A30243:284
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 2 › Sermon 12
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.
SERMON XII.
Handling Obedience as a Sign of Grace.
1 JOHN 2. 3. And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his Commandments.
I Have at large discussed the Doctrine and Usefulness of Signs, I shall now propound in so many distinct Sermons, several choice and select Signs, by which you may know how it is with you in reference to God. For if the Heathens did so much admire that saying as an Oracle, Nosce teipsum, Know and be acquainted with thy own self, when yet they had neither true eyes, nor light to discover themselves by, how much rather doth this duty lie upon us, when by Gods grace we may have the seeing eye, and a sure light of Gods Word to guide us therein? And the first Sign shall be, An universal respect unto, and observation of Gods Commandments, out of the words read unto you, whereof the coherence is as followeth, The Apostle in the verses before, having comforted the children of God against their daily sins of infirmity, which cannot be avoided, he returneth again to his scope, which is to press holiness of life; and certainly our faith ought to be as busy in embracing the precepts for holiness, as the promises for comfort. The Argument for sanctity pressed by the Apostle, is from the profitable effect thereof, it will be a sure and comfortable sign to confirm us that we are in Christ: for to know God, to love him, to be in him, to dwell in him, to have Communion with him, are all one with this Apostle.