A30243:2757
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 12 › Sermon 110
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, That of the Apostle James is very urgent, James 2. 11. viz. The Authority and Divine command of the Law-giver: The Apostle speaketh to him that doth all the Commandments, yet breaks one, that he is guilty of all; as a man that breaks the round of a chain, he doth in effect break the whole chain; And why? because the same Authority is despised in one, as well as in all: He that said, Believe Christ to be God, said also, No unrighteous or wicked person shall enter into the Kingdom of heaven: If so be then, that though Christ commanded thee to believe, and to be baptized, he had given thee an indulgence to any lust or sin, that thou mightst commit any iniquity without control, there had been no word of God against it, then thou mightest have answered all well; but now thou must needs be speechless: Oh then that men would attend to these things! We are not now preaching any sublime mysteries of Religion, we have not a veil upon our matter; even the weakest and ignorant may hear and understand this: The same God that bids me pray, and hear his word, bids me give over my lusts, my drunkenness, my swearing; now why should I make conscience of one, and not of the other? why should I do one because God commands it, and not the other?
First, That of the Apostle James is very urgent, James 2. 11. viz. The Authority and Divine command of the Law-giver: The Apostle speaketh to him that doth all the Commandments, yet breaks one, that he is guilty of all; as a man that breaks the round of a chain, he doth in effect break the whole chain; And why? because the same Authority is despised in one, as well as in all: He that said, Believe Christ to be God, said also, No unrighteous or wicked person shall enter into the Kingdom of heaven: If so be then, that though Christ commanded thee to believe, and to be baptized, he had given thee an indulgence to any lust or sin, that thou mightst commit any iniquity without control, there had been no word of God against it, then thou mightest have answered all well; but now thou must needs be speechless: Oh then that men would attend to these things! We are not now preaching any sublime mysteries of Religion, we have not a vail upon our matter; even the weakest and ignorant may hear and understand this: The same God that bids me pray, and hear his word, bids me give over my lusts, my drunkenness, my swearing; now why should I make conscience of one, and not of the other? why should I do one because God commands it, and not the other?