Spiritual refining

A Second ground of this gross blindness, is self-righteousness and self-fullness. Nicodemus ¹was puffed up with that external legal righteousness, which he constantly performed, and therefore thought nothing more was requisite to him. Thus the Pharisees being full of their prayers, alms-deeds, and religious fasts, settled their hopes upon these; and therefore our Saviour preacheth very suitable, though strange Doctrine, when he bids them make all clean within, and the tree must be good, before the fruit be good: What is that but to say, their persons must be regenerated, before they can do any holy action? This self-fullness doth not only cross the grace of justification, as the Jews, who would establish their own righteousness, submitted not to the righteousness of Christ; but also the grace of regeneration; for that which is accounted already whole, already sound, what need it go to the Physician to be healed? Thus Laodicea because she thought her self rich, full, and lacking of nothing, therefore she was the more miserable and wretched, Rev. 3. 15. The heart affected with self-love, and self-righteousness, promiseth nothing but mercy, and happiness to it self, will not endure to be found a sinner, or to have iniquity discovered; now this self-righteousness is that, which beareth up the heart of every unregenerate man, otherwise it were impossible that under the spiritual discovery of all his filth and poverty, he should ever be able to sit still, to eat, or sleep because of the wrath of God compassing him round about. Take therefore away this rubbish, and then a good building may quickly be reared; otherwise here is Laesum principium, the very principles of a man are corrupted; and what good can we then expect? Christ cast out all the Timbrels, and Musicians, ere he would raise the dead; and thus must all thy carnal hopes and carnal joys in thy self-righteousness, or in any other Creature be thrown out, ere he will raise thee from this spiritual death. Oh do not then be prejudiced against this truth, by thinking in thy heart, If I yield my self to be thus a sinner, if I abhor, and throw away all my righteousness, I shall then despair, I shall be like one in the sea, without the least plank or board to preserve my self: Do not fear this, for thou must feel thy self dead, ere thou beest made alive;

A Second ground of this gross blindeness, is self-righteousness and self-fulness. Nicodemus