A30243:2676
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 107
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.
Why then are not the godly possessed of these things? why have not the godly 1all the greatness and glory of the world, seeing they are heirs to it by the promise?
- 1Quest.
I Answer, We must not take those promises single, but compare them with 1other Texts, that do also tell us of the misery and trouble that the godly shall have: Now these places are not contrary one to another, one promiseth all good, the other doth foretell of much evil; for these things are not to be understood absolutely, but conditionally: So far as these things are furthering of their main good, and are not hindering of their everlasting welfare, so far they are sure to be made partakers of them; but when they cannot have these and Christ also, when they must either lose these or heaven, then no wonder if God, out of his love, give them not those things which prove hurtful unto them. A father will promise to give his child meat and drink, but if his child fall into a disease, that these things will increase his disease, then out of his love he keeps these things from him.
I Answer, We must not take those promises single, but compare them with 1other Texts, that do also tell us of the misery and trouble that the godly shall have: Now these places are not contrary one to another, one promiseth all good, the other doth foretel of much evil; for these things are not to be understood absolutely, but conditionally: So far as these things are furthering of their main good, and are not hindring of their everlasting welfare, so far they are sure to be made partakers of them; but when they cannot have these and Christ also, when they must either lose these or heaven, then no wonder if God, out of his love, give them not those things which prove hurtful unto them. A father will promise to give his childe meat and drink, but if his childe fall into a disease, that these things will increase his disease, then out of his love he keeps these things from him.