Gods husbandry

First then, let all men learn hence, not to satisfy themselves, with being branches in the Vine, but consider seriously, whether they be of the good, or of the bad branches. Seeing ⟨p. 74⟩there are, and always have been, and ever will be in the Churches, dissemblere, as well as sincere Christians:¹ it behoveth therefore, that every man, out of an holy jealousy over himself, and a godly fear of ulnesse of himself, do often and seriously try and examine what he is, and not pass sentence of himself one way nor other, till by touch-stone of the Scripture, he hath made proof of himself. In other cases we would all easily condescend to such an exhortation. Were it most certain, that within this quarter of an hour, an hundred or two of this Congregation must leave this present life, how would every one fear, lest the lot of death might fall upon himself? and how careful would each one be, if it were possible to come unto the knowledge of the matter, whether himself should be amongst the living or the dead. Brethren, it is certain, that in the Church of God, there be divers hypocrites which must be damned: this our Saviour teacheth here, and we have delivered you in his name. Can it therefore but be needful for every one amongst you, to make a diligent enquiry into his own estate? and that so much the rather, because this very willingness to search into ones self,² is a good sign of truth, and the contrary of false-hood. The hypocrite of the closer sort, is only therefore an hypocrite, because he will not endure the pains of discovering his own hypocrisy. An hypocrite in the hearing of such a point as this, can soon see cause enough in his conceit, to think hardly of another man. Sure, if this be so (saith he within himself), such a man must needs ⟨p. 75⟩be in hard case, for he can be no better than an hypocrite: but for himself, he letteth pass all such thoughts concerning himself, and feeds himself still with his former strong, and long continued conceit, of being a good Christian, what ever men think of him. But the true Christian, upon hearing of such things (because he hath had some acquaintance with the guilefulness of his own spirit) is therefore apt to be timorous of himself, and thinks to this effect within himself: Alas, what is mine estate, these things come hard upon me!