Gods husbandry

CHAP. XII. Containing a third use for them that be upright.

CHAP. XII. Containing a third vse for them that be vpright.

But now some (I doubt not) in this trial,¹ will be found to have no guile; that is, no predominant hypocrisy in their spirits. There be in the Churches true-hearted Christians, good ground, sheep, and good corn: and those amongst you, that in trying do find your selves such; and by this infallible proof, can clear it to your selves, because you have often heretofore found out, discovered and bewailed those effects of hypocrisy, which have been delivered; do you (I pray you) enjoy the comfort of your uprightness, and let God that wrought it, have the glory.² The good Christian is almost as fearful to settle himself in a good opinion of himself, as the false unwilling to be driven from it. But there is no reason wherefore the innocent should be condemned. A man may be wrongful and injurious to God and to himself, in being over fearful to confess the good work of God in himself. Christ hath living members in his body: if thou beest one of them, acknowledge it, and be glad of it, that thou mayest with all due care proceed in the ways of godliness, now that thou knowest, thou hast set in, to some purpose. If Satan cannot keep a man from truth, yet he will endeavour to hinder him, from ⟨p. 96⟩taking the comfort of it:³ but let not his lies beguile thee any longer. Say unto him; I find mine own faults more burdensome to me than others; I find my self careful of mine inward man, as well as of mine outward; I find my self humbled, even by my freedom from gross sins: and if at any time any fruit of hypocrisy do show it self (as alack too too often it doth), I make haste to bring it before God, and there I condemn it, there I humble my self for it: wherefore I am sure I am true-hearted; O Lord, I bless thy name that hast made me true, and I pray thee make me more and more true. Surely beloved, it will be a great hinderance to your thankfulness, if you do not labour against those cavils, by which Satan would fain cover your comforts from your eyes. He will tell thee of thy censoriousness; of thy falling again, and again, and again, into such a fault, perhaps gross; of thy deadness in private exercises of religion; and of thy many vain-glorious fancies, and of thy much self-conceitedness, and many other things;