A30243:775
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.
Thirdly, Mere outward morality will not afford any comfort, because this is consistent with a professed hatred of, and enmity to the practical power of Godliness. 1Therefore it's not godliness, for like would never hate like. Yea it's an argument that all that righteousness is but a carnal, earthly, fleshly righteousness, because so opposite unto that which is true godliness; Now experience will abundantly confirm this, that none commonly are such enemies and bitter adversaries to the ways and life of godliness, as those that are mere civil righteous men: What needeth all this zeal, all this forwardness, all this exactness (say they?) Hence they can no more abide a powerful and soul-searching Ministry, then profane wicked men; yea Christ and his Apostles had not such opposition and persecution from profane Publicans, as from those righteous Pharisees.
Thirdly, Meer outward morality will not afford any comfort, because this is consistent with a professed hatred of, and enmity to the practical power of Godlinesse. 1Therefore it's not godlinesse, for like would never hate like. Yea it's an argument that all that righteousnesse is but a carnal, earthly, fleshly righteousnesse, because so opposite unto that which is true godlinesse; Now experience will abundantly confirm this, that none commonly are such enemies and bitter adversaries to the waies and life of godlinesse, as those that are meer civil righteous men: What needeth all this zeal, all this forwardnesse, all this exactnesse (say they?) Hence they can no more abide a powerfull and soul-searching Ministery, then prophane wicked men; yea Christ and his Apostles had not such opposition and persecution from prophane Publicans, as from those righteous Pharisees.
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Fourthly, It is not true Righteousness, and therefore he that thinks himself happy, because