A30243:2304
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 11 › Sermon 90
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.
Thirdly, Then the word of God is put in our inward parts, when we do truly, sincerely and unfeignedly, perform all the duties God requireth: This is to do it with 1the whole heart; and if we had any thing better then our hearts, they should be offered up to God: Thus David, Psal. 51. Thou delightest in the truth in the inward parts: Oh this a man should have in all the service he doth for God! So that all those, who by Religion accomplish their self-interests; all those who seek themselves, have carnal motives in the profession of Religion; these are but pictures, not living creatures in the way of grace: Great is the number of hypocrites, even among those that profess the name of Christ: Its damnable blasphemy to charge it upon all, as wicked men do; this is to condemn the generation of the godly, to blaspheme Christ and the Gospel; yet it cannot be but that through the hypocrisies of many, grievous offences and scandals will fall out: None of those who follow Christ because of the loaves, or who tread out the corn merely because they may feed on it, set up in seeming manner the ways of Christ, that they may get outward advantages, can by experience ⟨p. 537⟩witness this promise made good to them: They pray, they hear, they perform holy duties, but still they want something within, still the soul of all is wanting; but its not the appearance of Good, not the name or profession of it, will bring thee any true or sound comfort: The time is coming, when all things without will fail thee, and leave thee; it must be something within that may support thee.2
Thirdly, Then the word of God is put in our inward parts, when we do truly, sincerely and unfeignedly, perform all the duties God requireth: This is to do it with 1the whole heart; and if we had any thing better then our hearts, they should be offered up to God: Thus David, Psal. 51. Thou delightest in the truth in the inward parts: Oh this a man should have in all the service he doth for God! So that all those, who by Religion accomplish their self-interests; all those who seek themselves, have carnal movtives in the profession of Religion; these are but pictures, not living creatures in the way of grace: Great is the number of hypocrites, even among those that profess the name of Christ: Its damnable blasphemy to charge it upon all, as wicked men do; this is to condemn the generation of the godly, to blaspheme Christ and the Gospel; yet it cannot be but that through the hypocrisies of many, grievous offences and scandals will fall out: None of those who follow Christ because of the loaves, or who tread out the corn meerly because they may feed on it, set up in seeming manner the ways of Christ, that they may get outward advantages, can by experience