A30243:1550
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 7 › Sermon 58
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.
Seventhly, This Moral Virtue is not a life of Grace, because it is many times a dreadful opposer, and a cursed enemy to it. Those Stoics, which were the chiefest 1of Heathens, and had the sublimest notions about virtue, That would not have a man love virtue, not for the sweetness and delight it brings, they thought that too base, and an unworthy respect, but only for virtues sake; yet how desperately did they set against Paul, Acts 17. 18. like loves its like; and therefore if Moral virtue were grace, it would love, respect and honour it wheresoever it finds it: Those only should be chief in our affections, who are in piety.
Seventhly, This Moral Vertue is not a life of Grace, because it is many times a dreadful opposer, and a cursed enemy to it. Those Stoicks, which were the chiefest 1of Heathens, and had the sublimest notions about vertue, That would not have a man love vertue, not for the sweetness and delight it brings, they thought that too base, and an unworthy respect, but onely for vertues sake; yet how desperately did they set against Paul, Acts 17. 18. like loves its like; and therefore if Moral vertue were grace, it would love, respect and honor it wheresoever it findes it: Those onely should be chief in our affections, who are in piety.
- 17.
But you may say, What? is there no difference then to be made between a vicious man, and a civilized man; between these outward virtuous actions, and gross profaneness?1
But you may say, What? is there no difference then to be made between a vicious man, and a civilized man; between these outwardvertuous actions, and gross prophaneness?