A30243:1939
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 75
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.
These things premised, now let us consider why we ought to take the present Now, not to put off, no not a day, an hour, not this moment; and there was never 1any duty had such reasons for it. As
- 1Why men should turn to God presently. 1.
First, The vanity and uncertainty of a mans life is so obvious a reason, That it is strange every one doth not resolve, Now will I forsake my accustomed sins, I will do it now. The shortness of our days is frequently aggravated by the Scripture, therefore we should apply our hearts to wisdom, we should not look so much to this moment, as provide for eternity: Who art thou then, O mortal man that doth yet put off thy repentance? who hath given thee security for to morrow? why dost thou not take the Holy Ghosts counsel? To day, and while it is called to day, hear his voice, Psalm 95. 7. Oh dust and ashes, Why art thou not afraid of being blown away with every breath of Gods displeasure? In worldly matters you are careful to make every thing sure; you know not what will fall out, it is good to be certain; and in heavenly things, there you content your selves with any probabilities. The Psalmist gives a convincing Epithet, Psal. 4. O ye mortal men, how long will you love vanity. Let us then beseech thee who art entangled in thy lusts by that body of death thou bearest about with thee, by the consideration of that sentence of death past upon every one, the execution whereof may be this night, so that thou never mayest hear this Exhortation more, by the consideration of the grave into which thou art falling, that thou wouldst no longer put off, but turn from thy sins. Oh say, contrary to those Epicures, Let us eat and drink, for to morrow we shall dye: Let us pray, and return unto the Lord, for to morrow we shall dye.
First, The vanity and uncertainty of a mans life is so obvious a reason, That it is strange every one doth not resolve, Now will I forsake my accustomed sins, I will do it now. The shortnesse of our daies is frequently agrravated by the Scripture, therefore we should apply our hearts to wisedom, we should not look so much to this moment, as provide for eternity: Who art thou then, O mortal man that doth yet put off thy repentance? who hath given thee security for to morrow? why dost thou not take the Holy Ghosts councel? To day, and while it is called to day, hear his voice,