The new birthThe nevv birth

Further, mercy, justice, liberality, truth, diligence, and other virtues, are now natural unto him as well as religion. He takes comfort in doing the duties thereof, and makes conscience of doing them, as he hath occasion. Indeed sometimes he finds a great loathness and backwardness, as a man that is lame, limps and goes softly and with pain; but yet he goes, and he must needs go, and for all the loathness, he cannot be well unless he address himself unto them. ⟨p. 57⟩Often he hath little mind to pray, and do other religious duties; but then alack, he finds himself (as we say for the body) not well at case, and he hath something within him, that puts him forward, that presseth and urgeth him, and causeth that he must do them, though with much weakness, and resistance of his fleshly hart; for in part it is still fleshly. If he have neglected a work of mercy, he is not well after it, and he is inwardly grieved for it, and resolves to take the opportunity better next time. If he have not followed his calling diligently, he is vexed at heart to think of it, and that day is a day of little comfort, that night a night of little rest unto him. So, if he have omitted admonitions, exhortations, good conference, or any other part of good life. Not alone one, but all good duties, both of the first and second Table, so far as his knowledge extendeth, begin to be to him natural and familiar. He takes a secret and a sweet delight in doing them, & he finds himself exceedingly discontented with himself, if he do them not; and therefore commonly though he come far short of what he would and should, yet there is no day without a line; some or other good work he doth daily, herein indeed exceeding all that himself was able to do before, or that unsanctified men can attain to; that, what he doth, he doth it, because God would have him do it; and his heart doth often actually incline it self to the will of God, and move it self to the duties, with minding it self of the good pleasure of God. It is not company; it is not applause, nor credit, nor gain, which sways him; if all these things were away; yea, if all these things were against him, yet he would do good: for he knows, that Gods will is his guide, and that is the thing he desireth ⟨p. 58⟩to accomplish in his very soul.

Further, mercie, iustice, liberalitie, truth, diligence, and other vertues, are now natural vnto him as well as religion. He takes comfort in doing the duties thereof, and makes conscience of doing them, as he hath occasion. Indeed sometimes he findes a great loathnesse and backwardnesse, as a man that is lame, limps and goes softly and with paine; but yet he goes, and hee must needs goe, and for all the loathnesse, hee cannot be well vnlesse he addresse himselfe vnto them.