17 As a mans desire to any thing groweth or decreaseth; so doth his endeavour and labour1 for the means. If thy desire be strong, then shall not light occasions withdraw thee from the means, but it must be a violent occasion and let, that shall stop the passage of thine endeavour and seeking after the means. This may be a rule to measure thy self by, and to examine thy proceeding in Christianity. If thy desire to the word of God be but weak, then is thy care and travail but small: but if thy desire be doubled, then it becomes love, which putteth out of us a vehement and careful travail, and seeking after it,2 and of avoiding the contrary means that may withdraw thee from it, or quench thy desire. None can hunger but he that feeleth himself empty: no marvel then if he have no hunger, which feeleth not his own wants, seeing that feeling is the fountain of hunger, as if our feeling be of sin, then our hunger is after righteousness and holiness. For the feeling of sin, is the mother of hunger after righteousness. So that where hunger after3 righteousness is, there must be also feeling of sin, and where there is exceeding hunger, there must be needs an exceeding feeling: and on the other side, where there is a4 ⟨p. 681⟩small and feeble hunger, there is a small and feeble •eeling, and it is unpossible to be otherwise. For he that feeleth his own deadness, wants, and impurity in every commandment, it is unpossible, but this touch of glory and dread of the bondage of sin, should breed, and as it were engender in his mind an extreme hunger and desire of uprightness, and obedience in every commandment. The children of God have then to comfort themselves,5 in that they feel their impureness of heart, and want of uprightness in every commandment, and deadness to goodness For this fear of bondage to sin and Satan, and this feeling of our own wants and impurity is quickness, and living; and this quickness and life is by the spirit of Christ, and where the spirit of Christ is, there is life or living, and this is called regeneration and life everlasting.
17 As a mans desire to any thing groweth or decreaseth; so doth his endeuour and labour1 for the meanes. If thy desire be strong, then shall not light occasions withdraw thee from the meanes, but it must be a violent occasion and let, that shall stop the passage of thine endeuour and seeking after the meanes. This may be a rule to measure thy selfe by, and to examine thy proceeding in Christianitie. If thy desire to the word of God be but weake, then is thy care and trauaile but small: but if thy desire be doubled, then it becomes loue, which putteth out of vs a vehement and carefull trauaile, and seeking after it,2 and of auoyding the contrarie meanes that may withdraw thee from it, or quench thy desire. None can hunger but hee that feeleth himselfe emptie: no maruaile then if hee haue no hunger, which feeleth not his owne wants, seeing that feeling is the fountaine of hunger, as if our feeling be of sinne, then our hunger is after righteousnes and holines. For the feeling of sinne, is the mother of hunger after righteousnes. So that where hunger after3 righteousnes is, there must be also feeling of sinne, and where there is exceeding hunger, there must be needs an exceeding feeling: and on the other side, where there is a4 ⟨p. 681⟩small and feeble hunger, there is a small and feeble •eeling, and it is vnpossible to be otherwise. For he that feeleth his owne deadnes, wants, and impuritie in euery commandement, it is vnpossible, but this touch of glorie and dread of the bondage of sinne, should breed, and as it were ingender in his minde an extreame hunger and desire of vprightnesse, and obedience in euery commaundement. The children of God haue then to comfort themselues,5 in that they feele their impurenes of heart, and want of vprightnes in euery commandement, and deadnes to goodnes For this feare of bondage to sinne and Sathan, and this feeling of our owne wants and impuritie is quicknes, and liuing; and this quicknes and life is by the spirit of Christ, and where the spirit of Christ is, there is life or liuing, and this is called regeneration and life euerlasting.
- 1Desire.
- 2Love.Loue.
- 3The hunger after righteousness. Mat.The hunger after righteousnes. Mat.
- 45.
- 5Comfort to Gods children in feeling their secret corruptions.
