A30243:679
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 25
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.
3. Therefore are they so confidently persuaded, because they attend only to the 1negative Commandments, Thou shalt do no murder; Thou shalt not steal; Thou shalt not forswear thy self, &c. And so suppose that the whole duty required by God of us, is swallowed up in those negatives. This made the young man no doubt so bold; from his youth up, he had been preserved from such foul, gross sins. Indeed he speaks arrogantly when he saith, I have kept these; as if he by his own power had restrained that sea of corruption from overflowing the banks; for what evil hath been committed by any man, which he might not also have done, had not God bounded and limited his wickedness? Well but howsoever though he be thus spotless in his life: yet that is not all God requireth, God hath positive commands, as well as negatives; and the same authority which saith, Do not steal, do not kill, saith also, Keep the Sabbath holy, and sanctify the Name of God. Now although this be a very small matter to build a mans salvation upon, yet we may wonder to see that all the covering many men have for their nakedness, is only these fig-leaves: That they are no drunkards, no whoremongers, no thieves; A mere negative godliness, what pity is it, that a people instructed out of Gods Word, living under the means of salvation, should apprehend no better in matters of God?
3. Therefore are they so confidently perswaded, because they attend only to the 1negative Commandements, Thou shalt do no murder; Thou shalt not steal; Thou shalt not forswear thy self, &c. And so suppose that the whole duty required by God of us, is swallowed up in those negatives. This made the young man no doubt so bold; from his youth up, he had been preserved from such foul, grosse sins. Indeed he speaks arrogantly when he saith, I have kept these; as if he by his own power had restrained that sea of corruption from overflowing the banks; for what evill hath been committed by any man, which he might not also have done, had not God bounded and limited his wickednesse? Well but howsoever though he be thus spotlesse in his life: yet that is not all God requireth, God hath positive commands, as well as negatives; and the same authority which saith, Do not steal, do not kill, saith also, Keep the Sabbath holy, and sanctifie the Name of God. Now although this be a very small matter to build a mans salvation upon, yet we may wonder to see that all the covering many men have for their nakednesse, is only these fig-leaves: That they are no drunkards, no whoremongers, no thieves; A meer negative godlinesse, what pity is it, that a people instructed out of Gods Word, living under the means of salvation, should apprehend no better in matters of God?