A30243:1818
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.
First consider, That the Scriptures judgement about sin, is wholly contradictory to thine: The word of God acknowledgeth no pleasure, no desirableness 1in sin; but the clean contrary, Gall, and Wormwood, and Bitterness, and Death, Wrath, and Terror, and Curses, and Torments: How then comest thou to speak of pleasures and delight in sin, when Gods word knoweth no such thing? Now the Scripture is the wisdom of an All-knowing God, and we are to believe that, more then our own sense and apprehension: We see diseases do so infect the palate, that it many times judgeth bitter sweet, and sweet bitter, ⟨p. 427⟩but the nature of things is not changed because the palate is changed; and thus it is here, by reason of that corrupt frame of heart in thee, thou judgest sin pleasant; no ordinances, no godly objects have any savour or delight in them: but these do greatly affect thee; know all this is a disease, a sickness upon thy heart, as some diseases make the sick parties eat black coals, and such loathsome •rash: This is a disease. The word of God, which only revealeth true wisdom, speaketh otherwise: Oh then! call no more thy lusts sweet, thy sins pleasant, its a disease on thee makes thee think so, if thy palate and taste were spiritual, thou wouldst with dislike, reject every temptation of sin, as Christ did the vinegar they gave him to drink. Paul told Elymas, He was in the state of gall and bitterness, Acts 8. 23. Elymas did not think so, nor feel so: And thus is every wicked man, in a condition of gall and misery; if his heart were truly qualified, he would cry out of the bitterness of those sins, which he now saith are sweet: Judge then righteous judgement about thy iniquities, and thou wilt quickly forsake them.
First consider, That the Scriptures judgement about sin, is wholly contradictory to thine: The word of God acknowledgeth no pleasure, no desireableness 1in sin; but the clean contrary, Gall, and Wormwood, and Bitterness, and Death, Wrath, and Terror, and Curses, and Torments: How then comest thou to speak of pleasures and delight in sin, when Gods word knoweth no such thing? Now the Scripture is the wisdom of an All-knowing God, and we are to believe that, more then our own sense and apprehension: We see diseases do so infect the palate, that it many times judgeth bitter sweet, and sweet bitter,