The new birthThe nevv birth

Now Lord, I come and ask of thee that water, that living, that precious water of the holy spirit. O give it unto me, that I may never thirst, but that it may spring forth in my belly, and become a river of water. O Lord, I beg not money, I beg not honour, I beg not health, I beg not natural wisdom; but I beg that, which I have more need to receive, and shall have more benefit by receiving; ⟨p. 107⟩and which thou hast more promised to give, and shalt have more honour by giving, then by any such temporary or external thing. O give me therefore thy holy spirit to regenerate me, and make me to feel by experience the truth of thy gracious promises. My brethren, I have put these prayers into your mouths: learn you to pour them forth, before the throne of grace in secret; forget not in some such manner of words to cry for this best of all gifts, and beg earnestly, and if thou canst not amplify, yet multiply; if thou canst not use variety of words, yet repeat the same request often, and again and again; if thine invention serves not to say more, let thy desire force thee to dwell upon this 20. times, & rather then fail, twice 20. times. O Lord give unto me (a miserable sinner) thy spirit of life & grace to regenerate me; for so hast thou promised to them that ask; & I ask Lord, & resolve to continue asking. I certify you all from God, and by this authority of Christ Jesus committed to his Ministers, do verily assure you, that he who so seeketh regeneration, shall as certainly be regenerate, as God is true of his word; and that is more certain then the Suns shining in the heavens, and the earths keeping his own place. I know that Satan will step forth to hinder you from following this counsel; he will strive to make you careless of it all together, as if there were no need of begging so hard: but I assure thee, that he doth but beguile thee. Never any man was regenerate, nor shall be (after years of ability to pray) unless he do pray for it: for the gift of the spirit is promised to you that ask, and to none else: and by telling thy self of thy misery in wanting regeneration, thou shalt easily shake thy self out of this carelessness; and bring ⟨p. 108⟩thy self to a care of seeking that, which but by seeking thou canst not get; and but by getting thou canst not be saved.

Now Lord, I come and aske of thee that water, that liuing, that pretious water of the holy spirit. O giue it vnto mee, that I may neuer thirst, but that it may spring forth in my belly, and become a riuer of water. O Lord, I beg not money, I beg not honour, I beg not health, I beg not naturall wisedome; but I beg that, which I haue more need to receiue, and shall haue more benefit by receiuing;