A30243:756
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.
Therefore thirdly, That wherein this moral obedience to all the Commandments 1of God is defective in, is, that it is a body without a soul, a shell without a kernel, a picture without life, there is nothing but an outward shape of righteousness; as for a principle of regeneration, and a new life within, that is wholly absent. Now this was the fundamental miscarriage of the Pharisees, as appeareth by Nicodemus, they were wholly ignorant of original corruption. They believed not that all was carnal and defiled within them, and thereupon saw no necessity of being born again, of having a new nature infused into us, and so become new creatures. And this is the rock upon which thousands split their immortal souls still. They please themselves thus, I live honestly, I do justly to every one, I frequent the Church, and receive the Ordinances of God, what further thing is there to be done? I thank God no man can accuse me, nor doth my conscience accuse me. But in the mean while, are miserable seduced men, and are at that very time, in the state of gall and wormwood; Paul though he walked with a good conscience, and concerning the righteousness of the Law unblameable: yet when God enlightened his soul, what a heavy doom did he pass upon himself, and called all that dung, which he judged gold once! Therefore herein is the danger of mere moral obedience, that it is like a glorious house without any foundation, a fair apple with a rotten core, a comely beautiful face with impostumed vitals.
Therefore thirdly, That wherein this morall obedience to all the Commandments 1of God is defective in, is, that it is a body without a soul, a shell without a kernell, a picture without life, there is nothing but an outward shape of righteousnesse; as for a principle of regeneration, and a new life within, that is wholly absent. Now this was the fundamentall miscarriage of the Pharisees, as appeareth by Nicodemus, they were wholly ignorant of originall corruption. They beleeved not that all was carnall and defiled within them, and thereupon saw no necessity of being born again, of having a new nature infused into us, and so become new creatures. And this is the rock upon which thousands split their immortall souls still. They please themselves thus, I live honestly, I do justly to every one, I frequent the Church, and receive the Ordinances of God, what further thing is there to be done? I thank God no man can accuse me, nor doth my conscience accuse me. But in the mean while, are miserable seduced men, and are at that very time, in the state of gall and wormwood; Paul though he walked with a good conscience, and concerning the righteousnesse of the Law unblameable: yet when God inlightned his soul, what a heavy doom did he passe upon himself, and called all that dung, which he judged gold once! Therefore herein is the danger of meer morall obedience, that it is like a glorious house without any foundation, a fair apple with a rotten kore, a comely beautifull face with impostumed vitals.