Two treatises concerning regeneration, 1. Of repentance, 2. Of the diet of the soule shewing the one, how it ought to be sought after and may be attained vnto, the other, how it being gotten, is to be preserued and continued.

Sect. 3.

FVrther as it is not sufficient for the fee∣ding of the body, that meate be receiued into the stom••cke: for that if by any in∣firmitie thereof it be straightway voyded, it doth not any iot nourish the bodie: no more will it serue for the feeding of our soules, that we heare the word with great ioy & delight, yea, with care and attention, vnlesse also we remember, and so keepe it in our soules. This point of spiritual Diet is necessarily to be regarded, for that many faile in it, who do in some measure heare aright, as many haue an insatiable appetite in deuouring meate, who cannot keepe it for any space of time. This we see both in the parable of the seed, Luke 8.13. and also in daily experience, whereof the one saith, that many heare the worde with ioy, but it taketh no roote in them, the other sheweth vs by the vnfruitful and barren professions of many Christians, that bee daily and attentiue hearers of the word, that they let it soone slip out of their mindes, for that otherwise it could not pos∣sibly

but bring forth some fruit in their liues. The meanes of remembring the word prea∣ched are these: first, carefull attention, for nothing cā be remembred which is not first minded & marked: secondly, to repeate with others, either with our friendes in way of con••erence, discussing euery point seuerally, to see what is doubtful or manifest, what sin∣gular, and excellent, or vsuall (for as in the word of God, so in the sayings of men, some are more notable then others) or with those, who are any way committed to our charge in way of examination, as our wiues, childrē, seruants, schollers, and such others. But of all other, the surest way to remember the word, is application, when as both in and af∣ter the hearing of it, we consider how it con∣cerneth our selues or any other, what expe∣riments wee haue had of the truth of it, and how it will make for our spirituall edificati∣on: whereunto if practise be ioyned, then we make it our owne for euer. Thus we be∣ing carcful in receiuing the food of the word of God preached, and as Christ warneth vs, taking heed how we heare, it cannot be but that by the blessing of God wee shall continue and increase the spirituall health of our soules.