A30243:1248
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 5 › Sermon 45
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.
First, Let thy resolutions come from solid reasons, not sudden affections. This I 1hinted before; What purpose is taken up by strong demonstrations from Scripture, they will hold always the same, because the Scripture is the same. The Scripture doth represent sin in a terrible aggravation as well one day as another; that declareth the goodness of God in the same attractive manner as well one week as another: whereas mere sudden affections they ebb and flow. If therefore thy resolutions do not hold as firmly against sin in time of health as well as sickness, if they be not as cordial in thy life time as at the time of death, quicken thy self up with Scripture-arguments, and say, The Word of God saith the same things still, and why should not my heart be the same still?
First, Let thy resolutions come from solid reasons, not suddain affections. This I 1hinted before; What purpose is taken up by strong demonstrations from Scripture, they will hold alwayes the same, because the Scripture is the same. The Scripture doth represent sinne in a terrible aggravation as well one day as another; that declareth the goodnesse of God in the same attractive manner as well one week as another: whereas meer suddain affections they ebbe and flow. If therefore thy resolutions doe not hold as firmly against sinne in time of health as well as sickness, if they be not as cordiall in thy life time as at the time of death, quicken thy self up with Scripture-arguments, and say, The Word of God saith the same things still, and why should not my heart be the same still?
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Secondly, Let thy resolutions to become a new man, be made not in thy own strength, but in the strength of Christ: Thou dost resolve in thy own power to cast out the devils 1