A61391:302
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
The husbandmans calling showing the excellencies, temptations, graces, duties &c. of the Christian husbandman : being the substance of XII sermons preached to a country congregation / by Richard Steele.The husbandmans calling shewing the excellencies, temptations, graces, duties &c. of the Christian husbandman : being the substance of XII sermons preached to a country congregation / by Richard Steele.
London: printed by M.S., 1668
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.
5. The Husbandmans fifth lesson is, from fencing of his Ground. He observes that after all his cost and labour in his field, one gap or breach is able to ruin all his hopes, and therefore concludes the necessity of a fence, for the receiving of his deserved profit. Here my Corn is sown, but my labour's lost without care to preserve it; up Sirs, let us be doing, this field must be fenced, or all is lost. And hence the Husbandman learns the duty of watchfulness, and concludes that without it an everlasting soul is lost. When God himself hath sown the precious seed of Gospel truth in the heart, and placed many orient Graces in the soul, there is no small need of a serious and constant watch, else Satan and his instruments, will quickly lay them wast. Let the field of your heart be never so richly laden with knowledge, love, zeal; yet if one gap be left open for the Boar out of the Wood, or the Foxes of the field, to any one conscience-wasting corruption, open or secret, all will be destroyed, Prov. 24.30. I went by the field of the man void of understanding, and lo—the stone wall thereof was broken down. Here was a field without a fence; but did the passenger gather nothing hence? Yes vers. 32. Then I saw, and considered it well, [I was thinking what I might learn from it] I looked upon it, and received instruction. My neighbours folly taught me wisdom, I was instructed by it; this outward object, taught me an inward lesson. So should the Husbandman ⟨p. 138⟩by the breaches in his neighbours wall: be taught to repair the neglects of his ow• watch. How soon is a pair of Flood-Gates […] the fen-Countries drawn up? How hard• can we draw out the waters again? Ah so i• is (you may believe sighing experience) so i• is with a poor soul; you may a thousand time• more carefully keep out a sin, and cru• a Cockatrice in the egg, than rid th• soul of its woeful chains and fetters afterwards. It's watchfulness and prayer, that only ca• keep temptation out.