Gods Husbandry, Sermon 2 · Chapter 19
CHAP. XIX. Containing a comfort to them that hauehave growne, and doe grow in goodneſſe.
IN the laſt place, Vſe 3 let all thoſe that do perceiue themſelues to be growing in fruitfulneſſe,Comfort to them that doe grow. receiue much comfort heerein. O well are they: growth is a moſt ſure ſigne of life: a rotten branch growes not, a rotten arme growes not. Whoſoeuer therefore perceiueth that his care of liuing godlily in Chriſt Ieſus increaſeth, that he is more and more deſirous to obey God, and that his workes are better at laſt, then at firſt, bleſſed be he of the Lord: let him receiue this happy comfort from the mouth of God, and conclude himſelfe infallibly to bee a liuing branch, a ſound-hearted Chriſtian. Indeed the people of God, to whom this conſolation doth moſt duly appertaine, are not euer forward for the moſt part to imbrace the ſame: yea, they are ready to depriue themſelues of it by diuerſity of obiections, and by name thus you ſhall hauehave them ſpeaking againſt themſelues: Alas, is there not a growth of Hypocrites, as well as of the true-hearted? Doth not the blade ſpring vp as well in the ſtony, and in the thorny ground, as in the good ground? And how can I aſſure my ſelfe, but that this growth of mine is ſuch, as may befall a diſſembler? I anſwere, It muſt not be denyed, that the man of a guilefull ſpirit, the cloſe Hypocrite hath his fulneſſe, his period, his ſtate, to which he may come, and to which, till he hauehave reached, he ſeemeth both to himſelfe and others, to grow.
But the difference is manifeſt and expreſſe.The difference betwixt the growth of Hypocrites, and the true-hearted. The Hypocrites growing in the ſhewes of goodneſſe, cauſeth him alſo to grow in conceit of himſelfe; he thinkes better of himſelfe, and much applaudeth his owne proceedings: but the godly man groweth in a meane conceit of himſelfe, and as he waxeth better and better, ſo doth more & more condemne himſelfe, that he is not better then he is. He ſees things to be better with him then they were; but alas, he ſees them alſo to be ſo farre ſhort of what they ſhould be, that hee is euen grieued with himſelfe, to thinke of his wants and defects. The true godly man growes in humility, as in other graces; but the Hypocrite growes in conceitedneſſe, and high eſteeme of himſelfe. When a man prayes, but is much moued with diſlike of himſelfe, becauſe hee prayes no better; meditates, but blames himſelfe, becauſe his meditations are ſo ſhattered and diſtracted; is merciful, but is angry againſt himſelfe, becauſe he is not more mercifull: this mans growth is a ſound, perfect, and ſincere growth; but when hee performeth theſe duties ſo, that hee is good in his owne eyes, becauſe of the performance of them; this is but a ſhooting vp of a blade, that after will wither and come to nothing. The fruitful branch, in his fruitfulneſſe ſees ſo many wants, that hee is humbled thereby, the vnfruitfull branch is ſo ſatisfied with his ſhewes of fruitfulneſſe, that he ſtill magnifieth himſelfe, and deſpiſeth others, being increaſed in pride, by the increaſe of thoſe things that ſeeme good in him. It is a moſt manifeſt thing in all true godly men, that when all men elſe doe perceiue them to grow, and commend them for it, they doe moſt complaine and condemne themſelues for want of growth; for they are ſo ſtil carryed onward to that ye is before thē, as they forget that that is behind: but the diſſembler ſo looketh behinde him, and forgetteth what is before, that he ſtands admiring himſelfe for that which he hath already done, and thinkes hee is better then this man, and that man, and compareth and preferreth himſelfe before others. Againe, the godly man doth commend others that are better then himſelfe, and beholds their goodneſſe with great liking and approbation, being diſcontented with himſelfe that hee is outſtripped by them: but the Hypocrite is moued with enuy and indignation againſt thoſe that goe beyond him, and will hauehave ſome quarrell to picke againſt their (as hee counteth it) ouer-forwardlineſſe. The godly man ſaith ſtill, he is an vnprofitable ſeruant; the Hypocrite brags of his ſeruice, and glories in himſelfe that hee is increaſed in wealth. Now then, conſider if thy growth in goodneſſe be accompanyed with a growth in humility, and in an abaſing of thy ſelfe, and thinking better of others, then of thy ſelfe; or if it be ioyned with conceit of thy ſelfe, and magnifying thy ſelfe aboue others, and enuy againſt them that ſeeme to obſcure thy praiſes: and if it be with thee in the former manner, thou groweſt indeed, and muſt inioy comfort; if in the latter manner, thou groweſt alone in ſhew, and haſt no right nor intereſt into this comfort. But further, the good man will ſay againſt himſelfe, Alas, I doe not grow, I doe not bring forth more fruit. I demand then, VponUpon what ground is it that thou chargeſt thy ſelfe with not growing? Is it becauſe thou findeſt thy ſelfe not all out ſo able to continue praying and mourning, as in ſome times heretofore? I anſwere, that the true Chriſtian is likely moſt affectionate at the firſt, by reaſon of the ſtrange alteration that he findes in himſelfe. But ſay, Is not thine heart more abaſed now, in the ſence of thy faults? Art thou not more ſharpe againſt thy ſelfe, more fauourable to others? Is not thine heart now more carryed with a reſpect of God, leſſe with a reſpect of thy ſelfe? Doeſt thou not become more hardly conceite of thy ſelfe, then formerly? Surely when a mans mind is more and more alienated from himſelfe, then hee growes moſt, though hee ſeeme to himſelfe leaſt to grow, and though he thinke himſelfe leſſe able to performe many good duties, then formerly he was. Wherefore now let all Gods ſeruants ſtay vp their hearts with diuine conſolations, and gather to themſelues a ioyfull aſſurance of their being vpright, by their increaſe in fruitfulneſſe. When a rich man caſts ouer his accounts, and findeth his ſtocke to be greater then it was, and his reuenewes to be inlarged, O how his heart leapeth within him, and what good it doth him, to perceiue that he is increaſed in wealth! Why ſhould not the godly man, whoſe wealth is inward and ſpirituall, perceiuing the ſtocke of vertue to be augmented, and his two Talents to hauehave gained other two, behold this with much praiſe to God, and with a great deale of content and peace in himſelfe? Wee are bound in conſcience to ſee and acknowledge the goodneſſe of God this way, and to prepare our ſelues for a further increaſe, by taking delight in the gaines which we hauehave already made to our ſelues in the trade of godlineſſe. I deny not, but that a godly man muſt ſtill conſider how farre he is remoued from the goale of perfection, and comparing himſelfe with the Law, complaine much of himſelfe for being vnprofitable. But there is no contradiction betwixt theſe two. A man may well conſider of his wants, to behumbled in them; and yet withall, take notice of his increaſe to be ioyed in that: both muſt be done, and the one of theſe will exceedingly helpe to the doing of the other. If wee doe not ioyne theſe two together, we ſhall finde much inconuenience by ſeparating them. Hee that ſtill thinketh how much he is able to doe in the worke of obedience, and doth not ſeaſonably mind himſelfe of his many defects, ſhall bee in danger of ſwelling and puffing vp. But hee that alwayes lookes to his wants and imperfections, and doth not ſometimes raiſe vp his heart in the meditation of the worke of grace within him, which hath edifyed and built him vp in godlineſſe, and made the little he had at firſt, far more then it was, ſhall become heereby deiected, vncheerfull, and vnthankfull. Wherefore, feed humility with the one of theſe cogitations, and thankfulneſſe with the other. It is yeelded, that thou art, as Paul ſaith, nothing; yea, leſſe then nothing, in compariſon of what thou ſhouldeſt: but againe, thou art ſomething, in compariſon of what thou waſt, and what thou ſhouldeſt hauehave been, but for the worke of Gods grace in thee.
Acknowledge therefore, to the glory of the Vine, and the Husbandman, and to the conſolation of thine owne heart: Lord, what by thy Word, what by afflictions, what by one or other meanes that thou haſt vſed and bleſſed, and by the gracious aſſiſtance of thy Spirit, in, and with all: I doe truly perceiue my ſelfe to bee in ſome meaſure confirmed and ſtrengthened in grace, my faith is ſtronger, my patience more ſtedfaſt, mine heart more ſet vponupon heauenly things, my care of ſhunning all ſinne, and the occaſions thereof, my deſire of ſeruing thee in all obedience, more conſtant and earneſt then it hath been. Bleſſed bee thy name, thou art indeed a good Husbandman, and by thy good husbandry, haſt made mee, that elſe ſhould hauehave beene a dry and barren branch, to bee ſomewhat fruitfull, and to increaſe in fruitfulneſſe. Vertue is then improued to the beſt, when it is put to the vſe, of making our ſoules to giuegive more glory to God, and to take more comfort in him.
FINIS.
End of the text · William Whately, Gods Husbandry (1622)