A30243:1345
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 6 › Sermon 49
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.
Secondly, Therefore let thy life be free from all evil works, because thy profession of Christianity obligeth thee to it. How can an holy profession, and an unholy life 1accord together? How can darkness and light be reconciled? When God whom thou servest is holy, Christ by whose name thou art called is holy, the Ordinances whereby thou drawest high him are holy; when all this is holy, How is thy conversation so wicked and unholy? For a profane man full of evil deeds, to pray, and hear, is as loathsome as for the sow wallowing in its mire, to come and roll it self in a pleasant garden. That place is observable, 2 Tim. 2. 19. where the Apostle having spoken of some wretched Apostates from the Truth of Christ, he addeth, Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure. As men who build glorious palaces lay a sure foundation, so God being to build an eternal City, he layeth a deep and firm foundation. Now as their custom was to write some short and select sentences upon their foundation stones, as appeareth out of Zechariah; so saith he, God hath set two Sentences upon his foundation: The one is, The Lord knoweth those that are his, i. e. he will effectually preserve them from falling away. And the other is, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ, depart from iniquity. Observe this, This sentence is one of the choice ones that God will have inscribed: Let every one that names Christ, takes his profession on him, depart from iniquity. Take heed then of being Thistles in Christs garden: of being Tares in his wheat: This ⟨p. 306⟩is to mingle heaven and earth, yea heaven and hell together: either therefore lay aside the name of a Christian, or the works of an Heathen, and one who knoweth not God. Quid in meo estis, non mei? What do you who are not Gods, in Gods vine-yard? Why are you that are Goats, among Christs sheep? Oh consider what reproach ye are to the holy name of Christ.
Secondly, Therefore let thy life be free from all evil works, because thy profession of Christianity obligeth thee to it. How can an holy profession, and an unholy life 1accord together? How can darkness and light be reconciled? When God whom thou servest is holy, Christ by whose name thou art called is holy, the Ordinances whereby thou drawest high him are holy; when all this is holy, How is thy conversation so wicked and unholy? For a prophane man full of evil deeds, to pray, and hear, is as loathsom as for the sow wallowing in its mire, to come and rowl it self in a pleasant garden. That place is observable,