A30243:1912
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.
But thirdly, There are some judgements of God for sin, wherein God doth not aim at conversion, but utter ruin: Therefore when we say, God by his calamities, intends 1the conversion of men; it is not to be understood universally, not of all men, nor at all times; God hath some judgements which are called [Greek or Hebrew], punishments and torments, which proceed from the mere hatred and implacable enmity of God; and so conversion is no more intended by these, then the flames and torments in hell are appointed to convert, or to bring the damned to repentance: Thus was the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah, fire and brimstone was a fit declaration of the hell they had deserved; and although it may not be peremptorily said, that all the whole world that perished save eight persons, were all damned, for that is disputed among the Learned; yet its plain, the greater part were incurably wicked, and so the deluge, though of water, was not to wash their sins, but God did first throw them into water, and then into eternal fire presently; and woe be to those wicked men, to whom their miseries here are but the beginning of sorrows hereafter.
But thirdly, There are some judgements of God for sin, wherein God doth not aim at conversion, but utter ruine: Therefore when we say, God by his calamities, intends 1the conversion of men; it is not to be understood universally, not of all men, nor at all times; God hath some judgements which are called 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, punishments and torments, which proceed from the meer hatred and implacable enmity of God; and so conversion is no more intended by these, then the flames and torments in hell are appointed to convert, or to bring the damned to repentance: Thus was the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrha, fire and brimstone was a fit declaration of the hell they had deserved; and although it may not be peremptorily said, that all the whole world that perished save eight persons, were all damned, for that is disputed among the Learned; yet its plain, the greater part were incurably wicked, and so the deluge, though of water, was not to wash their sins, but God did first throw them into water, and then into eternal fire presently; and wo be to those wicked men, to whom their miseries here are but the beginning of sorrows hereafter.