A. Nothing is sufficient without practise. I say nothing, because neither knowledge of Gods will, nor a good disposition thereto, nor profession thereof, without doing it, is any thing. All these are in their kind needful: for practise without knowledge can not but be very preposterous: without a good disposition, merely hypocritical; and without a free profession, too too timorous; so as knowledge of Gods will is as light to give direction unto practise: a good disposition thereto is as salt, to season it: a free profession is as wine to make it quick and cheerful. But yet all those without practise are as nothing. He that knoweth his Masters will and doth not according to it shall be beaten with many stripes. 1He that hath a good mind and disposition to Gods will, and yet doth it not, condemneth himself in that which he alloweth: and he that maketh a fair profession of it, but yet doth it not, is like to that Fig tree which Christ cursed:2 and he hath this doom denounced against him by the Judge of all, Depart from me thou worker of iniquity. I may therefore well say to them that know, like, and profess Gods will, Blessed are ye if ye do it. 3But without doing, all is in vain. For
A. Nothing is sufficient without practise. I say nothing, because neither knowledge of Gods will, nor a good disposition thereto, nor profession thereof, without doing it, is any thing. All these are in their kinde needfull: for practise without knowledge can not but be very preposterous: without a good disposition, meerely hypocriticall; and without a free profession, too too timerous; so as knowledge of Gods will is as light to giue direction vnto practise: a good disposition thereto is as salt, to season it: a free profession is as wine to make it quicke and cheerefull. But yet all those without practise are as nothing. He that knoweth his Masters will and doth not according to it shall be beaten with many stripes. 1Hee that hath a good minde and disposition to Gods will, and yet doth it not, condemneth himselfe in that which hee alloweth: and he that maketh a faire profession of it, but yet doth it not, is like to that Figgetree which Christ cursed:2 and hee hath this doome denounced against him by the Iudge of all, Depart from mee thou worker of iniquitie. I may therefore well say to them that know, like, and professe Gods will, Blessed are ye if ye doe it. 3But without doing, all is in vaine. For
- 1Luke 12. 47.
- 2Math. 21. 19.
- 3The benefit of practise, 1. Joh. 2. 4.The benefit of practise, 1. Ioh. 2. 4.
