one can say; Mine hand is often at the Plough, and I am still about the husbanding of my ground, I am thinking of sowing, of reaping, of soiling, and such like; another can say, I am still attending my cattle, I follow my sheep, I fodder them, I dress them; another, I am conversant in building houses, and my thoughts, and my hands, are taken up in framing, and preparing timber, or stone for that purpose. Doubtless it is as plain, whether a man follow godliness, as whether he follow any of these vocations. A man may if he will, know whether he be taken up with thoughts and desires of pleasing God, of avoiding sin, of subduing his corruptions, of planting and watering grace, of doing his duty, which he hath learned out of Gods word, or whether he be a stranger to these things, and whether he do them constantly, or by starts; & whether he be heedful in all things, or spare himself in some thing, and whether he study to please God in these things, or look wholly or chiefly to himself: these things are not performed so secretly and undiscernably, but that he which performeth them, may easily find and feel, that he doth perform them. Wherefore be not ignorant of thy self, for want of in quiring into thy self; and for want of a due consideration of thy life, do not ⟨p. 131⟩mistake thy life, whether it be a fruitful life in Christ Jesus, or else idle and unprofitable. And if any man find not this general endeavour to please God, it is not the giving of now and then an alms or a piece of money to the poor; it is not the reading of now & then a Chapter, or coming to hear a Sermon, or doing here and there some good and commendable work, that can entitle him to the name of a fruitful branch. And if any man do find in himself this universal stable endeavour to glorify and please God, in the knowing and doing of his whole will; it is not the failing and coming short of his desires, it is not the being ignorant, or mistaking of many things, it is not the slipping into many sins and faults (though sometimes too too gross and palpable) that can dispossess him of this name, and make him to be accounted no fruitful branch. It is very needful, and withal, possible and easy for thee to know what thou art: therefore be entreated to consider of it seriously and unfeignedly, and not to mistake through heedlessness or wilfulness.
one can say; Mine hand is often at the Plow, and I am still about the husbanding of my ground, I am thinking of sowing, of reaping, of soiling, and such like; another can say, I am still attending my cattell, I follow my sheepe, I fodder them, I dresse them; another, I am conuersant in building houses, and my thoughts, and my hands, are taken vp in framing, and preparing timber, or stone for that purpose. Doubtlesse it is as plaine, whether a man follow godlines, as whether he follow any of these vocations. A man may if hee will, know whether he be taken vp with thoughts and desires of pleasing God, of auoiding sinne, of subdoing his corruptions, of planting and watring grace, of doing his dutie, which he hath learned out of Gods word, or whether hee bee a stranger to these things, and whether he do them constantly, or by starts; & whether he be heedfull in all things, or spare himselfe in some thing, and whether he study to please God in these things, or looke wholly or chiefly to himselfe: these things are not performed so secretly and vndiscernably, but that hee which performeth them, may easily find and feele, that hee doth performe them. Wherefore be not ignorant of thy selfe, for want of in quiring into thy selfe; and for want of a due consideration of thy life, doe not ⟨p. 131⟩mistake thy life, whether it be a fruitful life in Christ Iesus, or else idle and vnprofitable. And if any man find not this generall endeauour to please God, it is not the giuing of now and then an almes or a piece of money to the poore; it is not the reading of now & then a Chapter, or comming to heare a Sermon, or doing here and there some good and commendable worke, that can intitle him to the name of a fruitfull branch. And if any man doe find in himselfe this vniuersall stable endeauor to glorifie and please God, in the knowing and doing of his whole will; it is not the failing and comming short of his desires, it is not the being ignorant, or mistaking of many things, it is not the slipping into many sinnes and faults (though sometimes too too grosse and palpable) that can dispossesse him of this name, and make him to be accounted no fruitfull branch. It is very needfull, and withall, possible and easie for thee to know what thou art: therefore be entreated to consider of it seriously and vnfainedly, and not to mistake through heedlesnesse or wilfulnesse.
