A30243:2243
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 10 › Sermon 88
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, This heart of flesh will be a constant Antidote, and Preservative against 1sin: This bitter potion will kill all those worms of temptation, that may crawl in thy breast; the Devil can never come and find the room of thy heart swept and ready garnished for him; he is continually upon his Watch-Tower, that ⟨p. 522⟩hath an heart of flesh. Davids heart when it began to be stony and senseless, see how wilfully he falls from one sin to another; whereas if his heart had been as tender as at other times, the very entrance and appearance of sin would have amazed him. As it is the nature of sin to harden, and to make obstinate, so of grace to mollify and soften: Now there is always in every condition, in every occurrence of providence, something that would stiffen the heart against God, were not grace a continual thawer of the heart by the heat thereof: If therefore thou wouldst be preserved from those sad falls, and wretched backslidings, which others have been tumbled into, Keep up this heart of flesh; Oh it could never be that thou wouldst entertain such monstrous Doctrines, or do such unjustifiable practices, if thy heart were of flesh: No, it is of steel and iron, of a rock, or adamant, and that makes thee bold to commit such sins, which tender godly persons have their hearts ache at, and their ears tingle to hear.
First, This heart of flesh will be a constant Antidote, and Preservative against 1sin: This bitter potion will kill all those worms of temptation, that may crawl in thy breast; the Devil can never come and finde the room of thy heart swept and ready garnished for him; he is continually upon his Watch-Tower, that ⟨p. 522⟩hath an heart of flesh. Davids heart when it began to be stony and senseless, see how willfully he falls from one sin to another; whereas if his heart had been as tender as at other times, the very entrance and appearance of sin would have amazed him. As it is the nature of sin to harden, and to make obstinate, so of grace to mollifie and soften: Now there is always in every condition, in every occurrence of providence, something that would stiffen the heart against God, were not grace a continual thawer of the heart by the heat thereof: If therefore thou wouldst be preserved from those sad falls, and wretched backslidings, which others have been tumbled into, Keep up this heart of flesh; Oh it could never be that thou wouldst entertain such monstrous Doctrines, or do such unjustifiable practices, if thy heart were of flesh: No, it is of steel and iron, of a rock, or adamant, and that makes thee bold to commit such sins, which tender godly persons have their hearts ake at, and their ears tingle to hear.