Gods husbandry

Yea, I wish thee to rejoice, & to delight thy self in abundance of peace, through the certain acknowledgement of thine happy estate that thou art not alone in, but also of the Church, and truly partaker of the fatness and verdure of the right Olive tree. To know a mans self fruitful in some degree, will make him fruitful in an higher. The man that suspecteth himself to be worse than nothing, goes fearfully & faintly about his business: but he that is certain he hath something of his own (though not so much as he would) is cheerful and forward in following ⟨p. 151⟩his calling. It doth likewise even damp the courage of a good Christian, in following the trade of godliness, when he is still causelessly accusing himself to have no truth, no sincerity, no uprightness: but to know that he hath truth indeed (and yet is far short of perfection), this encourageth him to go forward in striving after perfection. The consolation that piety affordeth, is a principal furtherer of our good proceedings in it; and therefore thou must take comfort in the truth of thy beginnings, that thou mayest go forward with a livelier pace, and greater diligence. Consider here, how that our Saviour doth not name the bringing forth of as much, and as fair fruit, as others, for the note of a good and pleasing branch, but simply the bringing forth of fruit: and therefore if thou beest in any degree fruitful, though neither so much as thou wouldest, or shouldest, or seest others to be; yet there is just cause of receiving comfort. Indeed the littleness of our fruit should humble us, but not discourage us. It should stand before our eyes, to keep us from pride, not from peace; to stop us from conceitedness, not to hinder our comfort in God. Satan that desireth to make all things harmful unto us, labours also to turn the relics of sin (which remain in us), to the over-much disquieting and terrifying of our consciences, and to the shaking of our faith, and interrupting the consolations we might enjoy in God: but let us not yield to the subtlety and malice of Satan in this behalf. When thou seest thy self failing in the measure of ⟨p. 152⟩fruit, observe this failing well, but turn it not the worst way. Let it make thee charge thy self with too much negligence, not with utter hollowness;

Yea, I wish thee to reioyce, & to delight thy selfe in abundance of peace, through the certaine acknowledgement of thine happy estate that thou art not alone in, but also of the Church, and truely partaker of the fatnesse and verdure of the right Oliue tree. To know a mans selfe fruitfull in some degree, will make him fruitfull in an higher. The man that suspecteth himselfe to be worse than nothin, goes fearefully & faintly about his businesse: but he that is certaine hee hath something of his owne (though not so much as he would) is chearefull and forward in following