A30243:1921
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.
Thirdly, Affliction may further conversion, in that it doth sensibly teach a man, how 1sad and bitter a thing it is to sin against God: Sin is compared to gall and wormwood, but it is never perceived to be so, till God bring us into external miseries: Thus Jeremiah, Jer. 2. 19. Then shall ye know, it is a bitter thing to depart from God: Therefore though men in jollity and outward ease, never think of turning unto God, yet how is it that you refuse, whose sins have found you out. These Serpents have now put out their stings upon you; you find your iniquities no longer smiling on you, no longer tickling and pleasing of you, but they have said you in a tormenting bed of sorrow: Thou hast received thy good things, but now thy time is come for evil things: Every man doth quickly settle upon his lees, if he be not removed from affliction to affliction: How fit then and congruous is it for that man, who lieth under the smart of his sins, to depart from them! What is the cause of thy present misery, of thy present troubles? is it not sin? What hath brought thee into that deep gulf thou art in? is it not sin? What hath turned all thy waters into blood, as it was with the Egyptians? all those comforts and delights thou usest to refresh thy self with? is it not sin? Then why doest thou not say? If sin make all this evil, if that bring all this misery, why shall I embrace it any longer? And a Christian will further argue, If these beginnings be so heavy, what will the after end be? if in this life it sting and wound so deeply, what will it in the life to come? What is hell and the tormenting flames thereof, if now sin be so terrible?
Thirdly, Affliction may further conversion, in that it doth sensibly teach a man, how 1sad and bitter a thing it is to sin against God: Sin is compared to gall and wormwood, but it is never perceived to be so, till God bring us into external miseries: Thus Jeremy, Jer. 2. 19. Then shall ye know, it is a bitter thing to depart from God: Therefore though men in jollity and outward ease, never think of turning unto God, yet how is it that you refuse, whose sins have found you out. These Serpents have now put out their stings upon you; you finde your iniquities no longer smiling on you, no longer tickling and pleasing of you, but they have said you in a tormenting bed of sorrow: Thou hast received thy good things, but now thy time is come for evil things: Every man doth quickly settle upon his lees, if he be not removed from affliction to affliction: How fit then and congruous is it for that man, who lieth under the smart of his sins, to depart from them! What is the cause of thy present misery, of thy present troubles? is it not sin? What hath brought thee into that deep gulf thou art in? is it not sin? What hath turned all thy waters into blood, as it was with the Egyptians? all those comforts and delights thou usest to refresh thy self with? is it not sin? Then why doest thou not say? If sin make all this evil, if that bring all this misery, why shall I imbrace it any louger? And a Christian will further argue, If these beginnings be so heavy, what will the after end be? if in this life it sting and wound so deeply, what will it in the life to come? What is hell and the tormenting flames thereof, if now sin be so terrible?