A30243:411
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.
3. Graces grow by the actual exercise of them, by actual loving and believing the habits of faith and love are more firm and strong. Hence the commands of God are for the acts of grace. Thou shalt love, and this is his commandment to believe. The habits are commanded obliquely as the fountain, the acts as the stream. In moral Philosophy acts make the habits more intense. In Christs Parable of the talents, he only is said to have, that doth exercise and actually improve his graces; and as our graces increase by the exercise of them, so by the cooperation of them all together: Add to your faith temperance, to temperance brotherly kindness: which is not to be understood of the habits of grace, for they are all infused together; and a man may as well be happy with one particular act of glory, as regenerate with one habit of grace: but we are to interpret it of adding the acts to one another.
3. Graces grow by the actuall exercise of them, by actuall loving and beleeving the habits of faith and love are more firm and strong. Hence the commands of God are for the acts of grace. Thou shalt love, and this is his commandment to beleeve. The habits are commanded obliquely as the fountain, the acts as the stream. In morall Philosophy acts make the habits more intense. In Christs Parable of the talents, he only is said to have, that doth exercise and actually improve his graces; and as our graces encrease by the exercise of them, so by the cooperation of them all together: Adde to your faith temperance, to temperance brotherly kindenesse: which is not to be understood of the habits of grace, for they are all infused together; and a man may as well be happy with one particular act of glory, as regenerate with one habit of grace: but we are to interpret it of adding the acts to one another.
4. The growth of grace is by meliorating or making better the means and instruments of grace. The Word and Ordinances are appointed by God as the means to grow, and to cleanse us more and more. Now if thou wouldest have thy graces flourish, thou must be more diligent and careful in the prepared use of them; hear better, pray better, make a better improvement of the Ministry. The Disciples were mending their nets because they were instruments to get their fish. The Artificer must sharpen his tools, if he would live by his trade. Now these external Ordinances are the spiritual tools and instruments by which the soul is promoted in the way of godliness, and if thou languishest and art careless here, it will quickly appear in thy whole conversation.