A30243:2580
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 103
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.
Secondly, The time and season when God calls his people, deserves meditation: Not only mercies themselves, but the times and seasons of them, are wisely ordered 1by God: Some God calls in the morning, some in the noon, some in the evening of their age: And to every one, this grace of God hath its full matter of consideration; he that is called betimes, he may consider Gods goodness to him so early, that God thought on him so quickly; he might have gone on and provoked God, carrying guilt and a sadded conscience, even to the very grave: He heareth others cry out, O Lord, it troubleth me I loved thee no sooner; Oh how much time have I lost! how shall I recover and redeem those lost hours, and lost days? but as for thee, God instructed thee betimes to take heed of sin: He that is called at the latter end of his days, having the guilt of many sins upon him, he also may be quickened to glorify God, that he would not despise him for all his rebellions, that he would not remember all his unkindnesses, that such a long and old enemy of his should be taken into favour: yea, at that very time when they have been in full pursuit of their lusts, hath God called them, as it was with Paul, yea, and is to every man; When, Lord, I was thinking and working evil against thee, thou wast preparing good for me; when I, Lord, had no delight, but in my lusts, and those things that did grieve ⟨p. 603⟩thy spirit, even then thy thoughts of kindness were to me: Oh think on these things! what, is there nothing but your children, your husbands, your wives, your temporal mercies to be delighted in? Yes, that grace of God calling thee should possess thy whole man.
Secondly, The time and season when God calls his people, deserves meditation: Not onely mercies themselves, but the times and seasons of them, are wisely ordered 1by God: Some God calls in the morning, some in the noon, some in the evening of their age: And to every one, this grace of God hath its full matter of consideration; he that is called betimes, he may consider Gods goodness to him so early, that God thought on him so quickly; he might have gone on and provoked God, carrying guilt and a sadded conscience, even to the very grave: He heareth others cry out, O Lord, it troubleth me I loved thee no sooner; Oh how much time have I lost! how shall I recover and redeem those lost hours, and lost days? but as for thee, God instructed thee betimes to take heed of sin: He that is called at the latter end of his days, having the guilt of many sins upon him, he also may be quickned to glorifie God, that he would not despise him for all his rebellions, that he would not remember all his unkindenesses, that such a long and old enemy of his should be taken into favor: yea, at that very time when they have been in full pursuit of their lusts, hath God called them, as it was with Paul, yea, and is to every man; When, Lord, I was thinking and working evil against thee, thou wast preparing good for me; when I, Lord, had no delight, but in my lusts, and those things that did grieve