A39665:1232
Husbandry spiritualized, or, The heavenly use of earthly things consisting of many pleasant observations,…
Husbandry spiritualized, or, The heavenly use of earthly things consisting of many pleasant observations, pertinent applications, and serious reflections and each chapter concluded with a divine and suitable poem : directing husband-men to the most excellent improvements of their common employments : whereunto is added ... several choice occasional meditations / by John Flavell.Husbandry spiritualized, or, The heavenly use of earthly things consisting of many pleasant observations, pertinent applications, and serious reflections and each chapter concluded with a divine and suitable poem : directing husband-men to the most excellent improvements of their common imployments : whereunto is added ... several choice occasional meditations / by John Flavell.
London : Printed and are to be sold by Robert Boulter, l674
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
That as the seed sown, is presently covered from our sight §1under the clods, and for some time after we see no more of it, and yet at last it appears again, by which it's evident to us that it is not finally lost: So our present actions, though physically transient, and perhaps forgotten, yet are not lost, but after a time shall appear again in order to a retribution.
If this were not so, all good and holy actions would be to the loss of him that performed them. All the self-denial, spending duties, and sharp sufferings of the people of God, would turn to their damage, though not in point of honesty, ⟨p. 148⟩yet in point of personal utility; and then also, what difference would there be betwixt the actions of a man and a beast, with respect to future good or evil? yea, man would then be more feared and obeyed than God, and souls be swayed in all their motions, only by the influence of present things; and where then would Religion be found in the world? 'Tis an excellent note of Drexellius; Our works (saith he) do not pass away as soon as they are done,1 but as seed sown, shall after a time rise up to all eternity; whatever we think, speak or do, once spoken, thought or done, is eternal, and abides for ever.
- 1Drexellius de aeternitate prope fin.
What Zeuxes the famous Limner said of his work, may be truly said of all our works; Aeternitati pingo, I paint for eternity. O, how careful should men be of what they speak and do, whilst they are commanded so to speak, and so to do, as those that shall be judged by the perfect law of liberty,