The husbandmans calling showing the excellencies, temptations, graces, duties &c. of the Christian husbandmanThe husbandmans calling shewing the excellencies, temptations, graces, duties &c. of the Christian husbandman

1. They are in perpetual danger of falling from their height. If you saw a man advanced to the top of some high pinnacle, and there shaking by every blast, would you not pity such a man? Who would envy that mans advancement? Such is the condition of Great men; they are higher than you, but then their hazard is greater, and their fall the sadder; Every wind shakes them, and their fears drink up a great deal of their joys: And then,

1. They are in perpetual danger of falling from their height. If you saw a man advanced to the top of some high pinacle, and there shaking by every blast, would you not pitty such a man? Who would envy that mans advancement? Such is the condition of Great men; they are higher than you, but then their hazzard is greater, and their fall the sadder; Every wind shakes them, and their fears drink up a great deal of their joyes: And then,

2. Their troubles are proportionable to their greatness: You have small debts to pay, and they have great debts to pay, and find it as hard to discharge them, as you find yours; and for one Husbandman, there are two or three Gentlemen that dye in debt: You have crosses in your Children; why, they have greater: And the Sun and Moon in their habitations, do sometimes eclipse one another, and cannot be sixth in the same firmament: You have injuries offered you, and so you are drawn into suit; Alas! they are seldom out of suit: You are provoked by evil words ⟨p. 81⟩now and then, they likewise have their affronts, that pierce them far deeper than yours do. And then for health, that epitome of mercy; you are indeed sometimes sick, alas, they are seldom well: they must eat and drink by rule, and do find far less sweetness in their meat, and sleep than you do; and must these be envied? And then you must needs imagine their cares do exceed yours; and cares, you know, are the heaviest of your load, and herein they do as much exceed you, as in their estates; care to get, care to keep their own, care to borrow, and care to pay, care to get and keep their reputation, and household cares must needs be many: and all these cares and troubles are herein heavier than yours, in that they are more unexpected, and they are less prepared for them; and you know the more tender the skin, the deeper the iron enters thereinto.