A30243:1777
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 9 › Sermon 68
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 particulars that clear the nature of conversion are dispatched: Let us now consider, what are the impediments and obstructions of conversion. That conversion now adays is very rare, comparatively to former times, experience evidenceth; and yet how much reason, and what unanswerable arguments may be pressed on every mans conscience? Therefore its worth the while to consider, what are those causes that make men continue in their accustomed sins, when God and his Ministers do thus importune to leave them. Now although it be true, that in every unregenerate man, there is a natural impossibility to turn unto God, and so no hopes of any man in the world, if we respect humane power and strength; yet there are many, who besides this natural impossibility, have contracted on themselves a voluntary impossibility of turning unto God; so that their conversion, is not the taking away the stone of the heart, but the stones; for they have laid one upon another: We shall then examine, 1what persons they are, that have the Symptoms and visible Characters of difficulty to be converted, rather then other men.
THe particulars that clear the nature of conversion are dispatched: Let us now consider, what are the impediments and obstructions of conversion. That conversion now adays is very rare, comparatively to former times, experience evidenceth; and yet how much reason, and what unanswerable arguments may be pressed on every mans conscience? Therefore its worth the while to consider, what are those causes that make men continue in their accustomed sins, when God and his Ministers do thus importune to leave them. Now although it be true, that in every unregenerate man, there is a natural impossibility to turn unto God, and so no hopes of any man in the world, if we respect humane power and strength; yet there are many, who besides this natural impossibility, have contracted on themselves a voluntary impossibility of turning unto God; so that their conversion, is not the taking away the stone of the heart, but the stones; for they have laid one upon another: We shall then examine, 1what persons they are, that have the Symptomes and visible Characters of difficulty to be converted, rather then other men.
- 1Who they are that have the Symptoms of difficulty to be converted. 1. Ignorant and stupid people.