A30243:1967
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 76
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.
First, That which swallows and devoureth all thy other sins. All other sins are but streams emptying themselves into that Fountain, and Ocean; this is the darling 1sin. The Pharisees peculiar sin was vain-glory, because all things were referred to that: For seeing such a sin is in the room of God to them, whole belly is their God, saith the Apostle, Phil. 3. 19. Therefore they refer all to that. The Adulterer, if he be greedy to get gain, its but to consume upon his lusts; for that is the Idol of his heart; so Covetousness in an earthly man is called Idolatry; because all the sins he commits, all the fraud and wrong he doth, its to satisfy this: As in a mans body, where there is one great wound, all the humours will run thither.
First, That which swallowes and devoureth all thy other sins. All other sinnes are but streams emptying themselves into that Fountain, and Ocean; this is the darling 1sinne. The Pharisees peculiar sinne was vain-glory, because all things were referred to that: For seeing such a sinne is in the room of God to them, whole belly is their God, saith the Apostle, Phil. 3. 19. Therefore they refer all to that. The Adulterer, if he be greedy toget gain, its but to consume upon his lusts; for that is the Idol of his heart; so Covetousnesse in an earthly man is called Idolatry; because all the sins he commits, all the fraud and wrong he doth, its to satisfie this: As in a mans body, where there is one great wound, all the humours will run thither.
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Secondly, A beloved sin is that, wherein a man cannot endure to be reproved and rebuked sharply. They can with great delight, hear you preach against such