A30243:754
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 28
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.
First, That by external obedience we mean an innocency or freedom from all gross vices. No drunkard, no whoremonger, no prodigal, &c. For the Pharisees made clean the outside, howsoever inwardly their hearts were dens of thievish Justs: Now although this innocency be no symptom of grace; yet how many such noisome and filthy weeds grow in Christs garden! how many such beastly swine are in Christs sheepfold, sins that should not be named among Christians, are yet practised and boasted of among them. What comfort and hopes canst thou have in thy conscience, who carriest about with thee such evident plague-tokens of Gods wrath? What do such Crows among Christs Doves? What do such Brambles among his pleasant plants? Depart ye workers of iniquity from Christian assemblies for these know you not: God called you not to uncleanness but unto holiness. Oh that these spots and reproaches of Christianity were once purged away from us.
First, That by externall obedience we mean an innocency or freedom from all grosse vices. No drunkard, no whoremonger, no prodigall, &c. For the Pharisees made clean the outside, howsoever inwardly their hearts were dens of theevish Iusts: Now although this innocency be no symptome of grace; yet how many such noisome and filthy weeds grow in Christs garden! how many such beastly swine are in Christs sheepfold, sins that should not be named among Christians, are yet practised and boasted of among them. What comfort and hopes caost thou have in thy conscience, who carriest about with thee such evident plague-tokens of Gods wrath? What do such Crows among Christs Doves? What do such Brambles among his pleasant plants? Depart ye workers of iniquity from Christian assemblies for these know you not: God called you not to uncleannesse but unto holinesse. Oh that these spots and reproaches of Christianity were once purged away from us.
Secondly, By this moral obedience we mean a fair external conformity 1both unto the duties of the first and second Table: so that they have the outward lineaments both of piety and righteousness. For thus the Pharisees they were careful about the external worship of God, how zealous about the Sabbath, charging the pollution thereof upon Christ! and as for moral duties among men, had they not excelled therein, they could not have enjoyed such admiration and applause of men. It is true, our Saviour made them the worst of men, pulling off their visors and discovering their pride and covetous ends in all they did: but though they were inwardly ravening wolves, yet outwardly they seemed innocent sheep. Hence our Saviour called them hypocrites several times together; If therefore you have a man that is careful in duties to man, faithful in his word, just in his dealings, but neglective of Gods worship, a profane despiser of the Sabbath; this man is not to be accounted so much as a moral righteous man, Again, if you see a man strict about the worship of God, in keeping of the Sabbath, in writing and repeating of Sermons, yet unjust and deceitful in his doings, this man riseth not so high as this Pharisaical righteousness. That which must be exceeded is an universal, general conformity unto all the Commandments of God.