A30243:2458
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 97
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.
Lastly, If so be that the will and power of man, did make grace effectual to 1us, so that Gods grace should not take away our stoniness, till we consented, Then the greatest glory of a mans Conversion would belong to him: For we may suppose God offering grace equally to the same men; They both live in the same Family, both under the same Ministry. Now what is the cause why one receiveth the Word, and not the other? Shall we say, because he by his free-will entertained the grace of God, and not the other? What derogation would this be to Gods glory? Doth not the Apostle say, Who hath made thee to differ from another? 1 Cor. 4. 7. Why was Peter converted, and not Judas? They both enjoyed the same means, they both saw the same wonderful miracles: Shall any man say, Because Peter used his free-will well, and not Judas? This were to make Peter no more beholding to Christ then Judas was. Oh a gracious heart knoweth not how to digest such presumptuous opinions! God made me to differ from others, By the grace of God I am what I am. So then, have all these arguments in your eyes, they are plain and easy; and then though error be never so subtly painted, yet it will not make you enamoured with it, especially if to all these places of Scripture, thou canst set to thy own experience of Gods wonderful change upon thee. Art not thou able to say, That though ten thousand teachers should come and preach free-will, yet thine own experience in thy Conversion will make thee not believe it, for thou wert so far from consenting or agreeing to the work of grace, that all thy shifts and care was how to put off the work of God? How often didst thou labour to blind thy own eyes, to harden thy own heart, how unwilling to be convinced, how sorry to part with thy dear lusts, how often didst thou put off and defer; saying, Yet a little more and still a little more, that had not God by his mighty power opened thy heart, made thee of unwilling willing, to this very day thou hadst still been wallowing in thy blood!
Lastly, If so be that the will and power of man, did make grace effectual to 1us, so that Gods grace should not take away our stoninesse, till we consented, Then the greatest glory of a mans Conversion would belong to him: For we may suppose God offering grace equally to the same men; They both live in the same Family, both under the same Ministery. Now what is the cause why one receiveth the Word, and not the other? Shall we say, because he by his free-will entertained the grace of God, and not the other? What derogation would this be to Gods glory? Doth not the Apostle say, Who hath made thee to differ from another?