A30243:2819
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 112
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.
Fourthly, Thou oughtest to be so far from being discouraged, because of these sad 1temptations and fears, that thou oughtest the more to rejoice, and to take these groans and cries, as the sure signs and symptoms of thy predestination; For so we told you, where this election was, there the spirit of God did accompany the soul with prayers and groans unutterable: So that those exercises and troubles of heart, they are to be a great ground of comfort and hope to thee; thou art to rejoice and bless God, that puts thee in such agonies, such exercises, though for the present so heavy and unsupportable: Alas! he that is a reprobate, and indeed forsaken by God, he is never thus troubled, he is given up to a stony heart, as Pharaoh was; and therefore such are said to have a blind eye, a deaf ear, a fat heart, that cannot understand: No, those that are thus forsaken by God, they make a mock of sin, they eat and drink, and go down quick to hell: Let not then, those things which ought to comfort thee, be matter of discouragement to thee: Turn not honey into gall.
Fourthly, Thou oughtest to be so far from being discouraged, because of these sad 1temptations and fears, that thou oughtest the more to rejoyce, and to take these groans and crys, as the sure signs and simptomes of thy predestination; For so we told you, where this election was, there the spirit of God did accompany the soul with prayers and groans unutterable: So that those exercises and troubles of heart, they are to be a great ground of comfort and hope to thee; thou art to rejoyce and bless God, that puts thee in such agonies, such exercises, though for the present so heavy and unsupportable: Alas! he that is a reprobate, and indeed forsaken by God, he is never thus troubled, he is given up to a stony heart, as Pharaoh was; and therefore such are said to have a blinde eye, a deaf ear, a fat heart, that cannot understand: No, those that are thus forsaken by God, they make a mock of sin, they eat and drink, and go down quick to hell: Let not then, those things which ought to comfort thee, be matter of discouragement to thee: Turn not honey into gall.
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