through the streets of London with twenty mules laden to show his pomp but as the triumph passed through Cheapside the beasts stumbled brake their collars cast their coffers and then the lids flying open discovered his riches to be nothing but old shooes and boots torn stockings old iron and totter'd rags I tell thee Reader though now thou mayst be wonder'd at for thy spiritual wealth yet as soon as thou stumblest into the other world 't will be tried 't will be known whether they be real or imaginary riches Paul told his Corinthians 1 Cor. 4.19 I will come to you shortly and will know not the speech of them that are puffed up but the power for the Kingdom of God is not in word but in power What will ye shall I come to you with a rod or in love O Friend not Paul but Jesus Christ himself will come to thee by death shortly and will know not thy speech in being puffed up with a shadow of profession but the power and try whether thou hast the substance of Religion Now man what wilt thou shall he come to thee with a rod or in love shall he send good Angels to guard thee to Heaven or evil Angels to drag thee to Hell When David was going to encounter with Goliah he told Saul that he could not go with the armor which Saul had put on him because he had not proved it 1 Sam. 17.39 And darest thou enter the list against a far greater enemy even death with that armor which was never proved be confident if thou fightest without armor of proof death will foil thee The day of Judgement will try thee then naked breasts will be in fashion and God will rip thee open before the world nay if thou wilt not now examine thy self to thy conversion he will examine thee then to thy confusion When the Judge shall be a consuming fire and the whole world be in a flame and thou be tried by a fiery Law Hebr. 12.28 2 Peter 3.10 Deut. 33.2 'T was a sharp kind of examination by which Paul was examined Acts 22.14 The chief Captain commanded that he should be examined by scourging 'T is a sad kinde of examination by which many Countreys examine Malefactors upon the wrack putting them to exquisite pains Reader Remember that if thou dost not examine thy self at this day God will examine thee at the last day and 't will be an examination upon the wrack an examination with scourging it will be a word and a wound every blow will fetch blood every interrogation will be a stabbing stinging killing question When Christ shall say to thee Sinner how didst thou dare thus to cozen and undo thy soul what madness possessed thee thus to dally about matters of infinite and endless moment Hadst thou examined thy self according to my word and found thy self lost there had then been some hopes of life but I tell thee now 't is too late Well I le rip thee open before Angels and men and cause thy conscience with its gnawing worm and stinging gripes to examine thee eternally The fire of hell shall try what mettal thou art that will prove thee to purpose O friend think of this seriously and speedily for that day of Christ will declare thee and Alas alas who shall abide the day of his trial or who shall stand when he appeareth for he is like refiners fire and as fullers sope All things are naked and open to the eyes of him with whom thou shalt then have to do If thou art afraid to venture a trial in the low Court of Conscience where his Word shall be thy Judge with what fear and trembling wilt thou appear at his bar when he that searcheth thine heart trieth thy reins and will reward thee according to thy works shall sit upon the Bench Therefore cast up thy accounts before God and thy soul whilst there is hope of making all even lest thou do as some Tradesmen who neglect so long to cast up their books till at last their books cast them up Thirdly consider it is possible to know whether thou art new born or no. I do not set thee to beat the air or to work at the labour in vain A Christian may be assured of his regeneration and thereby of his salvation They which have the law of God written in their hearts may be able to read it David when his deeds and evidences were not blotted with his foul offences could discern them clearly Thy law is within my heart Psalm 40.8 When the Sun ariseth he bringeth his naturall light with him whereby he is discovered to the world A diamond set in a gold-ring bringeth such an orient sparkling with it that it causeth men to discern it truly so the Sun of righteousness when he ariseth in the soul bringeth a spiritual light along with him which helpeth the new creature to behold him and the Diamond of Grace casteth such a sparkling lustre in the heart of a Christian that it thereby becomes visible Regeneration makes a wonderful change and alteration now great alterations of State are not without observation Doth a Kingdom change its Governor a cruel arbitrary Tyrant that fleeced them and slew them at pleasure for a mild merciful peaceable Prince that ruleth them with a righteous scepter and not take notice of it Can a creature change his master sin and flesh for Christ and his Spirit his work of serving divers lusts and pleasures Tit. 3.3 for serving the Lord with singleness of heart and not observe it When the man is new made Christ cometh into his heart with his Spirit Graces Gospel great Guests when they come into an house have many eyes upon them the King of Glory doth not come with such a train and retinue in secret the gradual change from grace to grace is not so visible but a specifical change from nature to grace is undoubtedly sensible when the ground that before brought forth nothing but weeds and thistles comes to bring forth wheat an ordinary person may perceive the difference though how this wheat groweth is not so perceptible Every new creature doth not know the time nor manner nor means of his conversion but every one may know that he is converted The mother doth not know how she comes to be quick but she knoweth that she is quick for the feeleth the childe to stir in her womb how the shadow moveth on the dial we cannot see but that it moveth we see plainly in that its opposite at night to the place where it was at noon Though conversion be not ever sensible in the act yet it is sensible enough by its effects and the reason why it is not in all alike visible is because it is not in all alike violent God converteth some by Boanerges sons of thunder others by a Barnabas a son of consolation to some he comes as on Mount Sinai Exod. 19. with thundrings lightnings and a great noise to others as to
precious then the rattles and trifles of time and all by reason of the new sight bestowed on him Satan truly carrieth men hoodwinkt to hell as Higlers carry their fowls in Dorsers to the City where they are killed that they cannot see one foot of the way neither know they whether they are going but God doth not carry men blindfold to bliss but as in the old so in the new creation he beginneth with light The Undestanding in Regeneration is illuminated to see two things especially Sin to be the greatest evil and God in Christ to be the greatest good and I verily beleive the mistake of the man before about these two things were a principal cause of the many miscarriages in his heart and life Before he looked on sin through the Devils spectacles and beheld that strumpet drest in her gaudy attire of pleasure and profit whereby she was to him as the forbidden fruit to Eve pleasant to the eyes But now he beholdeth sin through the glass of the Law in its opposition to the blessed God and his own happiness stript naked of all those counterfeit and borrowed ornaments and it is the evil of evils sinful sin indeed He judgeth it worse then diseases or disgraces then losses or crosses yea then Serpents or Devils Rom 7.13 Heb 1.25 Dan. 3.17 and 6.10 Formerly he â—aw no such hurt in sin that Professors were so shie of it and Preachers so hot against it that the Son of God must die and the greatest part of the world be damned for it but now he hath other thoughts of it for he seeth its contrariety to the Lord and his precepts and subscribeth unfeignedly to the righteousness of the Law Before he saw little desireableness in the infinitely amiable God He saw no form nor comeliness in him that when he beheld him he should desire him Isa 53. He wondered what made others so much in love with him his voyce was to a Christian What is thy Beloved more then another Beloved that thou dost thus follow hard after him forsake all for him dedicate thy self wholly to him that thou prayest so fervently hearest so diligently servest him so chearfully art so careful to please him so fearful of offending him he judged him happier that had plenty of the creature then him that had God in Christ for his portion but now his mind is enlightned â—o know the only true God and Iesus Christ whom he hath sent John 17.3 He seeth such beauty in his being such equity in his laws such infinite excellency in the Divine nature such unspeakable felicity in the fruition of his favour through Jesus Christ that he esteemeth his very life yea all that he is worth for this and the other world as Iacobs in Benjamin to be bound up in the love and life of God Psal 73.25 and 63.3 Secondly The Conscience is also renewed to this Faculty the Spirit makes its address in the next place the Conscience of the man naturally was so hard and obdurate that as ice through the extremity and continuance of a great frost you might have driveâ—â—carts heavy laden over it and it would not break though mountains of lusts more heavy then lead lay upon him he complained not Ier. 8.6 But now his Conscience is as the water which hath such a tender film of ice upon it that yeildeth at the least touch a small stroak of sin maketh an impression upon it before it was seared with a red hot iron 1 Tim. 4.2 and past feeling Ephes 4 17 18 19. as that member which the Chyrurgeon intendeth to cut off is so mortified by means applied to it for that end that it feeleth not the Saw or Instrument which parts it from the body so the conscience was by custom in sin so cauterised that it felt not the sword of the Spirit neither Ministry nor Misery nor Miracle nor Mercy could prevail with it but now it becomes tender and flexible a little prick with a pin is painful to it as the eye it is offended with the smallest dust 2 Chron. 22.19 it is void of offence towards God and man Acts 24.16 Before it like Micaiah to Ahab never spake good to the man but frighted him with fears and terrified him with the pre-apprehensions of his eternal torments it followed him to bed and board and dog'd him day and night like a Sergeant to arrest him at the suit of the most High for the vaste debts which he owed to the Divine Majesty The man and his conscience were like fire and water they never met if the hands of conscience were not tied down by force but they fought Like some contentious couple they were always scolding one with another and striving for the mastery The endeavor of conscience was as the Angel to Balaam to stand in the sinners way with a drawn sword and stop him in his cursed course the care of the sinner was to serve conscience as Herod did the Baptist even to cut off its head for having a tongue in it so bold as to check him for his crimes Heb. 2.15 Rom. 2.15 Heb. 9.14 But now conscience being sprinkled with the blood of Jesus is purged from dead works and so being purified is pacified The creditor now is satisfied by the payment which the surety hath made and thereby the debtor is discharged Conscience now waits on the Christian not as a Sergeant to molest him but as a Servant to assist him to its utmost power The Convert and his conscience are now like two in consort that keep tune and time together or as some loving Husbands and Wives who strive most which shall please the other best Conscience strives to please the Christian by asking the Law at Godâ—s lips and making Scripture its Counsellor the Christian strives to please his conscience by yielding hearty subjection to its holy counsels Heb. 9.14 1 Tim 1.5 Rom 5.1 The renewed conscience giveth the new creature more solid comfort in one duty then the natural man though he equal Methuselah's age hath all his days Phil. 4.4 Thirdly The Will is also renewed the Will before was carnal crooked stubborn rebellious against God and his will the works of the Devil he will do Joh. 8.44 And as for the word which thou hast spoken to us in the name of the Lord we will not do it Jer. 44.16 It is resolved for evil and against good Ephes 2.3 John 5.40 This is Satans Fort-Royal wherein he continually secures himself in the unregenerate when he is in a skirmish beaken out of the out-works by some sudden conviction and in this as Samsons in his hair his whole strength lieth Take away Will and you take away Hell But this faculty is now made pliable and flexible to the Divine Majesty It is made so spiritual regular and consonant to the will of God that the Convert may safely if humbly say with Luther Lord let my will be done because it is thy will God and the godly man do
word with joy Mat. 13.20 Do godly men rejoyce in the word of the God Psalm 119.110 111. vers Truly so may others they may seem to warm themselves at the same fire with Saints to drink the same heart-chearing wine and yet their wine is drawn at severall taps The unregenerate mans joy floweth from a common gift or illumination the regenerate mans from special grace or sanctification Thou mayst be enlightned and tast the good word of God and the powers of the world to come Heb 6.4 5. Mark an unsanctified man may taste the word of God and as Cooks taste of their sauces it pleaseth them but they spit all out let nothing down receive no nourishment from it The truths of God and thoughts of heaven may passe through thee as water through a pipe of lead leaving only some dew of flashy and washy joy not soaking into thy heart as water into the earth and making thee soft and fruitfull As a poor man in a sleep sometimes thinks that he is highly promoted sumptuously feasted exceedingly enriched and O how is he delighted with such imaginations and indeed all that such thoughts produce is onely some sudden joy no alteration in the man nor resolution to walk answerably to such dignity for all is but a dream so thou mayst think sometimes of the excellency of the mercies which God hath promised of the pure rivers of pleasures which Christ hast purchased and O how mayst thou be taken with them imagining that they belong to thee but all the effect which they work is onely some short joy no reall change or setled purpose to crucify the flesh despise the world and deny selfe for the hopes of them for all is but a fancie Thy joy may be a say of that which thou wilt not buy as being loth to go to the price and a taste of that on which thou shalt never make a full meale The full bargain may not be driven between God and thy soul and then thou canst not take this joy as an earnest or in part of payment Thou mayst sigh and mourn for thy sins and yet be unacquainted with godly sorrow â—t is not seldom that men hang down their heads like bulrushes when they are rooted in the mire of pollution Possibly under some sharp affliction thou mayst cry out of thy corruptions as the pig squeaks under the knife So did Pharoah as mettals melt in the fire and harden out of it but still unregenerate Exod. 9. Ahab humbled himself under the threatning of God but like a Fox in a trap he looked sadly meerly to get out for at the same time he was an enemy to God and quickly after went up to Ramoth Gilead in defiance of him 1 King 21 22. chap. It may be thou hast had some pang of conviction which like a qualm hath come over thy stomach and made thee sick a little at present but thou dost by the strong water of some carnal contentment settle it again the bad humors of thy lusts were only stirred not vomited up Judas had a great gash in his soul and yet not one drop of his bad blood let out He was tortured at the heart by legal attrition but not turned unto holiness by Evangelical contrition his heart was only battered as lead by the hammer not bettered or melted by the fire to be cast into Gods mould Matth. 27. A vessel of wine is troubled by being removed but the Lees remaining it retaineth and quickly returneth to its former savour some smarting Providence or searching Ordinance may remove and trouble thee for a time but thy unsanctified heart remaining thou wilt return to thy former savor like Moab thou mayst be stttled on thy lees and not emptied from vessel to vessel therefore thy taste remaineth and thy sense is not changed Jer. 48.11 There are two words used by the Holy Ghost for repentance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Matth 27.3 Vox prima 〈◊〉 um 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 parâ—â—m sumi tâ—r â—eza and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Tim. 2.25 the former signifieth sorrow for a fault committed the latter After-wit a change of the mind or making wise for the future The former may be in the unregenerate but as they say of Castor and Pollux if they are divided they are ominous and fatal so say I of these if lamenting sins past be not joyned with loathing and leaving sin for the time to come it is not repentance unto life Some by their repentance think they get a new priviledge to sin as that Lewis of France who would swear and then kiss his crucifix swear again and kiss it again and as the Drunkard gives himself a vomit and then he is the fitter and freer to fall to his cups again thus some mens sorrow is a message sent to heaven to entreat leave that they may sin but this is far from the sorrow which is never to be sorrowed for Thy sorrow for sin may be forced out of thee as water out of a still by the fire of affliction not come freely from thee as water out of a spring Let thy conscience be judge hadst thou not rather be at thy carnal mirth then spiritual mourning Many of the Jews could mourn sadly in their distress though they were not sanctified now violent actions will not speak thy natural inclination Or thy grief may be like a land-flood which cannot hold long for a day thou mayst afflict thy soul for a day thou mayst hang down thy head like a bulrush Isa 58. A bulrush whilst the wind bloweth bendeth downward but the wind ceasing it percheth up again Whilst thou art tossed up and down with the boisterous billows as one not accustomed to the ocean thou mayst be sea-sick but when thou art off from the waters thou art well again The vessel of thy soul is always leaking but that pump of sorrow is not always going Thou mayst like the woman of Tekoah feign thy self a mourner 2 Sam. 14.2 when in truth thou art none Thou dost not dive to the bottom of thy heart as the Indians at the sea for jewels to fetch thence thy pearly tears thou criest not to God with thy heart when thou howlest on thy bed Hos 7.14 Thy waters may not be drawn from the deep well of a broken and contrite heart Every Sacrifice thou offerest may be as Ephraim a silly dove without an heart Hos 7.11 Thou mayst fear sin and yet sin may be thy Favorite The vengeance in sins tail may be frightful to thee when the venome in its body and nature is not at all distasteful to thee Like the burnt child thou mayst dread the fire of sin not because it soots and blacks thee but because it scorches and burns thee There is so much light left still in mans Understanding which is called the candle of the Lord that he cannot but see a God and this God cloathed with wrath and judgements against sin and sinners and thence he though
whereby it breatheth after exerciseth and delighteth it self in the wayes and worship of God there is an inward frame and disposition infused into the new Creature different from nay contrary to his former inclinations The stream of his heart and life before ran swiftly after the flesh and the world The creature sate upon the throne in his inward man commanding all things at pleasure earth was the mans heaven the world lay in his heart and all the mans affections and actions were ordered and disposed for the advancement of that interest But now the tide is turned the waters run in another channel the Lord is exalted in his affections as his chiefest good and in his conversation as his utmost end the Law of God is written in the heart and commented upon in the life the inward man is of a good constitution and the outward man of a good complexion Grace is a tendency of the soul Godward his understanding knoweth God to be the greatest good John 17. His will chooseth him his affections love him his desire is after him his delight is in him his fear is of him his trust is on him his care and endeavor is to walk worthy of the Lord unto all well-pleasing Joh. 17.3 Psal 16.5 6. 73.25 26. Isa 7.8 Psal 37.4 Gen. 42.18 like the Sun-flower he followeth the motion of the Sun of righteousness Now Reader try thy self Art thou alive to God Doest thou take him in Christ for thy happiness and make him thine end Is it thy business and trade to do his will thy calling and employment to finish his work Is thy heart devoted to his fear and thy life to his honor how art thou affected to his word and worship Dost thou perform duties out of love to God with complacency in God It it thy ment and drink to obey his precepts How is thy soul ravished with the sweetnesses of his promises Art thou joyful in the house of prayer Is the Sabbath thy delight Is the Scripture sweeter to thee then the honey and the honey-comb At the Sacrament canst thou fit under Christs shadow with great delight and finde his fruit sweet unto thy taste Doest thou esteem the yoke of thy Saviour easie his service liberty his wayes wayes of pleasantness and all his paths peace Canst thou say One day in Gods Courts is better then a thousand elsewhere Hast thou found that 't is good for thee to draw nigh to God If thou wert put to thy choice hadst thou rather solace thy soul with sensual recreations or in communion with the Father and Jesus Christ his Son Examine thine heart for if thou hast the divine nature divine and spiritual things will be natural and so pleasant to thee A man whose nature is covetous how exceedingly doth he delight in viewing and feeling money as the Roman Emperor would putt off his cloaths and tumble up and down in heaps of silver If a mans nature be proud how exceedingly pleased is he in the cap and the knee in being flattered and respected it is meat and drink to him as we say to be reverenced in mens carriage and honored in their language men love those things a life because they suit with their natures So when a man hath a new nature a spiritual holy nature things which are spiritual and holy will be acceptable to him because they are suitable to his nature the word will be welcom prayer will be pleasant ordinances will be as savory as food to the hungry the man will love the habitation of Gods house and the place where Gods honour dwelleth though his flesh be weak his spirit is alwayes willing He may be weary at a duty that the wheels of his soul should so be clog'd with the dirt of infidelity and make him to drive so heavily but he is never weary of duties though corruption and Satan now dog him at and disturb him in his performances yet 't is the comfort of his soul that he now drags them in chains after the triumphant chariot of Grace and he rejoyceth to think how he shall leave the body of death behinde him at the entrance of his soul into the Capitol of Glory His heart leaps now when his feet do but creep in the way of obedience when he goeth to the house of God it is with the voice of joy unto the altar of God yea his God and excceeding joy Whatsoever a man doth from an ingrafted propensity he doth it not onely in sincerity but also with alacrity He delights in it as the fish in the water as the mole in the earth it is his proper element God and the things of God are his element He would still be and live in this element He delights to know God to worship him to believe in him to meditate on him to sanctifie his day to glorifie his name to observe his Laws to view his children he is never so well as when he is walking with God if there were no heaven to prefer the obedient and no hell to punish the disobedient yet he would fear the Lord and delight greatly in his commandments But on the other side speak Friend Art thou listless and dead to spiritual things are they irksom and tedious to thee Probably the commandments of God are bonds and cords the Sabbath thy toilsom day not a day of rest and refreshment the Sanctuary is thy prison the service of God is snuft at by thee and wearisom to thee thou art glad that the duty is done the day is over thy conscience quieted like a Tenant who is glad his rent is paid to his Landlord but took no pleasure in parting with his money thou rejoycest at the end not at the beginning of thy duty thou countest Amen the best word in a prayer not because it 's the fruit of thy faith but because it puts a period to thy petitions the Blessing is the best part of Divine Worship thou esteemest no part to be before it because that is last and nothing comes after it Religion is but possibly thy by-business and a Lacquey to thy lusts a pass and a convoy which thou hast need of in thy travelling through the world It may be thou goest to duty as a Bear to the stake it goeth against the hair with thee to walk in the way of holiness though necessity compel thee sometimes or once or twice a day to take a turn in the path of piety Conscience will roar unless it may finde rest in some outward performance Or thou mayst now and then perceive good company walking in the narrow way which leadeth to life and so as travellers care not if they go a mile or two out of their way for company especially if the way be fair and the company pleasing so thou mayst go out of thy own way sometimes and walk a little with the Saints for company Reader be faithful to thy soul A real fire differeth from a painted one by its heat and so doth
the real from the painted Christian by his heat life and delight in the service of God If thou art alive to God thou art given up to all the Laws of God thou exercisest thy self therein to keep a conscience void of offence towards God and men If thou art a Christian indeed the image of God is imprinted on thee now this image consisteth in knowledge righteousness and true holiness Righteousness conforms thy heart to the whole Second Table of the moral Law Holiness conforms it to the whole first Table and Knowledge compleats this conformity to both The regenerate man is not maimed no part of the new man is wanting He cuts not off the garments of holiness in the midst Agrippa may be half a Christian Herod may do many things but Zacharias and Elizabeth walk in all the statutes and ordinances of the Lord blameless And David will fulfil all the wills of God Luk. 1.6 Act. 13. Perfect holiness is the reward of the Saints in heaven but t is the desire and endeavour of the Saints on earth O that my ways were directed to keep thy commandments As a resolved Traveller that is upon a journey of necessity whether the way and weather be fair or foul he goeth on by honor and dishonour by evil report and good report until he appear before God in Sion He lifteth at the latch when he cannot open the door he hath respect to all Gods commandments He obeyeth every Law of both Tables in his will though he break the Law of both Tables in his works As the hearts and wills of the Athenians were with Sylla without the walls when they were besieged by him and kept in their bodies within by force So the Saints are with the whole Law in their hearts and intentions even then when they are forced to fail in regard of their hands and execution Rom. 7.13 14. Pauls three adverbs speak a substantial Christian Tit. 2.11 Some are first Table-men zealous for Religion and duties towards God but cold and careless in point of righteousness and justice in their dealings with men Others are Second Table-men very just and righteous towards men yet mind not Religion towards God but the true Christian is compleat in all the will of God Phil. 4.12 Integrality is the true note of integrity The Philosopher sayth Dolus latet in universalibus That deceit lieth in universals the Divine saith That sincerity lyeth in universals We trust saith Paul that we have a good conscience because we desire in all things to live honestly Hebr. 13.18 An Hypocrite is like some books of little worth because they are imperfect something is wanting those commands which will suit with his ends shall be taken in his way as Jehu did the precepts which enjoyned the rooting out of Ahabs family but those which cross his designs must be cast by as that precept to Jehu of rooting out the Idolatry at Dan and Bethel Thus this unconverted person indents with God as some servants with their Masters This work he will do and this work he will not do and thus while he breaks one command resolutely he breakes all reductively The commands of the Law are all copulative they hang together like a carcanet of â—ewels break one off and all fall with it Or as one article of a lease being broken the whole lease is forfeited He that breaks one with resolution and confidence obeyeth none out of conscience He that disobeyeth God wilfully in one command shall find that he disobeyeth God wholly in all He that keepeth the whole Law and offendeth in one point is guilty of all James 2. Reader If thou shouldst sit at table and see a man pidling at his meat picking and chusing this he liked that he disliked thou wouldest conclude surely some ill humors are predominant in him his body is unsound So when thou art pidling at the table of the Word picking and chusing among the commands of God this thou likest it is easie that thou dislikest it will cost thee some pains or tend to thy discredit Mayst thou not gather that corruption is too much prevailing in thee and thy soul is unsound Be it known unto thee that thou art a Traytor against the King of heaven if thon clippest or refusest any piece which hath his impression and superscription Secondly Examine thy self by the Effects of regeneration I shall name three Effects of it by which I would request thee to search and try thy soul First The new born childe desireth and savoureth the means of grace The unconverted man being dead spiritually hath no appetite to nor taste of spiritual food but the living childe hath both As new born babes desire the sincere milk of the word 1 Pet. 2.2 The babe of Grace as soon as born doth cry for the brest He can no more live in his soul without duties then in his body without diet The infant-heir preferreth his milk before his largest Manors A famine of the word pincheth and paineth him more then a famine of bread and water Davids banishment from the Temple was his forest trouble and a far greater affliction to him then his forced absence from his dearest relations O the hunger of this gracious soul after Scripture I opened my mouth and panted for I longed for thy commandments Psal 119.131 The big-bellied mother doth not long more then this new born childe The poor prisoner doth not beg more heartily for bread then he for spiritual food Psal 42.1 2. and 63.1.2 Dr. Harris oâ— New heart A Divine observeth excellently on that fore-quoted place 1 Pet. 2.2 a threefold difference between the bad and good in their desires of the Word 1. The regenerate desires the Word as the babe doth milk How is that he desires it as his livelihood when he is new born though afterward he is more playful and every noise may call him off from the breast but when new born nothing can satisfie but the breast so an hypocrite may desire the word when there is nothing to call him but when the world and the word come in competition he will follow his earthly whatever become of his heavenly business but a new born childe prefers it before thousands of gold or silver 2. The new born childe desires the word in its plainness The sincere milk of the word without mixture as the childe desires the mothers milk without sugar whereas another desires the word in its gaudy dress lofty language partly out of pride scorning the simplicity of the Gospel partly out of cowardize because the naked sword of the word drawn out of its gaudy scabbard pierceth deepest 3. The new born creature desires the word for a good end That he may grow thereby in grace and holiness another man may desire it that he may grow in ability to discourse or the like but this man that he may grow in faith love and sanctifying graces Besides hunger being his sauce makes the word sweet to