A30243:819
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 30
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.
Oh then he advised and consider, whether it be faith or presumption makes thee say, My God, my Redeemer. A Paul may say so, and a Pharisee may say so.
Fourthly, Where this boldness is, there is a shifting and putting off all those considerations that may bring us to make any doubt, or any question about our selves: and 1truly that is a real demonstration; thy peace, thy comfort is not right, thou art so unwilling to be brought to light: the thief hateth the light saith our Saviour: now observe it, many of those persons who have such bold persuasions of Gods love, they cannot abide to hear terrible Sermons, they love not to hear of hell, and the day of judgement: they cannot endure to hear of the differences of Gods work upon mens hearts, and how far hypocrites and reprobates may go: Oh these things cut them, and make them mad; and why is all this? but because the peace and comfort they have, is a false and unsound one, which will abide no touchstone, cannot endure any shaking or moving at all. What was the cause that the Pharisees were so immovably persuaded of Gods love towards them? did hate and oppose Christ even to death? It was only because he manifested their godliness was not true godliness, their comforts were not true comforts, their peace was not ⟨p. 177⟩true peace, and thus woeful self-flattery was their ruin. God seeing such a proneness to deceive our selves, makes express provision against it: If a man when he heareth all the curses of the Law, shall yet bless himself in his heart, and say, None of these evils shall come upon me, God will expressly set against such a man. Oh it is terrible when God curseth thee, the Law curseth thee, the Ministers of God declare his curses against thee, yet thou to bless thy self, and to say, God loveth thee, and will do good to thee: Oh take heed of these cursed shiftings: this untempered mortar will not hold out, though thou daub it up never so craftily: do not ev••e and say, These judgements of God, these threatenings do not belong to me; for I love God, I have a good heart, I do that which is just and good to all; for all this slippery Ice will thaw when the sun ariseth.