A30243:1995
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.
First, The offence and just displeasure that is given God, by their iniquities: Oh 1this prevaileth with them, more then all external punishments in the world: Alas, what is sword, or death, or hell it self, to Gods frowns, to Gods displeasures? Thus David in his conversion to God, after his grievous relapse, is affected with this, Against thee, thee only have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight, Psal. 51. It was not loss of child, and many other sad chastisements that followed him and his posterity, did so much affect him as this; He had displeased God, and done evil in his sight: This is a sure and everlasting ground, those that walk by this rule, will never prove a deceitful bow.
First, The offence and just displeasure that is given God, by their iniquities: Oh 1this prevaileth with them, more then all external punishments in the world: Alas, what is sword, or death, or hell it self, to Gods frowns, to Gods displeasures? Thus David in his conversion to God, after his grievous relapse, is affected with this, Against thee, thee onely have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight, Psal. 51. It was not loss of childe, and many other sad chastisements that followed him and his posterity, did so much affect him as this; He had displeased God, and done evil in his sight: This is a sure and everlasting ground, those that walk by this rule, will never prove a deceitful bow.
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Secondly, They turn from sin, because of the contrariety it hath to the pure, spiritual 1and holy Law of God: And this is a sure sign of a true convert, when a man turneth from his sin, because of the enmity and repugnancy it hath to the holy Commandment of God: This is to leave sin, because of the nature of it, and for its selves sake. Hence though God had not confirmed his Law by any threatenings, or made it penal in such an high way of punishment, yet the heart of him, who thus turneth to God, could not close with it, or embrace it. The Apostle maketh the very nature of sin to lie in this, that it is a transgression of the Law: Now then when a man shall leave sin, not only because it hath the curses and the punishment of the Law, but because its the transgression of the Law; this is a good sign. You may behold this excellent disposition in Paul,