A30243:1783
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.
Fifthly, Those that have accustomed themselves to rebel against the light, and to live against the convictions of their conscience: As the Mariner used to storms and 1tempests, is not afraid; so these continually used to the whips and scourges of their conscience, at last are not afraid at all, yea, quite put it out: The Apostle calls this A cankered conscience, seared with an hot iron, 1 Tim. 4. 2. or Quite cut off, as some expound it; and certainly, this must be a desperate presage: for seeing conversion is let into the soul, by that needle of conviction; if this be resisted, and continually beaten back, what hope is left at the bottom? Therefore this is the inlet to the sin against the Holy Ghost, from which never any ⟨p. 417⟩was, or shall be converted, of whom if we had certainty, we might no more preach to their conversion, then to the Devils and damned in hell. But whence comes this impossibility of turning to God? it arose at first from rebelling against light, living in those sins, which the spirit of God convinced thee of by the word, and so in some measure, Doing despite unto the Spirit of Grace: This makes thee at last insensible; even as frequent walking barefoot, brings a senselessness of pain upon the feet: Now whether this light be natural, ingrafted in thy conscience; or supernatural, revealed by the grace of God, it is a woeful hardness, to resist any of them: This indisposition to conversion, is very common; for what man is there, that liveth in gross palpable sins, that doth not rebel against his conscience, and rebel against the light of Gods word: Oh! this must argue, thou hast devilish wickedness in thee, that thou doest the things, thou knowest are sins: I say, Devilish, because the Devils have great light in their understandings, but malicious enmity against God in their wills: If therefore thou wouldst prepare the way for God in thy heart, and have the gates of thy soul unbolted, that the King of Glory may come in, be sure, let thy conversation answer thy conviction; let thy heart in affections and practice, be proportionable to thy light and judgement; be so blessed, that when thou knowest, thou doest also: Therefore you that live under much preaching, are often in hearing, and ministerial admonitions, you had need take heed to your selves, for as often as thou sinnest, thou goest against the instructions of thy own heart: