A30243:185
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 1 › Sermon 7
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.
Sixthly, Let a presumptuous man consider how apt he is to mistake in other things, and therefore fear lest he do also in this of the greatest concernment. Every man is 1full of blindness, stupidity, ignorance, how often is he deceived even in natural and moral things? How often in truths supernatural? And is it any wonder then, if in the workings of his own heart, wherein he is commonly carried by self-love? If a natural man doth not perceive many times natural things, how can he perceive the things of God? As our Saviour said, If you understand not earthly things, how the things of Heaven? If a godly man, out of whose heart guile and hypocrisy is in a great measure removed, do yet cry out, Who can understand his errors, Cleanse me from secret sins, How much more is this true of him who is wholly in the leaven of hypocrisy? If David hath much unknown pride and corruption in his heart, how much hath a Pharisee or an unregenerate man? It is a good speech of Amesius, Praesumentes sunt eo magis desperati, quo minus sunt desperantes; Presumers are therefore in the more desperate condition, by how much they are the less despairing.
Sixthly, Let a presumptuous man consider how apt he is to mistake in other things, and therefore fear lest he do also in this of the greatest concernment. Every man is 1full of blindeness, stupidity, ignorance, how often is he deceived even in natural and moral things? How often in truths supernatural? And is it any wonder then, if in the workings of his own heart, wherein he is commonly carried by self-love? If a natural man doth not perceive many times natural things, how can he perceive the things of God? As our Saviour said, If you understand not earthly things, how the things of Heaven? If a godly man, out of whose heart guile and hypocrisie is in a great measure removed, do yet cry out, Who can understand his errors, Cleanse me from secret sins, How much more is this true of him who is wholly in the leaven of hypocrisie? If David hath much unknown pride and corruption in his heart, how much hath a Pharisee or an unregenerate man? It is a good speech of Amesius, Praesumentes sunt eo magis desperati, quo minus sunt desperantes; Presumers are therefore in the more desperate condition, by how much they are the lesse despairing.
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