A30243:2890
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 115
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, There is the meritorious cause of this grace, By Christ Jesus.
Fifthly, The matter prayed for, which is in the accumulation of many words together, Make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you. Some do curiously enquire after a difference between every one of these: but I take them to be nothing but the vehement and holy Oratory of Paul affectionately expressing himself in his prayer for them, and they are most of them metaphorical words from the Artificer, who is careful to settle and establish his building. Now by the matter prayed for, viz. further perfection and establishment in grace, we may see even the best godly men, do need further addition and strengthening in grace. As he cried out, O me nunquam sapientem, so mayest thou, O me nunquam pium, still there is a further degree in every grace to be obtained. There is imperfection, and there must be continual correcting; but this is not the matter I intend, I come therefore to my purposed subject in this Text; and that is the term to which, of Gods gracious effect mentioned in the Text, Who hath called us to eternal glory; That which the eye hath not seen, nor hath it entered into the heart of man to conceive; that we are now to treat of, or rather to stammer about, viz. that infinite and everlasting glory which God calls wretched sinners, but repenting and believing unto. He hath called us into it: This showeth how close and intimate that fruition is we have of this glory. It may never trouble a man to part with his beloved lusts and sins, which are but for a moment, for this eternal glory; it is to part with dirt and dung to have gold and precious stones.
Fifthly, The matter prayed for, which is in the accumulation of many words together, Make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you. Some do curiously enquire after a difference between every one of these: but I take them to be nothing but the vehement and holy Oratory of Paul affectionately expressing himself in his prayer for them, and they are most of them metaphorical words from the Artificer, who is careful to settle and establish his building. Now by the matter prayed for, viz. further perfection and establishment in grace, we may see even the best godly men, do need further addition and strengthning in grace. As he cried out, O me nunquam sapientem, so mayest thou, O me nunquam pium, still there is a further degree in every grace to be obtained. There is imperfection, and there must be continual correcting; but this is not the matter I intend, I come therefore to my purposed subject in this Text; and that is the term to which, of Gods gracious effect mentioned in the Text, Who hath called us to eternal glory; That which the eye hath not seen, nor hath it entered into the heart of man to conceive; that we are now to treat of, or rather to stammer about, viz. that infinite and everlasting glory which God cals wretched sinners, but repenting and believing unto. He hath called us into it: This sheweth how close and intimate that fruition is we have of this glory. It may never trouble a man to part with his beloved lusts and sins, which are but for a moment, for this eternal glory; it is to part with dirt and dung to have gold and precious stones.