A30243:1567
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 8 › Sermon 59
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.
Fifthly, Men do so easily deceive themselves, because they put too much worth and efficacy in the Sacraments, and external profession of the true Religion. In being a 1Protestant, in participation of the Sacraments, they think there is so much piety and Religion, that though their lives be foul and noisome, yet they hope for salvation. This was a great delusion of old in the Jews; what controversies had the Prophets, and expostulations with them in this matter! The Jews they pretended their new Moons, their Sabbaths, their Sacrifices, and would not be driven from this refuge: But say the Prophets, W•sh ye, make ye clean, Isaiah 1. execute judgement and justice, let every wicked man forsake his evil way. Otherwise the Prophet declareth, that God hateth their solemn Assemblies. The Apostle James would not have used so many Arguments to prove that faith without the godly effects of it could not justify, if so be men had not been too prone to suck in this Principle; and as I told you not long since, This Opinion was so generally and universally received (viz. That if a man did believe Orthodoxly, though he lived wickedly) in Austins time, That he did with fear and modesty oppose it. But observe our Saviours ground of his refusal of all those who enjoy many privileges, yet live ungodly; Depart from me ye workers of iniquity, Mat. 7. Because they were workers of iniquity, therefore God rejects them. Hence the Scripture complains of those, who have the form and professions of the faith of Christ, but in works they deny him, Tit. 1. 16. Thou abhorrest the Socinian and other Heretics, because by ⟨p. 367⟩their opinions they deny Christ to be God; but thou by thy ungodly actions dost also deny his God-head. Thou abhorrest the Atheist, who saith, There is no God: yet all the wickedness thou committest doth really say, There is no God: Therefore what do we regard thy words, and thy Sacraments, or thy profession, when we see thy deeds? Make thy life clean, wash thy foul conversation, and then make thy religious approaches to God. If I regard iniquity in my heart (saith David) the Lord will not hear my prayer. The cry of thy sins will be above the cry of thy prayers; know then, as every tree is tried by its fruit, so thy actions discern what thou art.