A30243:2414
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 95
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.
And first one of Christs main Statute-worships is Prayer. Not in the Socinian sense who make Prayer new instituted worship by God, and that it was not a ⟨p. 561⟩1Duty commanded before; Not so, only Christ continueth and confirmeth this Duty, revealing the manner of it more clearly. Thus you have many Precepts and Examples for prayer, yea and this is to be done fervently, humbly, incessantly; and it is recorded as a sign of Pauls Conversion, Behold he prayeth, Act 9. 11. and Zach. 12. The Spirit of Prayer and Supplication, with mourning and hearty grief is promised under the Gospel: Insomuch that you cannot have a surer sign of a graceless man then one who is not diligent in this Duty and worship of God, Prayer. For although our own manifold necessities of all sorts might provoke us to this Duty, God hath also so diligently enjoined it, that there might be an opportunity to open the fountain of his mercy to us. Oh then how few are there that partake of this benefit? Where is he of whom we may say, Behold he prayeth, constantly, fervently, effectually? nay in stead of Prayer there is cursing, swearing and blaspheming; if they do pray, they have some short prayers of rote, which they utter as Parrots understanding nothing of it, and so irreligiously discharging of it: Now Prayer is three-fold, Private, personal Prayer, of which David speaks much, and Christ went many times apart to prayer. Tell me then, Dost thou take Christs command, Enter into thy closet, and shut thy door after thee, Matth. 5. Doth God see thy secret groans, thy secret tears, thy private debasements? if grace be in thee, thou wilt be diligent in this course. Then there is public prayer, of which the Prophet Jeremiah speaks, and Christ allegeth it, That his house shall be called an house of Prayer; and our Saviour speaks of two or three, any company gathered together, Matth. 18. 20. to ask any thing of the Father in Christs Name. Now this public Prayer is also much observed by the new heart, for therein is an united strength and force to lay hold upon God, and God is in the midst of his people so gathered together, to open his hand plentifully to bestow on them his mercies.