These are some (among others) of the experiences that Babes have, or Tastes of the Lords being gracious; I have not set them out at large, because I would give you them (as they have them) viz. for Tastes: and though they are but such, yet these Tastes beget desires and longings after the sincere Milk that they may grow thereby. By this Taste of theirs they can a little distinguish between sincere and falsified Milk, between pure and impure Milk, between good and evil doctrine, though not so well as grown Saints: Their car trieth words, whether it be a form of sound words; and their Taste trieth milk meat, ⟨p. 167⟩whether it be wholesome and nourishing or not, to allude to that in Job 12.11. and 34.3. and therefore though they be full of appetite and desire, yet 'tis to sincere milk, for they cannot thrive nor live by any other. Now though their desires after higher attainments be (at present) their (almost) highest attainment, yet desires are not despicable things, but of value. The desire of a man is his kindness, and a poor man is better than a Liar, Prov. 19.22. though they be but poor as to attainments, yet they are rich in desires, and God takes this kindness kindly at their hands, that 'tis in their hearts to do greater things and to grow: this poor man is better than a Liar, than an Hypocrite that pretends to, makes professions and promises of great things without a real desire and kindness to the things which he make a fair show of in a complement and in the flesh. If there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to what a man hath, and not according to what he hath not, 2 Cor. 8.12. 'Tis not a little to be able to say as Nehemiah did, Chap. 1.11. O Lord, I beseech thee, let now thine ear be attentive to the Prayer of thy Servant, and to the Prayer of thy Servants who desire to fear thy Name. And as the Author of the Epistle to the Hebrews, Chap. 13.18. Pray for us, for we trust that we have a good Conscience in all things willing to live honestly. This Babe is a man of desires (in both senses) i. e. he is loving and beloved, he is desiring and desired, Cant. 7.10. Isa. 26.8 9.2 2 Cor. 7 7. Thus you have seen the Tastes and ⟨p. 168⟩desires of Babes to grow: which is an attainment not to be undervalued by them, nor are they to be undervalued by others.
These are some (among others) of the experiences that Babes have, or Tastes of the Lords being gracious; I have not set them out at large, because I would give you them (as they have them) viz. for Tastes: and though they are but such, yet these Tastes beget desires and longings after the sincere Milk that they may grow thereby. By this Taste of theirs they can a little distinguish between sincere and falsified Milk, between pure and impure Milk, between good and evil doctrine, though not so well as grown Saints: Their car tryeth words, whether it be a form of sound words; and their Taste trieth milkmeat, ⟨p. 167⟩whether it be wholsome and nourishing or not, to allude to that in Job 12.11. and 34.3. and therefore though they be full of appetite and desire, yet 'tis to sincere milk, for they cannot thrive nor live by any other. Now though their desires after higher attainments be (at present) their (almost) highest attainment, yet desires are not despicable things, but of value. The desire of a man is his kindness, and a poor man is better than a Lyar, Prov. 19.22. though they be but poor as to attainments, yet they are rich in desires, and God takes this kindness kindly at their hands, that 'tis in their hearts to do greater things and to grow: this poor man is better than a Lyar, than an Hypocrite that pretends to, makes professions and promises of great things without a real desire and kindness to the things which he make a fair shew of in a complement and in the flesh. If there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to what a man hath, and not according to what he hath not, 2 Cor. 8.12. 'Tis not a little to be able to say as Nehemiab did, Chap. 1.11. O'Lord, I beseech thee, let now thine ear be attentive to the Prayer of thy Servant, and to the Prayer of thy Servants who desire to fear thy Name. And as the Author of the Epistle to the Hebrews, Chap. 13.18. Pray for us, for we trust that we have a good Conscience in all things willing to live honestly. This Babe is a man of desires (in both senses) i. e. he is loving and beloved, he is desiring and desired, Cant. 7.10. Isa. 26.8 9.2 2 Cor. 7 7. Thus you have seen the Tasts and ⟨p. 168⟩
