A30243:326
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 13
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, We then also go too low when we judge of sincerity by the proxime and 1immediate ends of actions, not at all attending to the principal and main; Whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. Every gracious action comes from God originally, and tends to him finally, now a man may do many glorious and good actions, and that with reference unfeignedly to the immediate ends, yet shoot not so far as the utmost white and mark of all, which is Gods glory: Take many Heathens for example, Aristides, Cato, Themistocles, and divers others, who did many good things unfeignedly for the common-wealth; they sought not wealth, neither did they enrich themselves, but the public good was their end, they went no higher; now as a natural conscience may much disquiet and accuse a man, witness many heathens, so it may also if obeyed give great comfort and content, as some of the Heathens also had, but it is not enough to make an action supernaturally good, to refer it to its proxime end, but it must be to the chiefest.
Thirdly, We then also go too low when we judge of sincerity by the proxime and 1immediate ends of actions, not at all attending to the principall and main; Whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. Every gracious action comes from God originally, and tends to him finally, now a man may do many glorious and good actions, and that with reference unfeignedly to the immediate ends, yet shoot not so farre as the utmost white and mark of all, which is Gods glory: Take many Heathens for example, Aristides, Caio, Themistocl•s, and divers others, who did many good things unfeignedly for the common-wealth; they sought not wealth, neither did they inrich themselves, but the publique good was their end, they went no higher; now as a naturall conscience may much di•qu•et and accuse a man, witnesse many heathens, so it may also if obeyed give great comfort and content, as some of the Heathens also had, but it is not enough to make an action supernaturally good, to referre it to its proxime end, but it must be to the chiefest.
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