Gods Husbandry, Title page 1 – Sermon 1
GODS HVSBANDRY: THE FIRST PART.
TENDING TO SHEW THE DIFFERENCE BETWIXT THE Hypocrite and the true-hearted Chriſtian.
AS IT WAS DELIVERED IN CERTAINE SERMONS, AND is now publiſhed
By WILLIAM WHATELY, Preacher of the Word of God in Banbury in Oxfordſheire.
MATTH. 7.21.
Not eueryevery one that ſaith vntounto me, Lord, Lord, ſhall enter into the Kingdome of heauen, but he which doth the will of my Father which is in heauen.
LONDON, Imprinted by Bernard Alſop for Thomas Man, and are to be ſold at his ſhop in Pater-noſter-row, at the ſigne of the Talbot. 1622.
TO THE CHRISTIAN READER.
IT is a thing I thinke, good Reade, if not impoſſible, yet exceeding difficult, for a Miniſter of Gods word to open his mouth with ſo much diſcretion, but that if hee ſeeke to beate downe the falſe hypocrite, the weake Chriſtian will come betwixt, and take the blow vponupon his owne head, which was neither meant nor due vntounto him; and contrarily, if he feeke to raiſe vp the weake Chriſtian, the preſumptuous hypocrite will by and by lay hold on thoſe words, and peruert them quite, to the nouriſhing of his fooliſh ſecuritie. My care hath beene to tread ſo euen a path in the following Treatiſe, that I might not giuegive any iuſt occaſion to the ſuch miſtaking of either party. And I hope I hauehave ſo tempered my pen, that the poore Chriſtian ſhall not (vnleſſe in an ouer-extreame brunt of tentation) be leſſe able to enioy his proper conſolation for any thing that hath beene here vttered, to the diſcarding and amazing of hypocrites; nor the hypocrite (vnleſſe out of an extreamity of wilfull blindneſſe) be able to neſtle himſelfe warme, in the miſapplying of comforts intended to thoſe alone, that bee ſuch as hee alone ſeemeth to be. Now what thou art that ſhalt reade this booke, I cannot poſſibly know; and how thou wilt cenſure of me for it, as I cannot coniecture, ſo neither will I be carefull or trouble my ſelfe about it. If thou ſhalt commend me, I hope I hauehave a little better inſight into mine owne imperfections, than to bee tickled with thy prayſes, which perhaps thine ignorance, or partitality may giuegive, rather than any deſert of mine (which I know to bee none at all of any good thing) may call for and challenge: but if thou ſhalt reproach and diſpraiſe me, ſure I ſhould hauehave both more wit, and ſomewhat elſe to doe, than to make any account of thy diſliking and cenſorious words; knowing (as I doe know well enough) what thou art, my fellow ſeruant, not my Maſter; a fellow-priſoner, not a Iudge. Wherefore if thou beeſt wiſe, ſaue a bootleſſe labour of ſpeaking either well or ill of mee; neither of which can aduantage thee, or doe me any good or hurt; and rather beſtow thy ſelfe in reaping ſome profit by that which I hauehave here written, with a deſire and intention of profiting thee. If I hauehave ſpoken what thou kneweſt not before, now informe thy ſelfe: if what thou kneweſt, but conſideredſt not, now digeſt thine own knowledge, and (hauing an addition of one more witnes to the truth thou didſt formerly confeſſe) know it ſurer, know it better. If I ſeeme to thee to vtter truth, imbrace it, becauſe it is truth; if to erre, conſider by what reaſons thou canſt conuince me, of hauing erred; and let mine errour occaſion thee with more firmeneſſe to cleaue to the truth. In a word, thou mayeſt (if thou wilt) get ſome good by reading; if thou wilt not, who can helpe it? And (that I may bee bold a little to touch the ſore of thoſe that reade bookes, ſpecially Sermons, which yet there be not many that will reade) let mee put thee in mind, that the common fault of hearers, is incident to readers alſo: they heare alone, to be iudges of the ſpeakers gifts, or to cenſure his imperfections: they heare not with any intention of reflecting their thoughts vponupon themſelues, to cenſure themſelues, and find out their owne faults. So in reading Sermons, the greater number reade only to ſee what a man can ſay: to iudge of his learning, reading, wit, phraſe, &c. and to carpe at his defects in any of theſe. Long enough may ſuch both heare and reade, afore either the pen or the tongue will conueigh any goodneſſe into their hearts. Wherefore if thou pleaſe to beſtow paines in peruſing theſe Sermons, reade them with none other intention, but that one of trying thy ſelfe, whether thou beeſt an hypocrite, yea or no; ſo dare I promiſe thee ſome fruit of thy reading: for either (in finding out thine hypocriſie) thou ſhalt perceiue thine vnhappineſſe, and bee capable of helpe; or elſe (in meeting with vprightneſſe) thou ſhalt enioy thy good eſtate, and be encouraged to proceede. Thus with my beſt prayers to God for thee, and the good ſucceſſe of all good labours to doe thy ſoule good, and with a requeſt of reaping one particular prayer of thine for me, if thou reapeſt any good by theſe lines, I bid thee kindly farewell, and reſt
couetous of thy ſoules health, William Whately. From my Study in Banbury. April 6. 1619.
THE CONTENTS OF THIS BOOKE.
CHAP. I.
Opening the Text. 1
CHAP. II.
Shewing, that there is a mixture of hypocrites and true Chriſtians in the Church, and why? 5
CHAP. III.
Shewing the deſcription of hypocrites. 12
CHAP. IIII.
Of the diuers ſorts of hypocrites. 19
CHAP. V.
Shewing the generall notes of difference betwixt the true-hearted, and the hypocrite. 26
CHAP. VI.
How the hypocrite agrees with the true Chriſtian in knowledge, and withall how they differ. 33
CHAP. VII.
Shewing how the hypocrite and vpright doe agree and differ in faith. 41
CHAP. VIII.
Shewing how the repentance of hypocrites is diſtinguiſhed from the repentance of true Chriſtians. 48
CHAP. IX.
Shewing how the conuerſation of hypocrites doth differ from the true Chriſtians. 58
CHAP. X.
Containing the firſt vſe of the point belonging indifferently to all, viz. to examine themſelues whether they be hypocrites, or no. 73
CHAP. XI.
Shewing the ſecond vſe, what they muſt doe that are found to be but hypocrites. 87
CHAP. XII.
Shewing a third vſe for the vpright. 95
CHAP. XIII.
The vſes of the point in regard of others. 99
CHAP. XIIII.
Shewing that fruitfulnes is the true diſtinctiue note betwixt true and falſe Chriſtians. 106
CHAP. XV.
Shewing what this fruitfulneſſe is. 109
CHAP. XVI.
Containing an exhortation to all, to trie if they bee fruitfull. 127
CHAP. XVII.
Shewing what they muſt doe that are vnfruitful. 131
CHAP. XVIII.
Exhorting all to get fruitfulneſſe. 135
CHAP. XIX.
Containing comforts for them that are found fruit. full. 146
GODS HVSBANDRY: TENDING, TO SHEW THE DIFFERENCE BETWIXT THE Hypocrite, and the true-hearted Chriſtian.
Iohn 15.2.
Euerie branch in me that beareth not fruit, he taketh away; and euerie branch that beareth fruit, he pruneth, that it may bring forth more fruite.