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

And then, when the Sabbath comes, the poor Husbandman lies under great Temptations, to make it a Play-day for his body, and yet no Work-day for his soul. He that can rise early every morning, takes his ease that morning, and the Bells do hardly raise him up: And then in the Assembly, the easier is his seat, the readier is he to sleep, while his weightiest affair is in hand: Or it the Church be far, or the weather frown, or his finger ache, a small matter shall keep him at home; though perhaps (as it was the case of Thomas the Apostle) that very day, he might have seen Jesus Christ to his eternal comfort.

And then, when the Sabbath comes, the poor Husbandman lyes under great Temptations, to make it a Play-day for his body, and yet no Work-day for his soul. He that can rise early every morning, takes his ease that morning, and the Bells do hardly raise him up: And then in the Assembly, the easier is his seat, the readier is he to sleep, while his weightiest affair is in hand: Or it the Church be far, or the weather frown, or his finger ake, a small matter shall keep him at home; though perhaps (as it was the case of Thomas the Apostle) that very day, he might have seen Jesus Christ to his eternal comfort.

And here is the Husbandmans Temptation, Negligence and Deadness in holy Duties. But what Preservative can we prescribe against this ⟨p. 87⟩temptation? These two at present. 1. More Zeal. 2. Less Labour.

1. More Zeal. Zeal is Religion boiling hot. And a warm heart in a weary body will be active. Zeal revives the languishing spirits, infuses new spirits, makes a man all spirit for the time. This in a false Religion will raise a man to his Orisons at Midnight, send him some hundreds of miles on Pilgrimage, make him sweep the Church with the Hair of his Head, lame his Knees with Prayers, and blind his Eyes with tears. In the true Religion this works more languidly, it's true, (men swim faster down then up the stream) but more regularly, and doth animate a gracious heart wonderfully in the ways of God; makes the lame man to leap as an Hrt, and the tongue of the dumb to sing.