A68877:165
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.
The Vine it self is a most sappy and juyeefull Vine, abundantly stored with that heavenly verdure and moisture, that may serve to make the branches fruitful. The husbandman is no way defective, either in skill or pains; he is neither ignorant, nor heedless of any thing, that may further the branches in their fruitfulness. There is no want either on Gods part, or on Christs part, but all on ours. No man is unfruitful, but for lack of will and care to be so. I pray you be not wanting to your selves, but strive to be fruitful: for in this Vine, every branch might be fruitful, if he were not either wilful, or slothful, or both. But that mine exhortation may not be bootless, I shall direct you how you may do to be fruitful, and declare those things unto you, by the doing of which you shall be sure to attain power to live holily: and these directions shall be both so few, that you may remember them; and so easy, that you shall not need to complain of difficulty in performance.
The Vine it selfe is a most sappy and iuyeefull Vine, abundantly stored with that heauenly verdure and moysture, that may serue to make the branches fruitfull. The husbandman is no way defectiue, either in skill or paines; hee is neither ignorant, nor heedlesse of any thing, that may further the branches in their fruitfulnesse. There is no want either on Gods part, or on Christs part, but all on ours. No man is vnfruitfull, but for lacke of will and care to be so. I pray you be not wanting to your selues, but striue to be fruitfull: for in this Vine, euery branch might be fruitfull, if he were not either wilfull, or slothfull, or both. But that mine exhortation may not be bootelesse, I shall direct you how you may doe to be fruitfull, and declare those things vnto you, by the doing of which you shall be sure to attaine power to liue holily: and these directions shall be both so few, that you may remember them; and so easie, that you shall not neede to complaine of difficultie in performance.
The means therefore to become fruitful,1 are these: First, a man must see & lament his former unfruitfulness, freely confessing, that of himself he is dry and barren, and utterly unable to bring forth fruit. Whosoever would live godlily,