A30243:457
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 18
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 love of the brethren is a sign of true grace.1
- 1Observ.
As the Apostle makes it here a sign to our selves, so in other places to others, Hereby shall all men know ye are my Disciples, if ye love one another; he doth not say, If ye work miracles, if ye cast out devils, but if ye love. Hence the Apostle Peter, 2 Pet. 1. 7. bids them add to Godliness, brotherly kindness. As if we could not have any true comfort from all our religious duties towards God, unless this also be added to it, or with it, for so [Greek or Hebrew] is used for cum, as the Hebrew [Greek or Hebrew] is sometimes.
As the Apostle makes it here a sign to our selves, so in other places to others, Hereby shall all men know ye are my Disciples, if ye love one another; he doth not say, If ye work miracles, if ye cast out devils, but if ye love. Hence the Apostle Peter, 2 Pet. 1. 7. bids them adde to Godlinesse, brotherly kindenesse. As if we could not have any true comfort from all our religious duties towards God, unlesse this also be added to it, or with it, for so 〈non-Latin alphabet〉 is used for cum, as the Hebrew 〈non-Latin alphabet〉 is sometimes.
To open this duty of love to the Brethren three things are considerable, which we shall speak to, 1. The Act it self, Love. 2. The Object, Our Brethren. And 3. The Effects.