A30243:599
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 3 › Sermon 22
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.
In the next place, Consider why Doctrines, though never so excellent and true are ⟨p. 127⟩not an infallible sign of grace. And, First, Because enlightening the mind to receive truth, is but an introduction or antecedent, and that not a necessary one to godliness, 1it is not a constitutive part of it. Hence it is that a man may be very orthodox and knowing of the truth, yea zealous for it, yet hating the power of godliness in others, and refusing to reform in his own life. The Scripture makes a difference between those that know Gods will, and those that do it. Boast not then of this that thou art among the orthodox, thou hast not forsaken the truth, running after these new errors; Thou holdest the truth in Justification, about the Law of God; thou art no Arminian, Socinian or Antinomian, all this is well. But this is not plea enough for salvation, and the judgement of discussion at that great day, will not be, How much good knowledge thou hast had? What a good faith only, but what a good life also? Therefore if thou art gone no further then to the doctrinal part of Religion, thou hast no sure arguments of comfort within thy self.
In the next place, Consider why Doctrines, though never so excellent and true are ⟨p. 127⟩not an infallible sign of grace. And, First, Because enlightning the minde to receive truth, is but an introduction or antecedent, and that not a necessary one to godlinesse, 1it is not a constitutive part of it. Hence it is that a man may be very orthodox and knowing of the truth, yea zealous for it, yet hating the power of godlinesse in others, and refusing to reform in his own life. The Scripture makes a difference between those that know Gods will, and those that do it. Boast not then of this that thou art among the orthodox, thou hast not forsaken the truth, running after these new errors; Thou holdest the truth in Justification, about the Law of God; thou art no Arminian, Socinian or Antinomian, all this is well. But this is not plea enough for salvation, and the judgement of discussion at that great day, will not be, How much good knowledge thou hast had? What a good faith only, but what a good life also? Therefore if thou art gone no further then to the doctrinal part of Religion, thou hast no sure arguments of comfort within thy self.