A30243:2020
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.
Lastly, The Devils great power and dominion that he hath over such men, makes them boggle at no impiety. These are the Devils instruments prepared for every 1high degree of wickedness: As God hath his servants, and precious vessels fitted for all his greatest employment; so these are by the devil prepared for the worst kind of drudgery: thus when the devil had entered into Judas his heart, taken greater hold on him then ever, then he can guide him to that perfidious act of wickedness to betray Christ into his enemies hands, yea and can so horribly dissemble as to give him a kiss, pretending much reverence at that very time of treachery. Thus you see what are those millstones that are hung about such mens necks to press them down into the sea. Here must be one Objection answered, and that is, How can men sin willingly, and knowingly? for is it not a received rule among Philosophers, and owned 2by Divines, that Omnis peccans est ignorans, All sins come from ignorance? And is it not also another received maxim, That no man can will evil, because it is evil, Nemo intendens malum operatur? and the reason is, because no faculty can be ⟨p. 475⟩carried out beyond his object: as the understanding cannot give assent to any thing that is false, it is impossible but it should believe that which is true, or appearing so; so it cannot be but that the will should will good, or what it judgeth good, How then can thy sin, when they know it to be sin?
Lastly, The Divels great power and dominien that he hath over such men, makes them boggle at no impiety. These are the Divels instruments prepared for every 1high degree of wickednesse: As God hath his servants, and precious vessels fitted for all his greatest imploiment; so these are by the divel prepared for the worst kind of drudgery: thus when the divel had entred into Judas his heart, taken greater hold on him then ever, then he can guide him to that perfidious act of wickedness to betray Christ into his enemies hands, yea and can so horribly dissemble as to give him a kisse, pretending much reverence at that very time of treacherie. Thus you see what are those milsiones that are hung about such mens necks to presse them down into the sea. Here must be one Objection answered, and that is, How can men sin willingly, and knowingly? for is it not a received rule among Philosophers, and owned