A30243:1810
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 70
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.
SERMON LXX.
Answering some Prejudices and Cavils of ungodly men, against Conversion, or turning unto God.
EZEK. 33. 11. Turn ye, turn ye, Why will ye dye, O house of Israel?
This subject of Conversion, is like Ezekiels waters, that rise higher and higher; therefore marvel not, if we continue long upon it, for the matter will still be new, though it be the same Text. The last day our endeavour was, to use all those forcible Reasons, that might persuade you to turn from your sins to God; although indeed, the very naming of it, doth carry so much light and truth with it, that it argueth incredible stupidity and obstinacy in all those, who yet wilfully continue in their iniquities: that therefore every mountain may be made level, & every valley raised, to make a prepared way for Christ, I shall answer those Objections, or Prejudices, or Cavils, which are as a great gulf between them and conversion. The Objections that arise from a carnal vain heart, I will call The mountains that must be made low; the objections from a discouraged or dejected heart, that doubteth of its acceptance with God, if it doth return, or imagineth strange impossibilities for its own particular; this I call The valley that must be exalted: And first, let us endeavour to prevail with the carnal man, to have so much faith, as to throw this mountain into the sea. That objection which I shall begin with, is this: