A30243:2473
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.
First, The free grace of God bestowing this inestimable benefit, Where he pleaseth, and When he pleaseth. Who can give any reason, why God takes away Jacobs stony heart, and doth not Esau's? Who can give a reason, why God softens Peters heart, and not Judas, but only the mere grace and good pleasure of God? See Paul Rom. 11. even ravished with the depth of Gods unsearchable wisdom in this matter; and Christ himself greatly affected herein, Matth. 11. I thank thee, O Father, that thou hast revealed these things to babes, and hidden them from the wise. And To you it is given to understand, Matth. 13. but not to others. So that God making this absolute Promise to some, and not to all, doth thereby make his free grace perspicuous, that every mouth may be stopped that would boast of it self.
First, The free grace of God bestowing this inestimable benefit, Where he pleaseth, and When he pleaseth. Who can give any reason, why God takes away Jacobs stony heart, and doth not Esaus? Who can give a reason, why God softens Peters heart, and not Iudas, but onely the meer grace and good pleasure of God? See Paul Rom. 11. even ravished with the depth of Gods unsearchable wisdome in this matter; and Christ himself greatly affected herein, Matth. 11. I thank thee, O Father, that thou hast revealed these things to babes, and hidden them from the wise. And To you it is given to understand, Matth. 13. but not to others. So that God making this absolute Promise to some, and not to all, doth thereby make his free grace perspicuous, that every mouth may be stopped that would boast of it self.
Secondly, It supposeth, that we cannot so much as prepare, and fit our selves to