A30243:847
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 31
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.
As 1. Outward comforts in the plenty of them are apt to beget pride and loftiness of heart, so as to despise and contemn those that are under them: Hence Paul bids Timothy charge the rich men of this world, that they be not high minded, but fear; charge them as if entreaties and mild persuasions would not do them any good, but charge them, and then that they be not high-minded; all outward comforts are apt like ripe fruit to breed some worms, especially that of pride and insolency of heart: Mark therefore whether the blessings thou hast make thee bold, secure, lofty. Thou beginnest to care for no body, to fear nothing: Alas, God hath not done these great things to thee out of love to thee, for they have unkindly, and sinful influences upon thee.
As 1. Outward comforts in the plenty of them are apt to beget pride and loftinesse of heart, so as to despise and contemn those that are under them: Hence Paul bids Timothy charge the rich men of this world, that they be not high minded, but fear; charge them as if entreaties and milde perswasions would not do them any good, but charge them, and then that they be not high-minded; all outward comforts are apt like ripe fruit to breed some worms, especially that of pride and insolency of heart: Mark therefore whether the blessings thou hast make thee bold, secure, lofty. Thou beginnest to care for no body, to fear nothing: Alas, God hath not done these great things to thee out of love to thee, for they have unkindely, and sinfull influences upon thee.
2. If these outward mercies deaden thy heart to the things of God, or the 1exercise of those means of grace God hath appointed; Oh thou hast cause then to tremble in the increase of them. We see Mat. 13. that the cares of this world, and ceitfulnesse of riches, did eat like a Cancer into the heart of those hearers that came nearest to godliness. They were next to the good, but these thorns springing up choke the good seed; so the Apostle saith, That some made shipwreck of their faith and conscience, because of their inordinate love to the world; Divitia a dividendo, saith one if they divide the heart between God and them, if they distract in prayer, in duties, all thy profession of religion, is more withering and languishing, since God hath done thus mercifully to thee; think thou hast little cause to have any confidence from hence; Demas he did cleave to this world, some think he totally apostatized, others that he did wonderfully abate in his former zeal, that he forsook Paul in his Pilgrimages and Travels for the Gospel, and betook himself to some more profitable way: which soever it was, we see how quickly such worms as these may devour the fairest gourds. Thou therefore that sayest, God hath blessed me thus much from nothing, God hath given me a great increase; Tell me true, Hath God blessed thee in thy love to God, in the exercise of holy duties? dost thou pray better? are thy family duties more vigorous and zealous? Oh it is an ill symptom to grow up more into the world and down more towards hell. Thou blessest God thou art come from nothing to a great estate, and thou tremblest not to think that thy flourishing hopes of grace are now come to nothing. Oh therefore take heed how you boast your selves in that which God abhorreth: Hath the increase of mercies been the decrease of duties? Is the flowing of wealth the ebbing of holiness? Then thou hast no cause to be confident, but rather to fear and tremble. Though duties and the means of grace, be wings to elevate thee to heaven, yet if these outward blessings are a clog or mill-stone about the neck to press thee down, the latter will quickly jostle out the former.