A30243:2550
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 12 › Sermon 101
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.
In the next place, let us consider, what Epithets or Properties the Scripture gives this calling. And1
- 1What Epithets or Properties the Scripture gives this calling. 1.
First, Its a calling according to his purpose, and his good pleasure, as here in this Chapter: And this denoteth, That God doth not foresee any merit, or any motive in us, but its merely of his pleasure; therefore its in the passive sense, we are called, viz. By God; its never said, We call our selves; and withal, it being a calling according to Gods purpose, it supposeth the sure and powerful efficacy of it: God cannot be disappointed in his purpose, The counsel of the Lord will stand; so that all this debaseth man, makes him an impotent and undone man to all eternity, if God help not: Oh then let this take thee up, as it were, into the third heavens, let it mightily rejoice thy heart, who ⟨p. 595⟩hath had this compassion and pity on thee: Alas! God from all eternity had a purpose to be thus gracious unto thee; when thou hadst no being at all, long before the foundations of the world were laid, God had thoughts of love and kindness to thee, when thou couldst not desire or beg for such a mercy: Its no wonder that Paul doth often run out in large expressions concerning Gods Love, his Predestination from all eternity, when he hath occasion to praise God for the calling and conversion of any in time; for this is to trace the stream, till we find the well-head: This is, as it was with Ezekiels waters, to go from waters that rise up to the ankle, at last to that which will cover the head: What can then be able to discourage the heart of a godly man? what can disquiet? Here is a Catholicon for all diseases: Art thou afflicted? God hath called thee from all eternity? Art thou despised by men? God esteemed of thee from the beginning of the world.
First, Its a calling according to his purpose, and his good pleasure, as here in this Chapter: And this denoteth, That God doth not foresee any merit, or any motive in us, but its meerly of his pleasure; therefore its in the passive sense, we are called, viz. By God; its never said, We call our selves; and withal, it being a calling according to Gods purpose, it supposeth the sure and powerful efficacy of it: God cannot be disappointed in his purpose, The counsel of the Lord will stand; so that all this debaseth man, makes him an impotent and undone man to all eternity, if God help not: Oh then let this take thee up, as it were, into the third heavens, let it mightily rejoyce thy heart, who