A30243:2754
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 110
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, Consider this: we grant, That even the godliest men that are, though they 1do for the substance and main, as the substantial acts of them, do all that God commands, yet they fail in many things, and the degrees of their grace are imperfect: So that although there be the same reason why they should fulfil all the degrees of grace, ⟨p. 639⟩yet they cannot in this life; and the reason is, because God giveth no man such measure of grace in this life, as to make him perfect without sin; there are the stubs and relics of original corruption in the most holy, which are an heavy conflict and combat in them: Therefore let not the godly wring this truth till blood come from it, which is intended only for milk: Say not, There is the same reason why I should do every thing perfectly, as that I should do any thing at all; for although there be the same ground, yet God gives not the same proportion of strength for one, as he doth for another; our perfection is, to acknowledge our imperfections: The relics of sin are still acting in us, that the grace of the Gospel may be made the more glorious.
Secondly, Consider this: we grant, That even the godliest men that are, though they 1do for the substance and main, as the substantial acts of them, do all that God commands, yet they fail in many things, and the degrees of their grace are imperfect: So that although there be the same reason why they should fulfil all the degrees of grace, ⟨p. 639⟩yet they cannot in this life; and the reason is, because God giveth no man such measure of grace in this life, as to make him perfect without sin; there are the stubs and reliques of original corruption in the most holy, which are an heavy conflict and combate in them: Therefore let not the godly wring this truth till blood come from it, which is intended onely for milk: Say not, There is the same reason why I should do every thing perfectly, as that I should do any thing at all; for although there be the same ground, yet God gives not the same proportion of strength for one, as he doth for another; our perfection is, to acknowledge our imperfections: The reliques of sin are still acting in us, that the grace of the Gospel may be made the more glorious.