A17286:307
The excellency of a gracious spirit Delivered in a treatise upon the 14. of…The excellency of a gracious spirit Deliuered in a treatise upon the 14. of…
The excellency of a gracious spirit Delivered in a treatise upon the 14. of Numbers, verse 24. By Jer. Burroughs minister of Gods Word.The excellency of a gracious spirit Deliuered in a treatise upon the 14. of Numbers, verse 24. By Ier. Burroughes minister of Gods Word.
London: printed by Miles for R. Dawlman, 1639
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.
First, the heart is fully set and resolved for God, there is fuln[…] of 1resolution; so the Septuag[…] slates that place in Joshua 14. vers. 8 where Caleb speaks of his following of God fully; they turn it thus, I decreed, ⟨p. 249⟩I determined to follow him: The heart is fully taken off from shiftings, from hankerings after other 2things, from the engagements that before it had; from disputings reasonings for the ways of the flesh: it doth not hang between two, as unsettled, irresolved, wavering; but is truly and fully taken off, and the resolutions are fully set upon, and for the ways of God. Many have some convictions, some stirrings, some makings towards the ways of God, some approbation of them; thinking with themselves, it were well, if we could do thus: Surely, they are the best men who can do thus; but still some engagement holds them fast; they have thoughts flitting up and down; they would and they would not; they could like well, were it not for this thing and that thing; this inco[…]jence and the other trouble w[…] follow; and so they delay and put off, and think, it may be they may hereafter do better; their good desires and inclinations they hope, may ⟨p. 250⟩serve turn for the present. And thus they stand baffling with God and their own souls: they are, as Seneca speaks of some, always about 3to live: But this soul who fully follows God, is fully broken off from former ways, the thoughts of it are come to a determinate issue; it is resolved against them whatsoever becomes of it; resolved to listen no more after the reasonings of flesh and blood, as S. Paul says of himself, Gal. 1. 15, 16. that after it pleased God to call him by his grace, and to reveal his Son in him, immediately he conferred not with flesh and blood. Many are a great while before they be thus fully taken off; they are as Agrippa, Acts 26. 28. almost persuaded to become Christians; the truths of God do move them,