A68877:148
Gods husbandry
Gods husbandry: the first part. Tending to show the difference betwixt the hypocrite and the true-hearted Christian. As it was delivered in certain sermons, and is now published by William Whately, preacher of the Word of God in Banbury in OxfordshireGods husbandry: the first part. Tending to shew the difference betwixt the hypocrite and the true-hearted Christian. As it was deliuered in certaine sermons, and is now published by William Whately, preacher of the Word of God in Banbury in Oxfordsheire
London: printed by Bernard Alsop and Felix Kyngston for Thomas Man, 1622
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Furthermore,1 the end of our doing Gods will, must be Gods glory, or (which is all one) that we may please him; for in seeking to please him, we glorify him: and these two things are always coincident.2 So the Apostle directeth, saying; Whatsoever you do, 3let all be done to the glory of God. And again, That we may be to the praise of his glory. And again,4 You have received of us, how ye ought to walk and to please God. The main scope and drift you see, of all our actions must be this, that we may do that which is good in Gods fight, and so content and satisfy him, and witness our high and honourable esteem of him, and testify our acknowledgement ⟨p. 121⟩of his infinite and incomparable excellencies. The principal thing that must stand before our eyes, alluring and inviting us to the aforenamed care, of doing and knowing the will of God, must be this, that we may honour and please our Maker. Not to please men, not to win favour, credit, wealth in the world; nay, nor to get eternal happiness to our selves: none of all these (I say) must be the chief scope of our obedience, but that we may bring some honour to him, to whose honour all his creatures ought, in reason, to addict themselves, and that we might content him, whose content all things should seek to work, because all things are from him: for the Lord taketh pleasure in those that fear him; he desireth that the sinner should turn and live; he wisheth, O that my people would hearken! their prayers be as incense in his sight; their obedience, a sacrifice of a sweet smelling savour; and their Alms-deed, an offering, with which he is well pleased: and by doing of these things, and avoiding the contrary, is the Lord highly honoured, in that hereby he is acknowledged to be the King of Kings, & Lord of Lords; and we do make profession of our esteeming him, the Sovereign Lord and Commander of our selves, and of all creatures. And this is the very white (as it were), at which all our obedience must be levelled. Not but that there are inferior ends, respecting our selves, and our own good, whereupon we may look, and by which we may be moved to do good: but the chief thing of all, and that which must sway us most of all, must be this,