies, then it cannot burn; and this is much more seen in natural creatures: In him we live, and move, and have our being, saith the Apostle; we do not onely live by him, but we are not able to move or stir without him. Now if it be not enough for a man to have God give him life once, but he must daily inable him to move and stir, will not this follow much more in supernatural things? Cannot we stir the hand or the foot without him? and can we stir the heart or affections to God without him? So that as God, though he did rest from the works of Creation, yet he doth not from them of Conservation: But hitherto, saith Christ, I and my father work: So neither in the spiritural new creature doth God cease from daily conservation, and constant help in all its actions.
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