A30243:2732
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 12 › Sermon 109
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, Upon this entering themselves into the number of Christs flock, they may be fully, but foolishly persuaded, that now they have done all: That this will 1interest them into heavenly glory: Oh what a bewitching is this! and are not most men surprised by this? they think this believing in God and Christ, this external and visible profession, will instate them in all happiness. The Jews of old did desperately miscarry upon this point, The Temple of the Lord, the Temple of the Lord, Jer. 7. this made them bold and confident; and in the New Testament, see how industrious James is, to show the vanity of that faith, James 3. which is titularly faith, and not effectual in godliness. They that cried, Lord, Lord, and had prophesied, and wrought miracles in Christs name, are commanded to depart into eternal fire, because they were workers of iniquity. Many times the Apostle bids them not be deceived, Neither fornicators or extortioners, &c. should inherit the Kingdom of heaven, 1 Cor. 6. 9. Be not deceived, saith he: We are very apt to think, that a profession, or bare duties, will carry us to heaven, ⟨p. 634⟩without this power of godliness: And if the Apostle speaketh but of the tongue only, James 1. 26. If any man seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, that mans Religion is in vain: How much rather, if he do not mortify his sin, and refrain from all other gross impieties? when will people drowned in sin, recover out of it? Awake thou that sleepest in this stupidity: What is Baptism? what is Christianity? what is Protestantism, but a mere empty shadow and title, if thy life be polluted with impieties: As the Heathens called their Idols gods, when yet they had no Deity in them, being images of wood, Having eyes, and see not; ears, and hear not; feet, and walk not: Thus are such Idol Christians, Idol Believers. There are (saith the Apostle) many called gods in the world, but we know that an Idol is nothing: Thus it is here, there are many called Christians, many called Believers, but we know this is nothing, where the life and power of godliness is wanting: Trust not then to thy good faith, to these glorious titles, they will deceive thee.