A30243:2782
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.
Fourthly, It cannot be any ground of despair, for there is more possibility of thy 1Salvation, by Gods absolute Election, then by Universal Grace or Redemption, as the Authors of that Doctrine maintain it; So that if a man were put to choose which Doctrine he would have, as putting him into the greater possibility of salvation, he would rationally choose the former way. For by an Absolute Election some are sure to be saved, but by the Doctrine of those universalists, notwithstanding Universal Grace, and Christs dying for all, not one man may be saved; God may lose all the glory of his mercy, and Christ all the fruit of his sufferings, and a mans salvation is hereby made the more unlikely, in that they have not been able to instance of any one Heathen amongst many thousands that improved his naturals so well, as to have Grace given him.
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Fifthly, This few number that are said to be chosen, are so precisely determined 1and ordained by God, that it can neither be lessened or multiplied. When the Apostle had spoken of the fall of some eminent persons, he addeth, Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, 2 Tim. 2. 19. having this title, The Lord knoweth ⟨p. 646⟩who are his: So that if the days of a mans life are numbered with God, that there cannot be one day taken from them, or added to them; much more must this hold in that sovereign and glorious decree. Insomuch that it is false Doctrine to say to any man, If thou art not predestinated, pray thou mayest be; for this is Gods eternal purpose before the foundations of the world were laid, and are far stronger then those Decrees of the Medes and Persians, which were so immutable that they could not be changed; and such a prayer would be as if we would entreat God to create the world. There is none of these chosen ones shall ever be cast away as a reprobate, None of the bones of Christ were broken, much less will he lose any of his living members; The love of God is unchangeably placed upon his people, and those that are his Ammi, his people, in this sense have this mercy, he will never say to them, Loammi, you are not my people.