A30243:541
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 3 › Sermon 20
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.
2. These cannot be a sure testimony for our comfort, because they are not proper and immediate effects of election, which is the first round in that ladder of all spiritual mercies. If I have justifying faith, I may have sure confidence, because this is a fruit of our ordination and appointment to eternal life. But we cannot say thus of these parts and abilities; for the Text saith, Many shall say, have not we prophesied in thy name, yet Christ shall reply, I never know you: but there shall not one godly man ⟨p. 115⟩say at the day of judgement, Lord, was not I elected? was not I converted? Did not I repent, believe, mortify sin, &c? And Christ say again, Depart, I know you not. If therefore our calling and election might be made sure by these gifts and abilities, there might be some hope, but that cannot be; therefore how fully doth our Saviour speak to this purpose, when the Disciples came rejoicing to Christ, telling him, That the Devils were subject to them, and they could work all kind of wonders, he replieth, Rejoice not in this, but that your names are written in heaven: where you see how prone we are to rejoice in that which affords no good ground of comfort, and withal, That if we had the parts and abilities of men and Angels, yet if we had not our names written in heaven, we were in a miserable condition. Oh then say, This is but the fruit of the Common Love of God: the sons of the Concubine may have this, as well as the sons of the true wife: Abraham gave Ishmael some gifts, but they were not such as Isaac had; therefore pray that God would give thee tokens of such a love which is vouchsafed unto his own people in a peculiar manner.
2. These cannot be a sure testimony for our comfort, because they are not proper and immediate effects of election, which is the first round in that ladder of all spiritual mercies. If I have justifying faith, I may have sure confidence, because this is a fruit of our ordination and appointment to eternal life. But we cannot say thus of these parts and abilities; for the Text saith, Many shall say, have not we prophesied in thy name, yet Christ shall reply, I never know you: but there shall not one godly man ⟨p. 115⟩say at the day of judgement, Lord, was not I elected? was not I converted? Did not I repent, believe, mortifie sin, &c? And Christ say again, Depart, I know you not. If therefore our calling and election might be made sure by these gifts and abilities, there might be some hope, but that cannot be; therefore how fully doth our Saviour speak to this purpose, when the Disciples came rejoycing to Christ, telling him, That the Divels were subject to them, and they could work all kinde of wonders, he replyeth, Rejoyce not in this, but that your names are written in heaven: where you see how prone we are to rejoyce in that which affords no good ground of comfort, and withall, That if we had the parts and abilities of men and Angels, yet if we had not our names written in heaven, we were in a miserable condition. Oh then say, This is but the fruit of the Common Love of God: the sons of the Concubine may have this, as well as the sons of the true wife: Abraham gave Ishmael some gifts, but they were not such as Isaak had; therefore pray that God would give thee tokens of such a love which is vouchsafed unto his own people in a peculiar manner.