The new birthThe nevv birth

But after the working of these motions some while, he puts upon himself the resolution of the King of Nineveh, and saith within himself,¹ Let me cry mightily unto the Lord of heaven & earth; his mercies are infinite, who can tell, but that be may have mercy upon me, that I perish not? (so is his secret sustaining hope, now formed and fashioned into the right proportion of a saving grace, and shows it self manifestly within him), he saith to himself, there is hope concerning this thing; and therefore I will cry, and continue crying, and let the Lord do what he pleaseth unto me. Then down upon his knees he falls, and with his hands and eyes lifted up to the throne of grace (yet almost afraid and ashamed to look thither, and therefore ready often to rise up, and start back again), he dares at last to pour forth his lamentable confessions into Gods bosom; whom now he hopes he may have leave to call Father, though (alack) he have been too too ungracious a child. Thus he proceeds to arraign and accuse himself; acknowledging (for which he hates himself, because it is so plain that he cannot but know it), that he hath sinned in such and such, and such and such particulars; and that he hath a most filthy heart, as full of wicked inclinations and thoughts, he thinks verily, as the sea it self is full of water. Wherefore he passeth a very sharp sentence upon himself, and that also very sharply; plainly saying, with an inward assenting of his very soul, that he is fully worthy of all those ⟨p. 34⟩plagues and punishments, which the Lord hath threatened in his word, and will execute in hell; and that it should not be in the least degree injurious, if God would not be merciful unto him: for ah! how unfit is he to receive mercy? But yet withal, he takes heart in the most humble abasement of himself, most earnestly to call, and cry, and beg for mercy, and forgiveness, and for the work of grace, to change his nature from that loathsome disposition which troubles him: now it may be, by the working of hope, having his heart so much softened, that tears (before stopped up by that binding force, that strong and secret sorrows show themselves to have in mans heart) do even begin to flow forth from him, to add (if it might be) a greater fervour unto his prayers.

But after the working of these motions some while, he puts vpon himselfe the resolution of the King of Nineueh, and saith within himselfe,