A30243:1942
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.
Thirdly, Therefore turn now from your evil ways, because the longer you put off, the more you hinder your peace and happiness. All the time spent in sin is lost time, it must be all redeemed again as the Apostle exhorts, Thou art an hinderer of thy peace and comfort all the while thou art labouring in the way of sin, thou art with the Prodigal feeding on husks, when thou mightest have a fatted calf; thou art eating onions when Manna may be gathered: What are the pleasures of sin, to the enjoyment of God, the peace of a good Conscience, and joy in the Holy Ghost? How wilt thou try out when once set at liberty from this prison, Now I begin to live, Now I begin to have happiness, now I begin to have pleasure, but never till now? Thou wilt find a damage, and a loss which cannot be repaired, but by that happiness in Jesus Christ: So then bethink thy self, What a loser am I, exchanging dirt for gold? It is my own advantage and happiness, if I betake my self to God immediately.
Thirdly, Therefore turn now from your evill waies, because the longer you put off, the more you hinder your peace and happinesse. All the time spent in sin is lost time, it must be all redeemed again as the Apostle exhorts, Thou art an hinderer of thy peace and comfort all the while thou art labouring in the way of sin, thou art with the Prodigal feeding on husks, when thou mighst have a fatted calf; thou art eating onions when Manna may be gathered: What are the pleasures of sin, to the enjoyment of God, the peace of a good Conscience, and joy in the Holy Ghost? How wilt thou try out when once set at liberty from this prison, Now I begin to live, Now I begin to have happinesse, now I begin to have pleasure, but never till now? Thou wilt finde a damage, and a losse which cannot be repaired, but by that happinesse in Jesus Christ: So then bethink thy self, What a loser am I, exchanging dirt for gold? It is my own advantage and happinesse, if I betake my self to God immediately.
Fourthly Therefore turn to God, because the longer thou putst off, the greater difficulty it will be to leave thy sins. At last Conversion will be every day more remote then at first; for the difficulty will arise several ways, here will more then a three-fold cord be to be broken.