A30243:2773
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 111
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.
Thus Christ called his people A little flock, Luk. 12. 32. Fear not little flock; As the number of precious stones is few to the pebble and gravel ones that lie in the fields; and as the weeds are far more then the flowers; so its here: In the Church of God there are more that are dross then gold, more that are stubble for hell fire, then prepared persons for glory.
Thus Christ called his people A little flock, Luk. 12. 32. Fear not little flock; As the number of precious stones is few to the pibble and gravel ones that lie in the fields; and as the weeds are farre more then the flowers; so its here: In the Church of God there are more that are drosse then gold, more that are stubble for hell fire, then prepared persons for glory.
Now let's open this Doctrine; And
First, This truth about the paucity of those that are elected, may be handled either sinfully or profitably; sinfully, as when it is treated on only to satisfy curiosity, and to keep up a mere barren speculative dispute. Thus that man was exercised, who came to our Saviour, and asked him, Whether there were few that should be saved? Luk. 13. 23. Therefore our Saviour did not directly answer to the Question, because he would not nourish that sinful humour in man. This point then of Election but of a remnant and few of mankind, is not to be agitated in a verbal and contentious way, but in a saving way, to make us tremble, ⟨p. 644⟩