A30243:187
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.
First, Let him consider whether some sin, unreformed of, that he liveth in, knowing it to be sin, doth not eclipse all his certainty. Davids Adultery drave away the 1spirit of gladness and joy from his soul. Oh that is a cursed joy and confidence, which is not expelled by the committing of known gross sins! How can there be Assurance and Peace, as if grace were in thee, when thou demonstratest such works of the flesh and Satan in thee? Is it any wonder then to see men who take upon them the profession of Religion, and yet live loosely, tumbling now and then into foul sins, if they have often an hell upon their consciences, and frequent terrors upon their soul? As when vapours are gathered together in the bowels of the earth, it cannot but make an Earthquake; so sin gathered together in the heart, will one time or other make an heartquake. That place Ephes. 4. Grieve not the Spirit of God, supposeth sin doth grieve him, and how just is it then that Gods Spirit should grieve us?
First, Let him consider whether some sin, unreformed of, that he liveth in, knowing it to be sinne, doth not eclipse all his certainty. Davids Adultery drave away the 1spirit of gladness and joy from his soul. Oh that is a cursed joy and confidence, which is not expelled by the committing of known grosse sins! How can there be Assurance and Peace, as if grace were in thee, when thou demonstratest such works of the flesh and Satan in thee? Is it any wonder then to see men who take upon them the profession of Religion, and yet live loosly, tumbling now and then into foul sins, if they have often an hell upon their consciences, and frequent terrors upon their soul? As when vapours are gathered together in the bowels of the earth, it cannot but make an Earthquake; so sinne gathered together in the heart, will one time or other make an heartquake. That place Ephes. 4. Grieve not the Spirit of God, supposeth sin doth grieve him, and how just is it then that Gods Spirit should grieve us?
- 11. What a godly man should do that mourns under the sense of the want of Gods favour.