As new borne babes desire. We must not be children in wavering and inconstancy, because the Apostle saith, that GOD hath furnished his Church with Pastors and Teachers,1 That we be no more children wavering and carried about with every wind of doctrine, reeling from faith to faith, from religion to religion, like a drunken man from wall to wall. Nor we must not be children in understanding and knowledge, because the same Apostle saith,2 Brethren be not children in understanding, but concerning maliciousness be children, but in understanding be of a ripe age. ⟨p. 1013⟩But we must be children in an ardent and burning affection, in thirsting and longing for the word of God. Blessed are they which hunger and thirst after righteousness, 3for they shall be filled, because God fills the hungry with good things, but the rich and the wealthy he dismisseth empty. The kingdom of God suffereth violence, because none can enter at the narrow gate, but such as strive, & throng and thrust to enter. And therefore as when the dam feeds her young, every bird gapeth, and struggleth, and stretcheth out the neck to receive the food: So when we come to hear, every man must reach, and stretch out his heart to receive the word. For then indeed the word worketh most effectually in us, when our hearts before are kindled and inflamed with desire of it, like wax which receiveth any stamp after it is heated. The Shunamites child which was raised by Elisha, so soon as his flesh began to wax warm, neesed, and opened his eyes, and revived again: So when we wax warm in the spirit, and conceive a desire and a thirst of the word of GOD, it is an undoubted token that we are borne again, that there is breath and a soul within us, and we are not utterly dead in the life of grace. As contrariwise, they which have not a sharp and hungry appetite to be fed and satisfied with ⟨p. 1014⟩the milk of the word, are but dead carcasses, and skins full of rotten bones: so that this City which should be the glory of the kingdom, may well be termed Golgotha, The place of dead mens skulls, in regard there are so many thousand souls dead in sin, dead in desire, who have no thirst and hunger for the word of God. If they have a bare reading Minister, as children have a puppet to play with, they think themselves in a happy state:
As newe borne babes desire. Wee must not bee children in wauering and inconstancie, because the Apostle sayth, that GOD hath furnished his Church with Pastors and Teachers,1 That we bee no more children wauering and carried about with euery winde of doctrine, reeling from faith to faith, from religion to religion, like a drunken man from wall to wall. Nor we must not be children in vnderstanding and knowledge, because the same Apostle sayth,2 Brethren be not children in vnderstanding, but concerning maliciousnes bee children, but in vnderstanding be of a ripe age. ⟨p. 1013⟩But wee must bee children in an ardent and burning affectiō, in thirsting and longing for the word of God. Blessed are they which hunger and thirst after righteousnes, 3for they shall bee filled, because God filles the hungrie with good things, but the rich and the wealthie he dismisseth emptie. The kingdome of God suffereth violence, because none can enter at the narrowe gate, but such as striue, & throng and thrust to enter. And therefore as when the damme feedes her young, euery bird gapeth, and struggleth, and stretcheth out the necke to receiue the foode: So when wee come to heare, euery man must reach, and stretch out his heart to receiue the word. For then indeede the word worketh most effectually in vs, when our hearts before are kindled and inflamed with desire of it, like waxe which receiueth any stampe after it is heated. The Shunamites child which was raised by Elisha, so soone as his flesh beganne to waxe warme, neesed, and opened his eyes, and reuiued agayne: So when wee waxe warme in the spirite, and conceiue a desire and a thirst of the word of GOD, it is an vndoubted token that wee are borne agayne, that there is breath and a soule within vs, and we are not vtterly dead in the life of grace. As contrariwise, they which haue not a sharpe and hungrie appetite to bee fedde and satisfied with ⟨p. 1014⟩the milke of the word, are but dead carcasses, and skinnes full of rotten bones: so that this Citie which shoulde bee the glorie of the kingdome, may well bee tearmed Golgotha, The place of dead mens skulles, in regard there are so manie thousand soules dead in sinne, dead in desire, who haue no thirst and hunger for the word of God. If they haue a bare reading Minister, as children haue a puppit to play with, they thinke themselues in a happy state:
- 1Mat. 12. 41
- 21. Cor. 14. 20.
- 3Matth. 7. 6.
