Gods husbandry

For the first of these,¹ the matter of fruitfulness is, A desire and endeavour, to know and to do the whole will of God, revealed in his Word. Every word that we have used in this description, would be marked and considered of.² First, I call it a desire, a firm and steadfast bending of the will and inclination of the heart, to the thing desired. For a good man must be measured, and is by God accepted, more according to the desires of his heart, and the earnest propension and moving of his soul, than according to the effect thereof. In action he comes far short of what he should: in the desire, purpose, carnest and sound inclination of his soul, he doth reach after the perfection required of him by God, and for this cause, is accepted and accounted in Christ, as if he were perfect. He would be void of all sin, he would be rich in every good work, he would have every thing within him, and every thing that comes from him, perfectly conformable to the will of God, and acceptable to his Majesty. In the depth of his soul these hearty wishes are found continually working;³ O that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes! O let me not wander from thy commandments: I will run the way of thy commandments: I have said, that I will keep thy words: I will never forget thy precepts: I have sworn and will perform it, that I will keep thy righteous judgements. I have chosen the way of truth. I long for ⟨p. 111⟩thy precepts: and many such like. This is the disposition of his will, these the determinations, resolutions, conclusions of his soul; thus he saith to, and within himself, that doubtless he will depart from the paths of wickedness, and that he will walk in the ways of righteousness: and thus is he busied in renewing and establishing the purposes of his soul, to walk with his God. And though he find no means to perform according to his desire, yet still his desire standeth to the law of the Lord.

For the first of these,¹ the matter of fruitfulnesse is, A desire and endeauour, to know and to doe the whole will of God, reuealed in his Word. Euery word that wee haue vsed in this description, would be marked and considerd of.