A30243:909
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 3 › Sermon 33
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.
Thirdly, Salvation is thought easy, Because of a mistake about faith: Oh say they, 1if a man do but believe, then heaven is his, Christ is his: as to him that believeth not condemnation belongeth. Now all natural men think it a very easy thing to believe, What, to trust in Christ with all thy heart? how ready is every unregenerate man to say, he doth it? And upon this it is, that the Papists charge us as making it such an easy pleasing way to go to Heaven; It's but believing (say they) and then all is well. But all this is a mistake about faith; he that saith, Faith is easy, never knew what it is to believe: To presume is easy, to be secure and self-flattering is easy; but out of the true sense of sin and deep humiliation for it to rely on Gods grace; this the godly heart finds not to be done without many conflicts and spiritual agonies; faith therefore is made the work of Gods Spirit, and it is that which the devil doth most oppose, because that doth most withstand him.
Thirdly, Salvation is thought easie, Because of a mistake about faith: Oh say they, 1if a man do but believe, then heaven is his, Christ is his: as to him that believeth not condemnation belongeth. Now all naturall men think it a very easie thing to believe, What, to trust in Christ with all thy heart? how ready is every unregenerate man to say, he doth it? And upon this it is, that the Papists charge us as making it such an easie pleasing way to go to Heaven; It's but believing (say they) and then all is well. But all this is a mistake about faith; he that saith, Faith is easie, never knew what it is to believe: To presume is easie, to be secure and self-flattering is easie; but out of the true sense of sinne and deep humiliation for it to relie on Gods grace; this the godly heart findes not to be done without many conflicts and spiritual agonies; faith therefore is made the work of Gods Spirit, and it is that which the devil doth most oppose, because that doth most withstand him.
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