Gods Husbandry, Sermon 1 · Chapter 15
CHAP. XV. Shewing what this fruitfulneſſe is.
SO wee hauehave proued the point in hand. It is needfull that wee doe ſoundly explaine it alſo, that it may be truely vſefull vntounto vsus. For this explication,What fruitfulneſſe is. one thing alone is neceſſary, namely, to declare plainely, what fruitefulneſſe is. Concerning which, wee ſay in generall,In generall, a godly life. that fruitefulneſſe is the ſame thing which the Apoſtle meaneth, when hee tells vsus,2. Tim. 3.12. of liuing godly in Chriſt Ieſus: and againe, of hauing our conuerſation as beſeemeth the Goſpell of Chriſt Ieſus. Philip. 1.27.Not the doing of an action now and than, good and commendable (for the matter of it), as giuing almes, labouring in ones calling, dealing iuſtly, or the like, is to bee called fruitefulneſſe: but the leading of a godly courſe of life, and of an holy conuerſation. But more particularly, that you may be thorowly informed in this point. Fruitefulneſſe muſt bee ſet forth vntounto you, in the matter, motiue, end, and properties thereof; any of which foure, if it bee wanting, the reſt are alſo wanting indeed, though an appearance of them may be preſent,In ſpeciall. and the true nature of fruitfulneſſe is not to be found.
For the firſt of theſe,The matter of fruitfulneſſe. the matter of fruitfulneſſe is, A deſire and endeauour, to know and to doe the whole will of God, reuealed in his Word. EueryEvery word that wee hauehave vſed in this deſcription, would be marked and conſiderd of.A deſire. Firſt, I call it a deſire, a firme and ſtedfaſt bending of the will and inclination of the heart, to the thing deſired. For a good man muſt bee meaſured, and is by God accepted, more according to the deſires of his heart, and the earneſt propenſion and mouing of his ſoule, than according to the effect therof. In action he comes far ſhort of what he ſhould: in the deſire, purpoſe, carneſt and ſound inclination of his ſoule, he doth reach after the perfection required of him by God, and for this cauſe, is accepted and accounted in Chriſt, as if he were perfect. Hee would be void of al ſin, he would be rich in eueryevery good work, he would hauehave eueryevery thing within him, and eueryevery thing that comes from him, perfectly conformable to the will of God, and acceptable to his Maieſtie. In the depth of his ſoule theſe hearty wiſhes are found continually working;Pſal 119.5 10.32.57.93.106 173.40. O that my wayes were directed to keepe thy ſtatutes! O let mee not wander from thy commandements: I will runne the way of thy commandements: I hauehave ſaid, that I will keepe thy words: I will neuer forget thy precepts: I hauehave ſworne and will performe it, that I will keepe thy righteous iudgements. I hauehave choſen the way of truth. I long for thy precepts: and many ſuch like. This is the diſpoſition of his will, theſe the determinations, reſolutions, concluſions of his ſoule; thus hee ſaith to, and within himſelfe, that doubtleſſe he will depart from the pathes of wickedneſſe, and that hee will walke in the waies of righteouſnes: and thus is he buſied in renewing and eſtabliſhing the purpoſes of his ſoule, to walke with his God. And though he find no meanes to performe according to his deſire, yet ſtill his deſire ſtandeth to the law of the Lord.
And this deſire being a true and ſetled deſire,And endeauour. muſt needs be ſeconded with endeauour. It is not a poore, faint, ſluggiſh, wiſhing and woulding, by which a man (as it were betwixt ſleeping and waking) doth thinke, twere well if I did, and ſure I will, and I would if I could, as a ſluggard lieth ſtretched in his bed, and faintly wiſheth, O that I could ariſe! It is not (I ſay) ſuch a feeble, powerleſſe, auert, deſire, as this (which is but (as one would ſay) the tenth part of the conſent of the will, to the thing willed): but it is a deſire ſo mighty, and effectuall, as doth bring forth an endeauour. It makes a man put forth himſelfe, to eſſect the thing deſired. Hee wiſheth to obey, as a reſolute ſouldiour wiſheth victory, ſo as he will fight for it, and draw his weapon, and meete his enemy in the face, and hazard limme and life, and giuegive and receiue blowes, and leaue nothing vndone, that his wit ſerues him to thinke of, for the atchieuement of victory. A coward alſo would faine diuide the ſpoile, and feede himſelfe with the fatneſſe of a good booty: but his wiſhes do not diſpearce themſelues into his hands and legges, nor ſtirre vp his ſpirits and his limmes to be entring battaile, and to ioyne hand to hand with the foe: ſo a good mans deſire of obedience, ſets his head, and heart, and hand on worke, to the attainement of obedience. He thinkes; Ah that I could be good according to Gods commandement! And further hee thinketh; What may I doe to get power againſt ſuch a ſinne? to attaine ſtrength to doe ſuch duties? And when hee ſees what is to be done, he ſets about it, he calles vponupon himſelfe, he calles vponupon God, he vrgeth his owne heart, hee entreates the Lord Ieſus for helpe, he blames himſelfe, hee condemnes himſelfe, hee inforceth vponupon himſelfe the remembrance of Gods commandements, Gods iudgements,Pſalm. 25 9.48. Gods promiſes, and as Dauid ſaith, he lifts vp his hands to the Law of God which hee hath loued. He is buſie in labouring to obey, and a man that liues with him, may euen perceiue in him, and he, in himſelfe, a ſtrift this way. For in truth as there is a great difference betwixt luſting to be rich, and labouring for wealth: ſo betwixt a bare luſting to be good, and endeauouring after goodneſſe. The ſluggard would bee content to take wealth, if he could find it vnderunder his foote, or if with little adoe hee could entreat it to fall into his lap; yea, ſometimes when hee wants money, or cloathes, or foode, and is pinched with neede, hee hath a kind of angry eagerneſſe after it, and hee would as leife as his life, hauehave ſo good a liuing as his neighbour hath: but hee cannot ſhake off ſleepe in a cold morning, hee can endure no ſweates: hee can endure no ſweate, he loues not to riſe betimes, and ſet to worke, he cannot trauell, he cannot take paines. Not ſo the good husband; for he thinkes of his buſineſſe, whither he may goe, what he may doe, what times he muſt obſerue for the getting of a ſhilling; and accordingly takes thoſe times, diſpatcheth thoſe buſineſſes, and goes to ſuch places; and neyther heate, nor cold, nor wet, nor dry, nor night, nor darkeneſſe ſhall hinder him, but he will goe forward with thoſe things, which are requiſite for his thriuing. Euen ſo the fooliſh man ſometimes, could find in his heart to leaue ſuch a ſinne, and to doe ſuch good duties. O it were very well if he had ſuch vertues, and were rid of ſuch vices! and what a good turne had hee, if he could doe, as ſuch and ſuch: and in a twinge of his conſcience, or in a fit, when he is told of heauen, hee could bee content to leape out of his skin to get heauen, and to get out of hell: but after his fit is ouer, he cannot away with this confeſſing of his ſinnes in ſecret, with this rending of his ſoule, with this earneſt contending with God, and with this croſſing of his owne nature, and fighting againſt the luſts of his fleſh, euen with this labouring for the righteouſneſſe of God aboue all things. But the Chriſtian ſtands otherwiſe affected, he muſeth of the way and meanes of getting grace, he thinketh ſeriouſly what is to be done, for the beating downe of ſuch a vice, and building vp of ſuch a vertue: hee beateth vponupon his owne heart, all ſuch reaſons as hee can bring, to fix his will in a reſolution of doing good, leauing euill; hee taketh paines with calling hard vponupon God; takes paines in checking and controling, in prouoking and ſtirring vp himſelfe; in labouring to lament and bewayle, to hate and deteſt his ſinne; and to worke in himſelfe earneſt ſorrow, and ſound griefe for ſinne; and thinkes not much, euen to weary and toyle himſelfe in theſe ſpirituall labours. Hee plowes his heart, hee ſowes in the Word, be ſeekes for ſhowres of grace, hee weedes his heart, hee breakes the clods of his heart. Thus he ſets himſelfe to taske, and is a right husbandman in his owne ſoule.
Further, the thing about which his deſires and endeauours are conuerſant,About the will of God. is the will of God reuealed in his Word: not the will of men, not the ſecret and hidden will of GOD, nor a ſuppoſed imaginary will of God; but that ſelfe-ſame will of God, which is deliuered vntounto him in the writings of the Prophets and Apoſtles: for ſo ſaith Dauid, His delight is in the Law of God. Pſal. 1.2. Pſal. 119.105.And againe, Thy word is a Lanthorne to my feet, and a light to my paths. He lookes to that which is reuealed, and deſires to be wiſe, according to that which is written, and not aboue it: his deſires and labours are limited by the manifeſtation of Gods will.
In things tendred to the thoughts of his mind, hee demaundeth how it is written?Reuealed in Scriptures. and how doe I reade? ſo farre (and no further) ſtooping, and yeelding, as he findeth diuine authority, with Propheticall and Apoſtolicall teſtimony, to call for yeeldance. I hauehave walked in thy truth,Pſal. 26.3. ſaith Dauid. He knowes, that what the Lord hath commended to his Church, by thoſe principall Paſtours of his Church, the Prophets and Apoſtles, that is Gods truth; and therefore he ſubdues his reaſon and affections vntounto it. But if any man will bring any thing to him, and preſſe it as neceſſary to ſaluation, which hath not the ſtampe of diuine inſpiration; he knowes not how to ſubmit his conſcience to ſuch baſeneſſe, as to yeeld it ſelfe to any other, than the royall ſoueraignty of the Lord of Lords, and King of Kings; like a right good ſubiect, and withall noble and ingenuous: that as he cannot be induced to with-draw his necke from his Princes yoke, ſo can he by no meanes indure the burden of an vſurpers Scepter; and therefore he had rather die with the honorable liberty of a ſubiect of the Lord, than liue a ſlaue, inthralled to the tyranny of an vſurping creature.
Now this will of God he ſtriueth both to know,Both to know and doe the ſame. and alſo to doe. Not to know alone, nor to doe alone, but to know and doe both: euen to doe out of know ledge, is the marke that his indeuours aime at. An hypocrite ſeparates theſe two things; hee would know, but regardeth not to practiſe; he admits GODS Word into his head willingly, and with applauſe in moſt things; but into his heart, and into his life hee doth not admit it. Neyther doth he therefore ſtudy to vnderſtand, that he may bee ruled by the light hee hath gotten, but alone, that he may make himſelfe a teacher of others, or a carper at others, and a well applauded diſcourſer before others. He hath lame feete, though hee hauehave a ſeeing eye, and neuer cares to goe, where hee ſees his duety leadeth him. Thus the forward diſſembler; and quite contrarily, the ordinary formall man, he ſeemeth to be all for doing, and doing, little caring to know or vnderſtand; as if a man ſhould talke of diſpatching his worke in the darke without a candle, doubtleſſe this worke would be but bunglingly performed: but the Chriſtian deſireth to rectifie his life by knowledge, to guide his feete by his eye, and his eye by the lanthorne of the Word, that ſo hee may neither hauehave a fruitleſſe knowledge, nor a blinde practiſe, but may attaine the bleſſing that our Sauiour pronounceth, ſaying; Now you know theſe things,Iohn 13.17. happy are ye if you do them. And this is the matter of a good life, a ſetled will and endeauour to know, and doe the will of God, ſet downe in Scriptures.
Let vsus acquaint you with the moouing cauſe thereof,The motiue of fruitfulneſſe is louelove to God. Iohn 14.15. which muſt bee the louelove of God in Chriſt, according as our Sauiour himſelfe aſſureth vsus, ſaying; If yee louelove me keepe my commandements. In like maner the Apoſtle telling vsus, that faith muſt worke by louelove;2. Cor. 5.14, 15 and ſaying of himſelfe, that the louelove of God conſtrayned him to preach the Goſpell: for thus did he iudge, that ſeeing one died for al, therefore all were dead; and that hee dyed for all, that they which liue, ſhould hereafter liue, not to themſelues, but to him that dyed for them. The holy Ghoſt at what time it incorporateth the Chriſtian into Chriſts body, and maketh him a true branch of this Vine, doth ground in his ſoule a ſetled and firme perſwaſion, of the vnſpeakeable louelove of God vntounto him, in Chriſt his Mcdiatour. And though he hauehave not alwaies a ſence of this louelove, yet the perſwaſion of it, doth alwayes take ſuch deepe roote in him, that it euidently ſhewes it ſelfe, in drawing his ſoule to be one with God, making his heart ſtill to hang towards him, and to bee affected with great good will vntounto him. Now louelove is an affection, that tendeth to vnite the things loued; and becauſe there can be none vnion betwixt the Creature and the Creator, vnleſſe the Creature do euen reſigne and yeeld vp his will to Gods will, to bee carried, mooued, and guided by it: hence it is, that the ſoule louing God, muſt needs ſubiect its will vntounto him; and therefore be carefull to know and do his will, becauſe it is his will, that he ſhould ſo endeuour to know and doe. And ſo is the Chriſtian heart allured forward to obedience: for wee louelove God, becauſe he loued vsus firſt,1. Iohn 4.19. faith the Apoſtle; and then muſt our louelove needs bring foorth this obedience. And this thing is of ſo abſolute neceſſitie, in the point of good liuing, that without it, no ſeeming goodneſſe can bee acceptable vntounto GOD.1. Cor. 13.2. For ſo we hauehave the Apoſtle plainly affirming vntounto vsus, that though a man giuegive his body to be burned; and though he giuegive all his ſubſtance to the poore, yet if he hauehave not louelove, all is of no worth or reckoning. Whatſoeuer therefore doth not ariſe out of his fountaine, and grow from this roote, it is not to bee called fruit, vnleſſe you will meane rotten and worme caten fruit. And we may ſay aſſuredly, that vnleſſe the thing inducing vsus to the care of knowing and doing Gods will, bee a deare and hearty affection which wee beare in our ſoules to him, out of a perſwaſion that we hauehave, of the great and tender compaſſion that hee bare vntounto vsus in Chriſt, and an apprehenſion of the infinite riches of his grace and wiſedome, ſhewed in his Sonne; our indeauour is not accepted, neyther can be called holy. But the people of GOD, doe find themſelues ſo linked and tied vntounto God, in regard of that, his moſt wiſe, gracious, and fauourable dealing with them in his ſonne, and thoſe inſinite excellencies, which from the ſight of this goodneſſe, they begin to diſcerne in him; that out of the ſweete and gentle motions of this louelove, they are fully reſolued to obey him. Thus there is a joynt operation of faith, and louelove in their obedience, it being vtterly impoſſible, that the creature ſhould louelove God, but out of ſome true perſwaſion of Gods louelove to him. Wherefore how godly or good ſoeuer any mans life be, in ſhew and appearance; if the maine motiue to that goodneſſe bee the louelove of men alone, or the louelove of himſelfe, or any ſuch like, and not the louelove of God, ſpringing from an inward, and grounded apprehenſion of Gods grace towards him, in the face of Chriſt; it is not to be called Goodneſſe indeed, neither is ſo in Gods account. Let vsus inſtance in one or two particulars. A man meeting with a miſerable perſon, is liberall towards him with money for his reliefe. The thing that induced him thereto, was the entreaty of the party, or a kind of naturall compaſſion, or the labour of ſome friend: but he neuer conſidered, that God (who ſo infinitely loued him, as to make his onelyonly Sonne poore, that hee might be made rich) hath required ſuch duties of louelove and bounty at his hands, towards his brethren for his ſake; neyther did prouoke and ſtirre vp himſelfe to exerciſe this bounty, with lifting vp his mind to Gods commandement and good pleaſure, and to the goodneſſe and kindneſſe of God towards him (to whom it were a ſhame of all ſhames for him to deny ſo ſmall a matter, as the beſtowing of a little pittance of his owne wealth at his appoyntment). This almeſ-deed, this act of liberalitie, is not a fruit of piety; it is not a fruit of Faith, it is not a fruit of Chriſtianity, it is not in him, and to him a good deede, or an act of obodience to the Lord: but another meeting with the like perſon, is pronoked by the forenamed meditations, to helpe and comfort him, and by the ſtirring of ſuch thoughts in his mind, hath his heart inclined to giuegive him what hee needeth: or if the ſodaineneſſe of their meeting, or ſome other like occaſion, cauſe, that hee hath not theſe thoughts preſently ſtirring in his minde, yet they hauehave been in him often before, to beget in him an habite of liberality: this now is a fruit of grace, this is to bring forth fruit in Chriſt, this is a true good worke, and ſuch as God himſelfe accepteth, and accounteth good. So in going to Church to heare the Word, or to receiue the Sacraments, in labouring in a mans calling, in doing of iuſtice, and in all other particular points of goodneſſe; if we be not moued to theſe by louelove to God, in obedience to his Commandement, out of faith to his gradious promiſes in Chriſt, but by conſiderations taken meerely from our ſelues, whether in regard of the preſent life, or that that is to come, we cannot ſay, that wee be fruitfull branches, neither doe wee indeed ſerue God in ſuch duties: but when our minde doth lift it ſelfe vp to God, and by the conſideration of his good will and pleaſure, doth ſtirre vp it ſelfe to doe good, becauſe wee know, hee would hauehave it to be done; whom we ſo louelove, that we cannot but deſire, that his will ſhould be ſatis fied and accompliſhed (for he that loueth any perſon, doth alſo carefully binde himſelfe, to fulfill his will whom he loueth; vnleſſe his will be to hauehave that done, which would be for his owne hurt, which can neuer befall the Lord of heauen, becauſe of his perfect and infinite wiſedome): when (I ſay) our mindes do thus ſtirre vp themſelues to doe good, or auoyde euill, then doe wee truly ſerue God, and this is ſuch obedience, as God doth take pleaſure in, as it were in grapes of good taſte, that grow vponupon the Vine of his owne planting.
Furthermore,The end of fruitfulneſſe, is Gods glory. the end of our doing Gods will, muſt be Gods glory, or (which is all one) that wee may pleaſe him; for in ſeeking to pleaſe him, wee glorifie him: and theſe two things are alwayes coincident.1. Cor. 10.31. So the Apoſtle directeth, ſaying; Whatſoener you do, Epheſ. 1.12.let all be done to the glorie of God. And againe, That we may be to the praiſe of his glorie. And againe,1. Theſſ. 4.1. You hauehave receiued of vsus, how ye ought to walke and to pleaſe God. The maine ſcope and drift you ſee, of all our actions muſt be this, that we may doe that which is good in Gods fight, and ſo content and ſatisfie him, and witneſſe our high and honourable eſteeme of him, and teſtifie our acknowledgement of his infinite and incomparable excellencies. The principall thing that muſt ſtand before our eyes, alluring and inuiting vsus to the aforenamed care, of doing and knowing the will of God, muſt be this, that wee may honour and pleaſe our Maker. Not to pleaſe men, not to winne fauour, credit, wealth in the world; nay, nor to get eternall happines to our ſelues: none of all theſe (I ſay) muſt be the chiefe ſcope of our obedience, but that wee may bring ſome honour to him, to whoſe honour all his creatures ought, in reaſon, to addict themſelues, and that wee might content him, whoſe content all things ſhould ſeeke to worke, becauſe all things are from him: for the Lord taketh pleaſure in thoſe that feare him; he deſireth that the ſinner ſhould turne and liue; he wiſheth, O that my people would hearken! their prayers be as incenſe in his ſight; their obedience, a ſacrifice of a ſweete ſmelling ſauour; and their Almeſ-deede, an offering, with which hee is well pleaſed: and by doing of theſe things, and auoyding the contrary, is the Lord highly honored, in that hereby he is acknowledged to be the King of Kings, & Lord of Lords; and we doe make profeſſion of our eſteeming him, the Soueraigne Lord and Commaunder of our ſelues, and of all creatures. And this is the very white (as it were), at which all our obedience muſt be leuelled. Not but that there are inferiour ends, reſpecting our ſelues, and our owne good, wherevpon we may looke, and by which we may be moued to doe good: but the chiefe thing of all, and that which muſt ſway vsus moſt of all, muſt be this, that God may be pleaſed and honoured by vsus. A man may lawfully purpoſe, to gratifie a friend in ſome good deeds, to procure ſome temporall benefit to himſelfe by other good deeds; and in all to further and worke out his owne ſaluation. But the maine and chiefe end, the vtmoſt, the vpſhot of all the reſt; that, that his mind muſt looke to, in, and aboue all the reſt, and make more care of than all the reſt, and which muſt be of ſuch power, that it would draw him to obedience; though all the reſt were abſent: this ſupreame and moſt potent end, muſt be the forenamed things, the pleaſing and glorifying of God. Euen as a good ſeruant, in doing his ſeruice to his Maſter, hopeth and purpoſeth to doe himſelfe good, by being capable of his Maſters bounty, and receiuing liberall wages from him, whom he knowes to be ſo good, that hee will not deale niggardly with any of his faithfull ſeruants: but the ſpeciall thing he aimes at, is, that he may aduantage his Maſter, and pleaſe and content him, by doing his buſineſſe: for hee that doth chiefely aime at wages (in ſo much I meane, that were not that wages an attractiue, he would not do the ſeruice which he doth) cannot indeed be ſaid ſo much to ſerue his maſter, as himſelf. So the ſeruants of God may, and do aime at their own eternall welfare, and at the obtaining of the bleſſings of GOD which hee hath promiſed: but there is an higher thing, and a further matter, at which they looke more directly, & whereto they bend their thoughts more ſpecially, and that is the pleaſing and magnifying of him their Lord and Maſter, whom they know to be ſo abundant in goodneſſe, that hee is ready to beſtow ſuch happineſſe vponupon his ſeruants. So our Sauiour; Father, glorifie thy Sonne, Iohn 17.1.that thy Sonne may alſo glorifie thee. Loe, the firſt thing hee looked at, was the glory of his Father; and his owne glory was reſpected by him none otherwiſe, than as a fruit, or meanes of the glory which his Father ſhould hauehave by him: for ſo that is truly called the principall end, which of it ſelfe, though all the reſt were ſet aſide, would allure a man to doe a thing, although hee may perhaps the rather alſo worke, by the comming betwixt of ſome other inferiour and ſubordinate end: as the chiefe end of a tradeſ-mans going to the faire or market, is to buy and ſell, though he may perhaps the more readily goe to meete ſome friend there; for his buſineſſe would draw him thither, though his friend ſhould not happily come thither. So ought the glory of God to carry ſo great a ſway in our ſoules, that in regard of it chiefely, we doe as we doe in a godly conuerſation; ſtanding ſo reſolued, that we would carry our ſelues in that holy manner, euen ſimply for the glory ſake of GOD, though our ſelues ſhould not attaine happineſſe thereby, although now that hee hath pleaſed inſeparably to conioyne our felicitie and his owne glory, wee doe ſo much the rather, and ſo much the more willingly and thankefully performe ſuch obedience vntounto him. But as for thoſe worldly and baſe ends of credit, gaine, and the like, wee ſhould euen quite and cleane neglect them; vnleſſe it be ſo farre foorth alone, as they be referrable to that higheſt end, in that wee may be the better able to attayne that by meanes of them. This is in very truth to deny our ſelues, and not to liue to our ſelues, but to liue to him: and ſo wee ought (as it were) to forget our ſelues, and to ſequeſter our thoughts from our ſelues, ſending them vp ſwiftly and plentifully to him, who is infinitely better than our ſelues, and than all creatures: for what more reaſonable, and equall, and conuenient, than that his glory ſhould be preferred aboue all things, in whom, and from whom all things hauehave their beeing and continuance. And theſe be the cauſes of fruitfulneſſe, the matter, motiue and end.
It muſt further bee knowne by two properties, namely generality and conſtancy.The properties of fruitfulneſle are The godly mans care of knowing and of doing, muſt reach to the whole reuealed will of GOD:Generalitie. Pſal. 119.6. as Dauid ſayth; I ſhall not be confounded, whilſt I hauehave reſpect to all thy commandements. And the Prophet ſaith; Caſt away all your tranſoreſsions: for God is an abſolute Soueraigne, and his will is a ſupreame will, that muſt guide vsus in each thing, one as well as another. It ſufficeth not to yeeld vntounto him in a few things, nor in all things, except one; but vniuerſally in all things, without any exception, muſt we ſubmit our ſelues to him, in the deſire and endeauour of our ſoules. A good man may bee ignorant of many things that God reuealeth, but he muſt be willing and ready to know his whole will. Hee may likewiſe come ſhort of doing many things which hee knoweth; but he muſt purpoſe, labour and ſtriue to doe all things, that ſo hee may ſhew himſelfe a true and abſolute inferiour to the Lord. For God cannot in any thing be deceiued, or commaund amiſſe in any matter. For men, it is lawfull to deny ſubiection to them in many things, becauſe they may miſtake and erre in many things, and becauſe their power and authority is limited: but GODS will is without all reſtraint and limitation to be yeelded vntounto, becauſe he hath a full and perfect ſoueraignty ouer vsus. And indeed no man is mooued by the louelove of God, or aymeth at his glory in any thing, vnleſſe he be vniuerſally obedient; ſo that is but a counterfeit obedience, which is not generall. Here is no place left for picking or chuſing, neither may we lawfully refuſe his commaundement in any particular, but muſt ſay, as once the Iſraelites did; Whatſoeuer the Lord our God commaundeth, Deut. 5.27.that will we doe. There is no ſinne forbidden by GOD, but our reſolution muſt be to leaue it; no duety commanded, but our reſolution muſt be to doe it: and when in any poynt wee faile, wee muſt euen condemne and chide our ſelues for fayling: labouring ſtill after perfection, and praying for more and more ſtrength to obey; and it muſt be our greateſt burden, and continuall griefe, that we cannot attain to fulneſſe of knowledge and obedience.
Agayne,Conſtancy. conſtancy muſt accompany our obedience; we muſt not walk in this way for a ſpirt, a litle, now and then, and afterwards giuegive ouer: but we muſt proceede in a ſettled courſe, without any giuing ouer, or deſiſting. A good man followeth goodneſſe, as a Tradeſ-man doth his trade; hee is at it, to day, and to morrow, and the third day, and all the dayes of his life: as Dauid ſaith, I will keepe them to the end.Pſal 119.33.112. And againe, I hauehave inclined mine heart to perfor me thy ſtatutes alwayes, euen to the end. And,Pſal. 1.2. Bleſſed is the man, whoſe meditation is in the Law of God day and night. The moſt painefull labourer hath now and then a fit at play, and ſometimes hee meeteth with an holy-day: but vſually (though not ſtill with the like intention of paines, yet in a ſetled courſe) he is found in doing his worke and buſines. So a Chriſtian man is not alwayes a like earneſt; yea, ſometimes he makes indeed an holy-day, or a loytering idle day (for which hee doth well ſhent himſelfe afterwards), but yet vſually and in a ſtedfaſt courſe he followes after goodneſſe, and is ſtill ſtill applying this great and neceſſary worke of a godly life: for God who hath appointed him this taske, doth not allow him any diſcontinuance. And this is fruitfulnes, or a good life, when a man, out of a perſwaſion of Gods tender louelove vntounto him in Ieſus Chriſt, doth intertaine in his ſoule ſuch an carneſt and hearty louelove vntounto God, as maketh him carefull to pleaſe and honour him, by continuall ſtriuing to know what is his good, holy and acceptable will, and framing himſelfe in all things to doe what he biddeth, (leaue the contrary), without any finall ſurceaſing: ſo that though he ſlacke his pace now and then, and ſome dulnes do creep vponupon him, yet he quickens himſelfe, and ſets to it againe, reſoluing neuer to giuegive ouer quite, ſo long as life laſteth. This is to liue as beſeemeth the Goſpell of Chriſt; this is to heare the Word of God, and doe it; this is to walke in the truth of God; this is obedience, better than all ſacrifices. And ſo hauehave wee ſufficiently explicated the point: wee muſt now make ſome vſe of it.