A30243:1923
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.
insomuch that a man, who hath no afflictions, and who liveth in all the ease and delight of his soul, he may be in a desperate condition, and most dangerous, though he bless himself. Its related of Ambrose, that being in the house of a man who boasted he never had any calamity in all his life; Come, saith he, let us make haste out of this house, lest some remarkable vengeance of God fall upon us: He thought those were most unhappy, that had so much earthly happiness, Nihil infelicius semper felici.
Here is one doubt to be answered, and that is, Why should men be pressed in times of calamities and miseries to turn unto God, seeing that is usually branded 1for hypocrisy; all is out of fear, and extorted, and so not thank worthy: If Israel return to God, because he is framing evil against them, its merely for fear of evil, and not love of God, or what is good. Doth not the Prophet call the Israelites fastings and mournings, when they were under Gods judgements, by no other name, then howlings, as if they were so many beasts kept up in a den, ready to be famished, that cried for food only, Why then should this be urged upon us?
Here is one doubt to be answered, and that is, Why should men be pressed in times of calamities and miseries to turn unto God, seeing that is usually branded 1for hypocrisie; all is out of fear, and extorted, and so not thank worthy: If Israel return to God, because he is framing evil against them, its meerly for fear of evil, and not love of God, or what is good. Doth not the Prophet call the Israelites fastings and mournings, when they were under Gods judgements, by no other name, then howlings, as if they were so many beasts kept up in a den, ready to be famished, that cryed for food onely, Why then should this be urged upon us?
- 1Quest.