by Anthony Burgess
in ePub, .mobi & .pdf formats
Of the Nature of Grace, under the Expressions of Taking away the Stony Heart, Giving a Heart of Flesh, and Writing God's Law in the Heart, with the Counterfeit Thereof.
God's Sovereignty and Dominion over the Hearts of Men by Anthony Burgess is a compelling collection of 14 sermons that deeply explores the transformative power of God's grace. Drawing from Ezekiel's profound imagery of the heart of stone being turned into a heart of flesh, Burgess eloquently expounds on the themes of divine sovereignty, the radical nature of true conversion, and the irresistible grace that changes the very core of human beings.
Burgess, a seasoned pastor and theologian, methodically explores the multifaceted dimensions of God's work in the heart. Each sermon unpacks a different aspect of this transformation, beginning with the stark reality of the natural human condition—spiritually dead, hardened, and resistant to God. Through vivid biblical exposition, Burgess describes the stony heart, laden with sin and enmity against God, and contrasts it with the tender, responsive heart of flesh granted by divine intervention.
Central to the series is the emphasis on God's absolute sovereignty in the process of conversion. Burgess argues persuasively against Pelagian and Arminian views, underscoring the omnipotent and irresistible nature of God's grace. He illustrates how God not only removes the heart of stone but also implants a new, living heart that is eager to follow His statutes and commandments. This transformation is not merely a superficial change but a profound, inward renewal that affects the entirety of a person's being.
Readers will find encouragement in the practical applications Burgess draws from his theological insights. He addresses the importance of striving for this heart of flesh, recognizing counterfeit conversions, and discerning the genuine work of the Spirit in one’s life. Each sermon is rich with scriptural references, pastoral wisdom, and a call to deep, personal reflection.
Burgess also deals with the broader implications of a renewed heart, including the ethical and communal aspects of Christian living. He expounds on how a heart of flesh manifests in righteous living, sincere worship, and equitable relationships with others. His sermons challenge believers to examine the authenticity of their faith and the fruit it bears in their daily lives.
God's Sovereignty and Dominion over the Hearts of Men is a treasure trove for anyone seeking to understand the depths of God's transformative work. It is both a theological treatise and a devotional guide, designed to stir the hearts of readers towards a deeper love and obedience to God. Burgess's profound insights and passionate exhortations make this a timeless resource for personal edification and spiritual growth.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
SERMON I. Ezek. 32. 26. I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. Displayeth God's Sovereignty and Dominion over the hearts of men.
SERMON II. Of the Heart of Stone, and what wickedness that name implies.
SERMON III. Of God's making a true Converts heart tender and flexible for every duty: Also, what Heart of flesh imples, with the effects and consequences of it.
SERMON IV. Holding forth inducements to get this promised Heart of flesh: Also, showing the counterfeit of it.
SERMON V. Ezek. 36. 27. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and you shall keep my judgments, and do them. Of God's giving his Spirit to a man, and what that promise implies: Also, of the operations and effects of the spirit of God, where it so comes.
SERMON VI. That the work of Grace is a deep, powerful and inward affecting of the whole man: And how far Grace may be tendered or rceived, and yet not be put effectually into our inwards: Also, what this inward deep work of Grace is, with the signs and effects of it.
SERMON VII. Of the order and method that God takes in our Conversion: First working in us inward principles, and then causing us to walk in his statutes, opposite to the Doctrines of Pelagians, Papists, Arminians, and Moral Philosophy: Also, signs to discover whether our outward duties proceed from Grace within, or from Human respects.
SERMON VIII. That true principles of Grace within, must needs demonstrate themselves by an outward godly life.
SERMON IX. God's not only infusing the inward principles of Grace, but also vouchsafing his quickening, actuating, assisting Grace unto his people, enabling them to walk in his statutes, maintained against Pelagians, Arminians and Papists: Also, the happy condition of those who have this latter Grace, as well as the former.
SERMON X. Showing that true Converts make godliness their ordinary practice: And what to walk in God's statutes implies.
SERMON XI. That converted persons are very careful and tender of the worship of God, observing that, and only that which he hath commanded.
SERMON XII. Of Righteousness and Equity between man and man: And how tender and conscientious a true convert is therein.
SERMON XIII The Hammer of Arminianism, demonstrating, That God converting and changing a sinner, works after an Omnipotent efficacious and irresistible manner, against the Patrons of Freewill, and power of man to supernatural things.
SERMON XIV. The freeness of God's grace in conversion, displayed and maintained against Arminians and others.