A68877:152
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.
CHAP. XVI. Containing the first use.
CHAP. XVI. Containing the first vse.
And first we must call upon every soul to make a true trial of himself, whether he be fruitful yea or no. The Word of God must judge us all at the last day: let us therefore judge our selves by it in the mean, that we may the better hold out,1 in that final and terrible judgement. If we hear not Gods word in such sort, as thus to apply it to our own souls; our hearing is but loss of time and pains, and will but make our reckoning heavier at the end. Weigh your selves in these balances, and touch your selves at this touch stone. Mans heart is very prone to beguile it self, & to be beguiled by Satan: searching it by the word of God, is the surest means to save it from the danger of being beguiled. Some men mistaking fruitfulness, esteem themselves fruitful, when they be nothing less: others again, for want of sound information in the matter, condemn themselves as unfruitful, when indeed they be fruitful. Before we either affirm or deny, it is needful for us to prove our selves unpartially, that our affirmations may not puff us up with counterfeit and windy comforts; our denials cast us down with harmful and unnecessary dejectedness. Tell ⟨p. 128⟩me then (that come from GOD) or rather, tell the Lord that comes by me, to inquire of thy self, concerning thy self. Art thou a fruitful branch in Christ, yea or not? That thou art a branch, a Christian in name and profession, it is yielded; thy coming hither seemeth to affirm so much. But say: Art thou a fruitful branch, or not? Make not overgreat haste to answer this question either way, but deliberate well of the point, and call to mind what hath been formerly spoken, concerning this fruitfulness, and accordingly answer for, or against thy self: say in truth, and without dissembling, which way go the greatest number of thy thoughts, and to what end are the chiefest cogitations of thy mind-directed? Aim they at this? Busy they themselves about this? To please the living God, the Author of thy life, by knowing and doing his most righteous will? Art thou careful and desirous to become acquainted with thy duty? To that purpose giving thy self to hear, and read the Word of God, and perform all such good exercises, as thou hast means to perform, that thou mayest know it?