A30243:399
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 16
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.
That growth and increase in grace is a necessary property and an infallible sign of our 1being in the state of grace. Our Saviour saith not, Every branch in me, that is green and flourisheth with leaves and blossoms, but that beareth fruit, he makes it to bring forth more fruit. It is not every Christian that hath the flourishing greenness and leaves of common abilities, and parts in religion, that is regarded by God, but that man whose talent of grace, as five, hath gained ten: Therefore in that Parable our Saviour bid them all negotiate, play the merchants, and trade in the ways of grace, and one man hath his portion among hypocrites, though he had not idly spent his talent, but because he had not improved, propter lucrum cessans, though not propter damnum emergens; so that the opening of this mark will be of great use, because increase of grace is so rare: and whereas all men endeavour to have their health, wealth and estates better, they are not careful to have better graces, to pray better, to hear better, to be more strong in believing and heavenly-mindedness. To affect you therefore herein, consider first,
That growth and encrease in grace is a necessary property and an infallible sign of our 1being in the state of grace. Our Saviour saith not, Every branch in me, that is green and flourisheth with leaves and blossomes, but that beareth fruit, he makes it to bring forth more fruit. It is not every Christian that hath the flourishing greennesse and leaves of common abilities, and parts in religion, that is regarded by God, but that man whose talent of grace, as five, hath gained ten: Therefore in that Parable our Saviour bid them all negotiate, play the merchants, and trade in the waies of grace, and one man hath his portion among hypocrites, though he had not idlely spent his talent, but because he had not improved, propter lucrum cessans, though not propter damnum emergens; so that the opening of this mark will be of great use, because encrease of grace is so rare: and whereas all men endeavour to have their health, wealth and estates better, they are not carefull to have better graces, to pray better, to hear better, to be more strong in beleeving and heavenly-mindednesse. To affect you therefore herein, consider first,
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