A30243:2471
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 98
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.
2. There are Conditional Promises, but that must be understood in a right sense, not as if there were any Conditions to be performed by our strength and power, as if these Conditions were causes and merits of the grace promised. No, they are only Qualifications of the subject, without which he could not be partaker of the grace promised. Thus Justification is promised to Faith, pardon of sin to Repentance, overcoming of temptations to him that persevereth, growth and increase of grace to him that improveth the grace he hath, and finally glorification is promised to him only that is sanctified, Here you see are some Promises made only to such as have grace already, Grace is the Condition for Grace, only there is no Condition or Qualification required, which is not the Absolute Gift of God at first; for although Justification be promised to him that believeth; If you ask, How a man comes to believe, here that we may not sun in infinitum, we must say it is absolutely promised and wrought by God himself. I do not here curiously dispute about a Qualification and a Condition, nor of the Nature of Conditions; that is to be expected in the controversial part. Now this Promise in the Text, is of the former sort, an Absolute Promise, making way for its own self; As Kings use to carry their own Furniture for their entertainment; So it is here, Grace doth qualify and work the very initial preparations so, that all is from God in a Promise. Nothing is our ⟨p. 576⟩plea, but a Promise; all our spiritual riches and treasures are bound up in a Promise.
2. There are Conoitional Promises, but that must be understood in a right sens•, not as if there were any Conditions to be performed by our strength and power, as if these Conditions were causes and merits of the grace promised. No, they are onely Qualifications of the subject, without which he could not be partaker of the grace promised. Thus Justification is promised to Faith, pardon of sinne to Repentance, overcoming of temptations to him that persevereth, growth and increase of grace to him that improveth the grace he hath, and finally glorification is promised to him only that is sanctified, Here you see are some Promises made onely to such as have grace already, Grace is the Condition for Grace, only there is no Condition or Qualification required, which is not the Absolute Gift of God at first; for although Justification be promised to him that believeth; If you ask, How a man comes to believe, here that we may not sunne in infinitum, we must say it is absolutely promised and wrought by God himself. I doe not here curiously dispute about a Qualification and a Condition, nor of the Nature of Conditions; that is to be expected in the controversal part. Now this Promise in the Text, is of the former sort, an Absolute Promise, making way for its own self; As Kings use to carry their own Furniture for their entertainment; So it is here, Grace doth qualifie and worke the very initiall preparations so, that all is from God in a Promise. Nothing is our