The new birthThe nevv birth

which if he be, he fares all that while as a man that hath a thorn in his eye, or wound in his sides, never at rest, never quiet, filled with bitter and intolerable anguish, and full of woeful and continual complaints. For still he heareth the voice behind him sounding in his cares, and saying, this is not the way. And still the anointing that he hath received doth so preserve him, that he cannot sin, meaning, give himself over to a settled resolution or practise of sin. And yet further, for sins of a less grievous nature, evil motions, sudden passions, dullness and distractions in good things, and the like: God knows, and he knows, that he commits full many of them. But always he is so upright with God, that he allows them not. He doth not extenuate them, he doth not shift them off with a pish; he doth not run over them as matters of nothing, he doth not let them pass unobserved and unregarded, as in former time, and as it is with unsanctified men. But they be unto him matter of constant and daily sorrow and shame and humiliation. He confesseth them daily, he prays against them daily, and he is continually in a quarrel with himself, because he cannot be so free from them as he desireth. So it comes to pass that he purgeth himself as Christ is pure, so far prevailing against these sins, that he commits fewer of them, and commits them seldomer, & sees them with more dislike of himself, and grows by them more mean and base in his own eyes, and is made by them more ⟨p. 55⟩careful to sue unto the Lord Jesus, and to take more steadfast hold of his merits. So he casteth off the old man, as concerning the conversation in time past, and that even out of his new nature; not moved thereto by reward, or punishment; either alone or principally, but by a kind of natural working of grace in him: but (indeed) it is a supernatural nature poured into him from above; by which it comes to pass, that as S. John saith, he cannot sin, he knows not how to work wickedness, he cannot find in his heart to be a slave to sin any longer. Company or no company, seen of men or not seen, danger or no danger, shame or no shame, punishment or no punishment, still he is averse from sin in his regenerate part; he wills not to do it, he shunneth it, he bewaileth it, one or both:

which if hee be, hee fares all that while as a man that hath a thorne in his eye, or wound in his sides, neuer at rest, neuer quiet, filled with bitter and intollerable anguish, and full of wofull and continuall complaints. For still he heareth the voyce behinde him sounding in his cares, and saying, this is not the way. And still the anoynting that he hath receiued doth so preserue him, that he cannot sinne, meaning, giue himselfe ouer to a setled resolution or practise of sinne. And yet further, for sinnes of a lesse grieuous nature, euill motions, sudden passions, dulnesse and distractions in good things, and the like: God knowes, and he knowes, that he commits full many of them. But alwaies hee is so vpright with God, that hee allowes them not. Hee doth not extenuate them, he doth not shift them off with a pish; hee doth not runne ouer them as matters of nothing, hee doth not let them passe vnobserued and vnregarded, as in former time, and as it is with vnsanctified men. But they be vnto him matter of constant and daily sorrow and shame and humiliation. He confesseth them daily, he prayes against them daily, and he is continually in a quarrell with himselfe, because he cannot be so free from them as he desireth. So it comes to passe that he purgeth himselfe as Christ is pure, so farre preuailing against these sinnes, that hee commits fewer of them, and commits them seldomer, & sees them with more dislike of himselfe, and growes by them more meane and base in his owne eyes, and is made by them more