Directions for weak distempered Christians, to grow up to a confirmed state of grace…

6. Moreover, it is the strong confirmed Christian that hath the true use and benefit of all Gods ordinances: Meat is digested by the healthful stomach; and its seen upon them; and we use to say, It is not lost: It is sweet to them, and doth them good; and they are strengthened more by it. And so is the confirmed Christian by Gods Ordinances. But to the weak unconfirmed Soul, how much of the means of Grace is even as lost? How little sweetness do they find in means? and how little good can they say they get by them? I deny not but some good they get, and that they must use them still; for though the sick have little relish of his meat, yet he cannot long live without it: and though it breed not strength or health, yet it maintaineth that languishing life: but this is all, or almost all. What a sad thing is this to your selves, and unto us! when Ministers that are as the Nurses of the Church, or Stewards of the Household to give them all their meat in due season, must see that all that ever they can do for you, will do no more than keep you alive? Yea, how often are you quarrelling with your food; and you do not like it? or you cannot get it down, something still ails it for matter or manner: or else if the Minister displease you, your feeble stomachs do loath the food, because you like not the Cook that dresseth it, or because his hands are not so clean ⟨p. 23⟩as you desire. The full Soul loatheth an Honeycomb, but to the hungry every bitter thing is sweet, Prov. 27.7. Or if you get it down, you can hardly keep it, but are ready to cast it up to our faces. And thus a great deal of our labour is lost with you: holy Doctrine lost, and Sacraments and other Ordinances lost, because you have not strength to digest them. Labour therefore to be stablished and built up.

6. Moreover, it is the strong confirmed Christian that hath the true use and benefit of all Gods ordinances: Meat is digested by the healthful stomack; and its seen upon them; and we use to say, It is not lost: It is sweet to them, and doth them good; and they are strengthened more by it. And so is the confirmed Christian by Gods Ordinances. But to the weak unconfirmed Soul, how much of the means of Grace is even as lost? How little sweetness do they find in means? and how little good can they say they get by them? I deny not but some good they get, and that they must use them still; for though the sick have little relish of his meat, yet he cannot long live without it: and though it breed not strength or health, yet it maintaineth that languishing life: but this is all, or almost all. What a sad thing is this to your selves, and unto us! when Ministers that are as the Nurses of the Church, or Stewards of the Houshold to give them all their meat in due season, must see that all that ever they can do for you, will do no more than keep you alive? Yea, how often are you quarrelling with your food; and you do not like it? or you cannot get it down, somthing still ails it for matter or manner: or else if the Minister displease you, your feeble stomachs do loath the food, because you like not the Cook that dresseth it, or because his hands are not so clean