The new birthThe nevv birth

feed upon the bitter (but wholesome) herbs of humiliation and grief; go and meditate on the threatenings of the Law; on the ⟨p. 132⟩death of Christ; on the lamentable effects that others of Gods people have found upon their growing so naught: and recover thy self again by hearty confession, and humble begging of pardon and of strength. And now all you, that be (as yet) free from such woeful sicknesses, be admonished by the miseries of others; and let not the deceitfulness of sin so far prevail against you, that you should give any allowance unto it, take any pleasure in the motions or occasions of it, or give your hearts leave so much as to think or speak of it, but with detestation. Poison is often sweet; but a wise man had rather deny to his taste the delight of sweetness, then fill his stomach with deadly pangs and gripings. Sin is honey in the mouth, but gravel in the belly. Hidden bread is pleasant, and stolen waters are sweet: but, O the miserable agonies which must ensue, before the soul can be clearly purged again, from the remainders of such poison! It is a pleasing thing to dally, to revenge, to deceive, to play the glutton, and the drunkard: but it must cost a man so much toil, so many sorrowful confessions, so many heavy passages, before he can recover again the quiet of his conscience, and his enjoyment of the assurance of Gods favour; that at last it shall appear a dear-bought contentment, and an evil penny-worth of delight. No wise man will drink Wine and Sugar, if it have been first impoysoned with some deadly thing: neither let any Christian so far forget the rules of Christian wisdom, as for any paltry pleasure, or profit, or credit (which lying, swearing, whoredom, drunkenness, idolatry, or any like gross sin, may yield unto him) to venture the committing of them. Doubtless if he do, his complaint shall be at last as those sons of the Prophets ⟨p. 133⟩once said; O man of God, death is in the pot! But to surfeit is little less dangerous,¹ then to feed on poison: to labour over-much, and over-hard to the inflaming of the blood; to drink when a man is hot, to eat and drink excessively; these things do so exceedingly disquiet and over-charge the body, that many a man dies of them.

feede vpon the bitter (but wholesome) hearbs of humiliation and griefe; go and meditate on the threatnings of the Law; on the