A30243:1993
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 77
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.
Secondly, Which is the quintessence of this point, Let us consider what are the motives and grounds which are acceptable with God, when we turn from 1sin; for, as you heard, Men have left their sins, they have not so much turned from them, but even run from them. Ahab, the Israelites, Judas, those turned from their sins, would do so no more, at least as their present condition was; yet they never truly turned from any one sin: Therefore consider, that every kind of forsaking sin, is not presently a turning unto God. That you may understand this, consider what are the right motives with a true convert to leave sin; he will never do or live as he hath done, no, not for all the world; And
Secondly, Which is the quintessence of this point, Let us consider what are the motives and grounds which are acceptable with God, when we turn from 1sin; for, as you heard, Men have left their sins, they have not so much turned from them, but even run from them. Ahab, the Israelites, Judas, those turned from their sins, would do so no more, at least as their present condition was; yet they never truly turned from any one sin: Therefore consider, that every kinde of forsaking sin, is not presently a turning unto God. That you may understand this, consider what are the right motives with a true convert to leave sin; he will never do or live as he hath done, no, not for all the world; And
- 1II. The acceptable motives and grounds of repentance.
First, There are inferior or less principal motives, which do lawfully work upon a man, to make him turn from sin, so long as they are in the second place; And that is the 1Argument in the Text, Gods framing and bringing evil upon men for their sins: When God complaineth that he had thus and thus scourged them, yet they did not return unto him; this argueth, That its lawful to turn from sin, because of the fear of punishment, and Gods judgements accompanying it: And commonly this is the first motive in place, though the last in dignity and worth: Let then all the threatenings, all the wrath of God denounced against sin, make thee speedily turn from it, for God (as the Magistrate) doth not bear his sword in vain,