Spiritual refining

First, The Scripture requiring this of us: God would not put us upon such a search, if to find had been impossible; for besides this Text, which seems to speak this truth in the Sun beams, Give all diligence to make your calling sure; if certainty hereof had been impossible, might not any one stand up and say, This is to command one to give all diligence for that which cannot be? I may be as well required to touch the heavens with my hands, or to remove the earth from its centre? Besides this (I say) I shall name you one impregnable place, which hath stood like a rock, that all the Popish Engines have not been able to stir, 2 Cor. 13. 5. Examine your selves, &c. where you have the duty required, To examine, to prove our selves, as the Artificer doth his metal, to see whether it be counterfeit or true, so the Greek word signifieth; and thus they are to do to themselves: And he ingeminates the duty, to show his earnestness and affection therein. 2. There is the object matter of this duty, Whether ye be in the faith, whether Christ be in the; that is, whether ye be effectually called or no; and he brings a reason from an absurdity, If you do not know Christ is in you, ye are reprobates: As we use the English word, it may seem harsh, but the Greek word is no more then unskilful in mind, not able to discern: So that reprobate is not here taken for one that is not elected, but for one that is foolish, weak, unskilful, as the Scripture speaks of reprobate silver: see more of this in the first Sermon. So that you see the Apostle makes it an ignorant and weak unskilfulness in the ways of God, and in the work of grace, when we are not able thus to discern our selves. So then, let this Text put it out of all question; for when the Apostle commanded the Corinthians to make this proof and examination, had the thing been impossible to be found out: It would have been as absurd, as for a Physician to come to a diseased person, and tell him, he cannot be cured, unless he eat of a Phoenix, or use the Philosophers stone, which haply can never be found out.

First, The Scripture requiring this of us: God would not put us upon such a search, if to finde had been impossible; for besides this Text, which seems to speak this truth in the Sun beams, Give all diligence to make your calling sure; if certainty hereof had been impossible, might not any one stand up and say, This is to command one to give all diligence for that which cannot be? I may be as well required to touch the heavens with my hands, or to remove the earth from its center? Besides this (I say) I shal name you one impregnable place, which hath stood like a rock, that all the Popish Engins have not been able to stir,