A30243:1808
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 69
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.
Ninthly, Set before thy eyes those Converts who are recorded in the Scripture, and see the joy and happiness of their condition, and then do thou write after their copy. Man asses a bloody sinner, that did not only sin himself, but caused many others to sin, yet when he repents and turneth to God, God receiveth him, and his iniquities are forgiven as if they had never been. Oh blessed change! So Paul, he had gone far in bitter opposing, and persecuting the ways of Christ, though in ignorance; but when converted, Oh how doth his heart burn with all thankfulness and praise to God? What unspeakable joy doth he find in his heart to think he is what he was not once? If thou hadst never heard of any that turned from their sins to God, or if they did, that they have repented that ever they repented, they were sorry that they turned from their sins; it was better with them when they served their lusts, then when they served God. Then thou mightest have some plea. But when thou readest of the exceeding joy, and wonderful blessedness and peace of Conscience they have had, who have been thus converted from their evil ways, What cords of sin can be so strong as to hold thee any longer? Oh say then, as I have sinned like a Manasseh, like a Mary Magdalen, so I will turn to God with mourning and humiliation as they did.
Ninthly, Set before thy eyes those Converts who are recorded in the Scripture, and see the joy and happinesse of their condition, and then do thou write after their copy. Man asses a bloudy sinner, that did not onely sin himself, but caused many others to sin, yet when he repents and turneth to God, God receiveth him, and his iniquities are forgiven as if they had never been. Oh blessed change! So Paul, he had gone farre in bitter opposing, and persecuting the waies of Christ, though in ignorance; but when converted, Oh how doth his heart burn with all thankfulnesse and praise to God? What unspeakable joy doth he finde in his heart to think he is what he was not once? If thou hadst never heard of any that turned from their sinnes to God, or if they did, that they have repented that ever they repented, they were sorry that they turned from their sinnes; it was better with them when they served their lusts, then when they served God. Then thou mightest have some plea. But when thou readest of the exceeding joy, and wonderfull blessednesse and peace of Conscience they have had, who have been thus converted from their evill waies, What cords of sinne can be so strong as to hold thee any longer? Oh say then, as I have sinned like a Manasses, like a Mary Magdalen, so I will turn to God with mourning and humiliation as they did.