A30243:2454
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 11 › Sermon 97
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.
Sixthly, It cannot be denied but that this Doctrine of Gods sole power, and efficacy of 1Grace in Conversion, hath been and may be abused, and that two ways, either to sluggishness and negligence, men thinking, that if God take away the stony heart, what need I care? I may sit down and take my ease: Or to Enthusiasm, such as will not pray, nor go to the Ordinances, they will only stay at home, and expect the Spirits immediate working on them; and these were two reasons, saith Chemnitius, why Pelagius a Britain, otherwise an ingenious man and famous, as also very innocent in his life, did fall into his error on the other side. But there is no truth of God can be preached, but carnal hearts will abuse it. Paul doth abundantly ⟨p. 572⟩testify this, when he speaks of those corrupt inferences some made from his preaching of grace: and the best truths corrupted prove most dangerous: as when they did not use the Manna according to Gods Institution, it degenerated into noisome worms.
Sixtly, It cannot be denyed but that this Doctrine of Gods sole power, and efficacie of 1Grace in Conversion, hath been and may be abused, and that two wayes, either to sluggishnesse and negligence, men thinking, that if God take away the stony heart, what need I care? I may sit down and take my ease: Or to Enthusiasm, such as will not pray, nor go to the Ordinances, they will onely stay at home, and expect the Spirits immediate working on them; and these were two reasons, saith Chemnitius, why Pelagius a Brittan, otherwise an ingenious man and famous, as also very innocent in his life, did fall into his error on the other side. But there is no truth of God can be preached, but carnal hearts will abuse it. Paul doth abundantly ⟨p. 572⟩testifie this, when he speaks of those corrupt inferences some made from his preaching of grace: and the best truths corrupted prove most dangerous: as when they did not use the Manna according to Gods Institution, it degenerated into noisome worms.
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