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 some too there are, that know too much, I mean that have got more notions into their head than they can rule, and for want of wisdom and humility grow giddy and conceited; that they rather come to the Ordinance to judge their Minister, than to be judged by the Word of God: and that think they could discharge that Function better than he, and these are to be ranked among the most intolerable sort of that Calling; of whom it were to be wished, that either they knew less, that would make them less elevated, or that they knew more, that would make them more humble. But I hope, the number of these are but few. Experience of their own infirmities, ⟨p. 113⟩together with further knowledge, will cure them of this swelling, these Rickets in the head; and by degrees they will find that the most they know, is the least part of what they are ignorant of. No, the Epidemical disease of Husbandmen is ignorance, affected ignorance.

And some too there are, that know too much, I mean that have got more notions into their head than they can rule, and for want of wisdome and humility grow giddy and conceited; that they rather come to the Ordinance to judge their Minister, than to be judged by the Word of God: and that think they could discharge that Function better than he, and these are to be rankt among the most intollerable sort of that Calling; of whom it were to be wisht, that either they knew less, that would make them less elevated, or that they knew more, that would make them more humble. But I hope, the number of these are but few. Experience of their own infirmities, ⟨p. 113⟩together with further knowledge, will cure them of this swelling, these Rickets in the head; and by degrees they will find that the most they know, is the least part of what they are ignorant of. No, the Epidemical disease of Husbandmen is ignorance, affected ignorance.

Many of them want time to read or think of spiritual matters; their Children cry, their Business cries, their Creditor cries, and hard it is to read a leaf without many avocations and distractions: nay worse, many of them cannot read a word; they can see no more in a Bible, than in a stone; nor read one verse therein, though the reading and ruminating of it might be as much worth, as Heaven to them. Ah! that ever Heaven, the gate of heaven should be in a Bible, and a reasonable creature, a Christian should not read it; and those that can, yet will not labour to find it there. Nay worse yet, for many of this Extraction and Education, are wonderful dull of capacity, and apprehend matters (spiritual especially) with much difficulty and confusion; and then such broken memories, that they can hold nothing without very much a doe; so that the Prophet Jeremy might very well conclude of them,