A30243:2012
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.
and this is the cause that most in our Congregations are so ignorant about Religion, about Conversion, and these main points of godliness. A profane ⟨p. 471⟩negligence, they have no hearts, no mind, no affections to such things; there is nothing belongs to their Trade, to their husbandry, but they can skill in it, only in divine things they are as brutish as beasts. Think not that this ignorance will excuse you; say not, I am not book-learned, such things are too high for me: What, wouldst thou be thought a Christian, and yet the necessary principles of religion too high for thee? Thou art to lay aside thy endeavour after all other things in this life, till thou hast attained to this: If thou dost not eat of this tree of knowledge, thou canst never eat of the tree of life. Oh then that at last God would make us Ministers sons of thunder, to awaken and terrify you out of this gross ignorance.
and this is the cause that most in our Congregations are so ignorant about Religion, about Conversion, and these main points of godliness. A prophane ⟨p. 471⟩negligence, they have no hearts, no minde, no affections to such things; there is nothing belongs to their Trade, to their husbandrie, but they can skill in it, only in divine things they are as brutish as beasts. Think not that this ignorance will excuse you; say not, I am not book-learned, such things are too high for me: What, wouldst thou be thought a Christian, and yet the necessary principles of religion too high for thee? Thou art to lay aside thy endeavour after all other things in this life, till thou hast attained to this: If thou dost not eat of this tree of knowledge, thou canst never eat of the tree of life. Oh then that at last God would make us Ministers sons of thunder, to awaken and terrifie you out of this grosse ignorance.
The second sort of sinners living in their impieties, are these in the Text, who 1