A30243:1902
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 74
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 LXXIV.
Of Afflictions; The difference between Penal-Destructive Calamities, and those that are Medicinal; And how Afflictions are operative to the Conversion of men.
JER. 18. 11. Behold, I frame evil against you, and devise a device; Return now every one from his evil way.
The Doctrine gathered from these words is, That God purposeth evil and calamities against a people, that they might return from their wicked ways. In this point three things are to be considered; 1. That God frameth all calamities. 2. That these calamities are called evil; both which are dispatched. The third thing which remaineth is, That Gods end in all these exercises, is to make men turn from their sins: Conversion is the end of all Gods scourges and stripes; if men did throw away their evil, God would quickly burn his rod. As Absalom sending for Joab, who would not come to him, till his corn was set on fire, and then Joab hastened quickly to speak with him; so it is here, God speaks once or twice, yea often to us, to turn from our evil ways; but we stop the ears, and will not obey: at last God afflicts us in our body, or estate, or name, one way or other; and then we say, or at least should say, Come, let us return early unto God: So that Gods judgements, they are real sermons, God preacheth by them, as well as by his word; insomuch that he puts a remarkable observation upon their obstinacy and impenitency,