Gods husbandry

Brethren, there are not a few people inhabiting under the roof of Gods House the Church, with whom it fareth directly in this manner that I have described, to whom we have a dismal tidings to deliver, and that is this; that they be ⟨p. 121⟩not fruitful branches in Christ, because they want that which our Saviour Christ affirms, that every true branch obtaineth. Whatsoever person he is, that liveth a reputed member of the Church, frequenteth the ordinances of God, meeteth with divers sorrows and calamities, and thus hath a long while continued, and yet seeth no more sin in himself then before, is no more troubled at his sin then at first, gets no more power against his sin then at the beginning, but goes along still in a kind of settled civility of living to men-ward, and there resteth himself, neither perceiving, nor greatly caring to perceive any healing of privy pride, of secret guile, of deadness and coldness of spirit, of unbelief, of the love of earthly things, of wrath, of revengefulness, of other naughty lusts of his evil heart: let this man come hither, and out of this text of Scripture truly interpreted, truly applied, collect and gather a most fearful conclusion against his own soul, in this wise: Every fruitful branch in the Vine, that is, every true member of Christ, every sound-hearted Christian is purged, that is, healed and cleansed of the sinfulness and corruptions of his heart and life: but I, though I have been trained up in the bosom of the Church, and enjoyed all Gods ordinances, and have also tasted of some sourness too in my days, which should have helped to my reformation, have found no purging nor cleansing, am no whit helped against my sins of all sorts; wherefore I am not a fruitful branch, I am ⟨p. 122⟩not a true member of Christ, I am no sound-hearted Christian. Is not this a sound, certain, and infallible conclusion, that is so directly, plainly and truly inferred out of the words of our Saviour? And how then can you flatter your selves in vain, O all ye that are not cleansed of your iniquities? How can you make your selves believe you are good Christians? how can you promise to your selves remission of sins and salvation, and all other privileges of true Christians, and enjoy a kind of false content in a false hope of finding favour with God?

Brethren, there are not a few people inhabiting vnder the roofe of Gods House the Church, with whom it fareth directly in this manner that I haue described, to whom wee haue a dismall tidings to deliuer, and that is this; that they bee