A30243:1012
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 4 › Sermon 36
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.
The happiness of heaven is chiefly in enjoying of God; and having communion 1with him: now how can man that is thus corrupt and wretched by nature, such an irreconcilable enemy to him, be brought to this fellowship with God, as the greatest blessedness? If so be to Duties and Ordinances God requireth such sanctity and sanctification in those that draw near, how much rather to the enjoyment of himself? If the pure eye that seeth the Sun, the Bat and Owl is offended at the glorious beams thereof; God therefore and his glorious presence would be a burden and a torment to a wicked man: They that bid God depart from them, because of his holy Laws, and his holy Ordinances, how much rather would they bid God depart from them because of his holy presence.
The happinesse of heaven is chiefly in enjoying of God; and having communion 1with him: now how can man that is thus corrupt and wretched by nature, such an irreconcileable enemy to him, be brought to this fellowship with God, as the greatest blessednesse? If so be to Duties and Ordinances God requireth such sanctity and sanctification in those that draw near, how much rather to the enjoyment of himself? If the pure eye that seeth the Sun, the Bat and Owl is offended at the glorious beams thereof; God therefore and his glorious presence would be a burden and a torment to a wicked man: They that bid God depart from them, because of his holy Lawes, and his holy Ordinances, how much rather would they bid God depart from them because of his holy presence.
- 1Why Corruption of our nature proves a necessity of Regeneration, before we can be saved. 1.
Secondly, The employment and work that God calls for in heaven is altogether inconsistent 1with a wicked and ungodly heart. To praise God, and rejoice in him for ever; to love him, and to delight in him, forgetting all Creatures, and be swallowed up in him as the Ocean of all happiness, how can the heart of a natural man be thus affected? We see in this life how odious and troublesome holy duties are to the godly heart; and therefore much more would heaven be an hell to an ungodly man. It is true, wicked men as Balaam may desire happiness, but then they look to it only as it is a preservation from evil, and a preventing of torment; they do not consider the positive part in happiness, which is to glorify God, and to delight in him. It was much that the blind Philosophers could stumble on this, to conclude that blessedness consisted in virtuous actions, that the greatest delight and happiness that could be was to do justly; so that an ungodly man could not have Aristotle's happiness, and do we think he can have Pauls?