A30243:2113
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 9 › Sermon 82
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.
Now its very good to observe the reasons why God doth thus prefer a rent 1and converted heart, before all outward acts of Religion, for men do not consider these things: They would think themselves beasts, and unworthy the name of Christians, if they should not pray, hear, and come to Church; but then for this curious and necessary workmanship upon the heart, they never mind it at all: Think therefore All is but a tinkling Cymbal, till God hath turned thy heart thus in duties: For
Now its very good to observe the reasons why God doth thus prefer a rent 1and converted heart, before all outward acts of Religion, for men do not consider these things: They would think themselves beasts, and unworthy the name of Christians, if they should not pray, hear, and come to Church; but then for this curious and necessary workmanship upon the heart, they never minde it at all: Think therefore All is but a tinkling Cymbal, till God hath turned thy heart thus in duties: For
- 1Why God prefers a rent and converted heart, before all outward acts of Religion.
First, God never commanded simply and merely any outward duty of Religion, 1for its self sake, But especially he required gracious qualifications in the exercise of them: He never commanded prayer, merely for prayers sake; nor the keeping of the Sabbath, merely for external observations sake; and in this sense some expound that, Sacrifice and burnt Offerings thou wouldst not have: If therefore these duties be not required, merely and barely for themselves, why doest not thou attend to that which is the principal? Oh say, Its not this duty, so much as a converted heart in this duty; its not my coming to the Assemblies, its not my hearing Sermons this day, so much as a changed turned heart that God looks at: This is the Benjamin God commands you to bring, else not to see his face. Hence when the hearts of men do not spiritualize this duty; the Scripture calls it no more then a Carnal Religion, or a Religion of the flesh,