The godly Husbandman remembers, that his chiefest business every day is with God, and the hardest of his work is on his knees; and so buckles to it, and is in good earnest, and sweats even at his eyes. The more zeal, the more forward to what is good, and the more unwearied in it. And it is good to be always zealously affected in a good matter, Gal. 4.18. The service of God is the best matter in the world, and it is not enough to be well affected to it, but to be zealously effected in it. The wise Husbandman considers, that in all likelihood, the load of his whole days work will be thrown off at night, except Prayer do bind it on; that he cannot be a gainer, if his soul ⟨p. 88⟩lose its spiritual life and strength; he knows if he leave off his meals, he must go with thin sides; and if he omit his Prayers, he must go with a thin soul. Alas, what will you be the better to pay your Rent, and to run in arrear with God? to keep your time with your Landlord, and break time with God, your Landlords Landlord? What good can your meat, or clothes, or estate do you, if it be not blest by prayer? or how can God and you be friends, if you keep not correspondence? cannot he, yea will not he make thee amends by the years end, for an hour in a day spent with him? Alas, you may get more in half an hour by Prayer, Psalms, Reading, to wit, some grains of true grace, than by your hardest working all your lives, yea then all the world is worth; and why then will you stand so with God for 1a little time? He that gives you all, will you stand with him for an inch? If your servant should tell you, when he hath neglected a business of concernment, he could not help it, for he had business of his own, would it please you? so neither will it please God when you omit Prayer, &c. that you had other business, and could not heed it. The very Turks, though they make their slaves work hard, yet afford them time for food and rest, will you deal worse with your soul, than with a Galley slave? Hath not God said, Psalm 127.2. It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows, except the Lord give his blessing: and how is that obtained but by prayer; a constant ⟨p. 89⟩blessing, but by constant prayer? Alas, one mischance may half undo thee; and were it not best then to keep in with that God, that hath all creatures and casualties in his hand?
The godly Husbandman remembers, that his chiefest business every day is with God, and the hardest of his work is on his knees; and so buckles to it, and is in good earnest, and sweats even at his eyes. The more zeal, the more forward to what is good, and the more unwearied in it. And it is good to be alwayes zealously affected in a good matter, Gal. 4.18. The service of God is the best matter in the world, and it is not enough to be well affected to it, but to be zealously effected in it. The wise Husbandman considers, that in all likelihood, the load of his whole dayes work will be thrown off at night, except Prayer do bind it on; that he cannot be a gainer, if his soul ⟨p. 88⟩lose its spiritual life and strength; he knows if he leave off his meals, he must go with thin sides; and if he omit his Prayers, he must go with a thin soul. Alas, what will you be the better to pay your Rent, and to run in arrear with God? to keep your time with your Landlord, and break time with God, your Landlords Landlord? What good can your meat, or clothes, or estate do you, if it be not blest by prayer? or how can God and you be friends, if you keep not correspondence? cannot he, yea will not he make thee amends by the years end, for an hour in a day spent with him? Alas, you may get more in half an hour by Prayer, Psalms, Reading, to wit, some grains of true grace, than by your hardest working all your lives, yea then all the world is worth; and why then will you stand so with God for 1a little time? He that gives you all, will you stand with him for an inch? If your servant should tell you, when he hath neglected a business of concernment, he could not help it, for he had business of his own, would it please you? so neither will it please God when you omit Prayer, &c. that you had other business, and could not heed it. The very Turks, though they make their slaves work hard, yet afford them time for food and rest, will you deal worse with your soul, than with a Gally slave? Hath not God said, Psalm 127.2. It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows, except the Lord give his blessing: and how is that obtain'd but by prayer; a constant ⟨p. 89⟩blessing, but by constant prayer? Alas, one mischance may half undoe thee; and were it not best then to keep in with that God, that hath all creatures and casualties in his hand?
- 1Something warm in a morning before you go out to work is wholesome. So a warm Prayer in the Morning is very wholesome for the soul. Mr. Swinnock,Somthing warm in a morning before you go out to work is wholsome. So a warm Prayer in the Morning is very wholsome for the soul. Mr. Swinnock,
