A30243:3029
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 120s
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.
Thirdly, That God doth not call all men with this saving gracious call, will 1evidently de facto appear, if you consider the ways of God, even since there was a Church, till now. In the beginning Gods call was only among some few, so in Noah, and afterwards to Abraham, and so to his posterity; and although we read of some strangers, and a few Proselytes, yet they were but as gleanings, to those thousands and thousands that never heard of God: And in the time of the Jewish Church, God there seemed to enclose his vineyard; among them only was he know, Salvation was of the Jews, they were the children to whom meat did belong: So that no man can say, God did then hold out the Sceptre of his grace to other Nations. Well, if we descend to Christs time, we must confess the partition wall was broken down; all nations then might be made clean: Peters sheet of beasts, clean and unclean, taught him that; but yet even since the preaching of the Gospel, there are many nations of the world where Christ and the Gospel have never been preached; indeed their voice is said to sound over the whole world, Rom. 10. because its not forbidden to be preached to all men, as heretofore; yet many remote corners of the world have not enjoyed the beams of this Sun: That as they say, the virtue of the Sun doth scarce ever come to some parts, but it is always winter, and most part night; so it is with many nations in the world, and the Jews who once were the children, now seem to be the dogs: The Apostle doth at large consider, Gods goodness to the Gentiles, and severity to the Jews, the natural branches, Rom. 11. Its here with them, as it was with Gideons fleece and the floor, one while the dew was on the fleece, and the floor was dry; then the dew was on the floor, and the fleece was dry: Thus it is here, One while the Jews was a pleasant garden, and the Gentiles a wilderness; now the Gentiles a garden, and the Jews a wilderness; and if you ask, why is it thus: Its not for reason to dispute, but faith to adore: Ista mulier taceat, Let this woman, this reason, hold her peace in Gods Church.
Thirdly, That God doth not call all men with this saving gracious call, will 1evidently de facto appear, if you consider the ways of God, even since there was a Church, till now. In the beginning Gods call was onely among some few, so in Noah, and afterwards to Abraham, and so to his posterity; and although we read of some strangers, and a few Proselytes, yet they were but as gleanings, to those thousands and thousands that never heard of God: And in the time of the Jewish Church, God there seemed to inclose his vineyard; among them onely was he know, Salvation was of the Jews, they were the children to whom meat did belong: So that no man can say, God did then hold out the Scepter of his grace to other Nations. Well, if we descend to Christs time, we must confess the partition wall was broken down; all nations then might be made clean: Peters sheet of beasts, clean and unclean, taught him that; but yet even since the preaching of the Gospel, there are many nations of the world where Christ and the Gospel have never been preached; indeed their voice is said to sound over the whole world,