Riches of mercy to men in misery, or, Certain excellent treatises concerning the dignity…

1. To be able to discern that which is wholesome, & that which is not, 1 Thes. 5. 21. prove all things, 1 Joh. 4. 1. try the spirits, that is, get spiritual tastes, whereby you may judge of it; for as the palate or the taste discerns corporal food; so there ⟨p. 284⟩is a faculty in every regenerate soul for this end, that it may discern betwixt that meat which is wholesome, and that which is not. As a natural mans taste is a sign of natural life, so a spiritual taste is a sign of a spiritual life; and it is certain, that they whose palates are not vitiated with corrupt humours, can judge of their meat, Rom. 12. 2 be transformed in the renewing of your minds, to try, (as a Touch-stone doth the silver) what is the acceptable will of God from that which is not. And they that find not this taste in them, either they have no spiritual life, or else their palates are vitiated with corrupt humours. If therefore we want this discerning taste, we must labour to get it, if we be sick and our palates do corrupt, we must labour convalescere, to wax whole that so we may judge a right. For as the best hearers love the purest word, so the hearers whose hearts are full of corruption love the froth of eloquence.

1. To be able to discern that which is wholesome, & that which is not, 1 Thes. 5. 21. prove all things, 1 Ioh. 4. 1. try the spirits, that is, get spiritual tasts, whereby you may judge of it; for as the pallat or the taste diserns corporal food; so there ⟨p. 284⟩is a faculty in every regenerate soul for this end, that it may discern betwixt that meat which is wholesome, and that which is not. As a natural mans taste is a signe of natural life, so a spiritual taste is a signe of a spiritual life; and it is certain, that they whose pallats are not vitiated with corrupt humors, can judge of their meat,