A30243:357
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 2 › Sermon 14
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.
Lastly, There are sins that become endeared by custom, education, complexion, by profit or pleasures. Now notwithstanding all these temptations, the godly man throweth them away like menstruous cloth, yea the sins they have been most enticed with, they manifest the greatest zeal against, and desire in all things to show themselves approved. Oh (Beloved) if these marks and signs be in you, then may your joy abound. Do not henceforth argue thus, He must needs be a godly man, for he hath such revelations, such enlargements in duties; he hath had such experimental workings upon him, he is of such opinions, for such a Church-government. These are nothing, Is he a man that dareth not sin? Is he a man that is afraid to offend God in any of those ways mentioned? This man is godly by Scripture-judgement, whereas the other may be only in the sight of themselves and others. And Oh that the good old Scripture-way of bringing men more into the sight of sin, the loathing of it, were more preached and urged amongst us. If Jehu be not afraid to sin, if Judas be not afraid to sin, let them have all the glorious appearances of godliness that can be, they carry not a true badge of holiness upon them.
Lastly, There are sins that become endeared by custome, education, complexion, by profit or pleasures. Now notwithstanding all these temptations, the godly man throweth them away like menstruous cloth, yea the sins they have been most enticed with, they manifest the greatest zeal against, and desire in all things to shew themselves approved. Oh (Beloved) if these marks and signs be in you, then may your joy abound. Do not henceforth argue thus, He must needs be a godly man, for he hath such revelations, such enlargements in duties; he hath had such experimental workings upon him, he is of such opinions, for such a Church-government. These are nothing, Is he a man that dareth not sin? Is he a man that is afraid to offend God in any of those waies mentioned? This man is godly by Scripture-judgement, whereas the other may be only in the sight of themselves and others. And Oh that the good old Scripture-way of bringing men more into the sight of sinne, the loathing of it, were more preached and urged amongst us. If Jehu be not afraid to sinne, if Judas be not afraid to sinne, let them have all the glorious appearances of godlinesse that can be, they carry not a true badge of holinesse upon them.