A30243:741
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 27
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.
4. These are not to be relied upon, which are vain and unprofitable, and so frustrate 1of that end we expect. Now the Text saith, In vain do they worship me; other duties commanded by God, though they are not pillars to be leaned on, yet they are not vain. God saith not to Jacob, to seek his face in vain, but all this service is lost labour: Who hath required all these things at your hands. Now of all things to labour in vain in religious matters is the saddest expense of all. After all that zeal thou art never a whit the nearer heaven, thou art no more endeared to God, Thy state is no ways spiritually advantaged: yea though it be a fruitless labour one way, yet it is not another way; for there is a fruit of these labours, but it is bitterness and wormwood, God is more provoked by thee. These false worships will be written down in the catalogue of thy other sins, a drunkard, a swearer, a Sabbath-breaker, and a false-worshipper. Now consider that this sin of false-worship, though it be not so condemned by a natural conscience, yet it is far above all sins against the second Table caeteris paribus; for, 1. God is said only to be jealous ⟨p. 160⟩about this sin. The rage of a man is seen in his jealousy, if wronged therein, he can least bear it. And thus God describeth himself about superstitious worship. That which thou with a great deal of comfort and satisfaction delightest in, is an abomination unto God. Thy lies in thy trade, thy curtain sins do not so offend God, as thy Church sins, those superstitions thou art acting there. 2. It is a sin against the first and second Commandment; yea if our worship be not done as God hath appointed it, it is (as you heard) done to Devils; and hence it is that of all sins God did most remarkably punish the Israelites with captivity and sword, for defiling and corrupting his worship. How then can that be a plea for thee, which will be the greatest plea against thee? Of all blindness, it is most terrible to take your crimson sins for your service to God, and to place Religion in that which is the greatest irreligion.
4. These are not to be relied upon, which are vain and unprofitable, and so frustrate 1of that end we expect. Now the Text saith, In vain do they worship me; other duties commanded by God, though they are not pillars to be leaned on, yet they are not vain. God saith not to Jacob, to seek his face in vain, but all this service is lost labour: Who hath required all these things at your hands. Now of all things to labour in vain in religious matters is the saddest expence of all. After all that zeal thou art never a whit the nearer heaven, thou art no more indeared to God, Thy state is no waies spiritually advantaged: yea though it be a fruitlesse labour one way, yet it is not another way; for there is a fruit of these labours, but it is bitterness and wormwood, God is more provoked by thee. These false worships will be written down in the catalogue of thy other sins, a drunkard, a swearer, a Sabbath-breaker, and a false-worshipper. Now consider that this sin of false-worship, though it be not so condemned by a natural conscience, yet it is far above all sins against the second Table caeteris paribus; for, 1. God is said onely to be jealous