A30243:1974
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, This beloved sin was the strength and power of all other sins. They all run into this: This is a kind of an original mother sin, that bred and 1nourished all other transgressions. As Samsons strength lay in his hair, so all the power and efficacy of sin in a man, ran into that Channel of his beloved sin. That was the premum mobile which carried all the rest with it; so that as it was given in command to the Soldiers, that they should not fight with little, or great, but with the King of Israel: so grace in the heart of a man doth not so much assault less sins as this great one. Come, saith grace, let us destroy this, and all is ours, This is the strong man that must be bound ere the house can be taken: This is the Dim that must first be destroyed. No wonder then, that a man entangled in any close beloved sin, can promise himself any true comfort or hope, for he is under the strong power of sin and Satan, as long as this is upon him.
First, This beloved sinne was the strength and power of all other sinnes. They all runne into this: This is a kinde of an original mother sinne, that bred and 1nourished all other transgressions. As Sampsons strength lay in his hair, so all the power and effi•acie of sin in a man, ran into that Channel of his beloved sin. That was the premum mobile which carried all the rest with it; so that as it was given in command to the Souldiers, that they should not fight with little, or great, but with the King of Israel: so grace in the heart of a man doth not so much assault lesse sinnes as this great one. Come, saith grace, let us destroy this, and all is ours, This is the strong man that must be bound ere the house can be taken: This is the Dim that must first be destroyed. No wonder then, that a man intangled in any close beloved sin, can promise himself any true comfort or hope, for he is under the strong power of sin and Satan, as long as this is upon him.
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