A30243:2004
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 78
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.
SERMON LXXVIII.
Of the wilful obstinacy that is in some men, with the causes thereof; and that ignorance of ones duty is no excuse.
JER. 18. 12. And they said, There is no hope, but we will walk after our own devices, and we will every one do the imagination of his evil heart.
WE have considered Jeremiahs Commission in the two parts of it. The next thing to be considered, is the success, or the event of it: and here we shall find blasphemy writ (as it were) on their foreheads. Nothing but peremptory, and wilful obstinacy against this so just, necessary, and reasonable an Exhortation, And yet were this denial like that of the younger son in the Parable, who said, He would not, but afterward repented, and went, it had been more tolerable; but they persevere in this impudent disobedience: So that we may take notice of the aggravation of their resolved wickedness. 1. In their peremptory Negation, And they said, there is no hope: Although it was Gods goodness to invite them to turn to him, it was their advantage, not his; and although he threatens them with that evil he is preparing for them, yet they say, No: And herein their rude and obstinate rebellion is more evident, in that they make no excuses, pretend no reasons, but barely say, They will not turn unto God from their sins. Those in our Saviours Parable, that were invited to a feast, though it was their great sin to make any thing in the world an impediment to their coming, yet they feigned reasons, and were willing to be excused; but how they fell, the Prophet plainly sets forth, They will be what they are, and they will not change. And this their obstinacy is further declared in a two fold amplification. First, in that Phrase, There is no hope: There is the same expression, and the Hebrew word in Chapter 2. 25. some render it, Desperatum est, It is desperate; we are resolved to go on whatsoever it costs us; Vatablus, expectoratum est, in this sense, our heart is wholly turned aside, and plucked off from God; we cannot love him, or obey his commands. Others, Obfirmati sumus, we are settled, and obdurate in our wickedness, Jeremiahs preaching is in vain to us; he may hold his tongue, for we are set upon that which is evil. On Translators render it, There is no hope, and that may be in this twofold respect; First, We have for so long a time given our selves up to the ways of wickedness, we have thus long accustomed our selves to them, that now there is no hope that ever we should become better. Or Secondly, we have for so long a time provoked God by our wicked rebellions, that there is no hope for us to be accepted with God if we would return unto him: