A30243:73
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 1 › Sermon 2
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.
I shall in the next place show you what impediments and destructive principles 1there are to hinder us in this experimental proof, which we are to make of our selves. For this duty here pressed of examining and proving of our selves is like the compound that the high-Priest was to make, consisting of choice materials; Now one dangerous principle is, when we go to prove and examine our selves, being prepossessed with self-love and carnal confidence, and where this foundation is laid, its impossible to make any good superstruction. Hence all the piercing and discovering Sermons which the Prophets and Christ made upon the Jews and Pharisees, could make no battery, give no shaking to their rotten foundation, and all because they had carnal confidence, and vain trust in themselves. Therefore when thou settest upon this duty, thou must say, Lord, I come not in any love of my self, I can as easily judge and condemn my self for an hypocrite (if such I shall be found) as approve my self for an upright one: O Lord, it shall not seem an hard thing to me, if I perceive that I have thus long, thus many years laboured in vain. O Lord, it shall be so far from being matter of discontent, as that I shall rejoice, if now at length, I ⟨p. 10⟩may be put into a sound and right way of holiness. But how many go to search the grounds, principles and ends of their actions with as much negligence, as some officers do alehouses and unlawful meetings? they are unwilling to see the hidden works of darkness, Prov. 28. 26. He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool. It is desperate folly to believe thy heart will deal truly with thee. Hence the Prophet Jeremiah calleth it desperately wicked, or crafty, which will beguile and deceive thee without much caution, insomuch that this duty of examination is but ridiculous, and a mere mockery, unless we resolve to become impartial Judges. It is like disputing with the Church of Rome, who hold the true Church cannot err, and then that she is the true Church, whereby she becomes incurable and without hope of healing, Prov. 16. 2. Every mans way is clean in his own eyes, but the Lord pondereth the hearts. This is one way to blind us, but 2