A61391:551
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.
Let the Lessons you have heard exercise you; You'll make the best of every thing, do ⟨p. 276⟩so in this. That's a good Chymic that can extract Gold out of Sand: but that's a good Husbandman that can get Heaven out of Earth. Thou hast had a wicked habit to suck poison out of flowers, O get a gracious habit to suck honey out of weeds: speak no more of the difficulty or impossibility thereof; if you were hired with Gold for every Celestial thought, you would study for more of them: you have fed too long upon the shell, feast now upon the kernel. A good hearing, when you come home at night, and say, Wife I have learned one lesson from my Ground, Cattle, &c. this day.
Let the Lessons you have heard exercise you; You'l make the best of every thing, do ⟨p. 276⟩so in this. That's a good Chymick that can extract Gold out of Sand: but that's a good Husbandman that can get Heaven out of Earth. Thou hast had a wicked habit to suck poyson out of flowers, O get a gracious habit to suck honey out of weeds: speak no more of the difficulty or impossibility thereof; if you were hired with Gold for every Coelestial thought, you would study for more of them: you have fed too long upon the shell, feast now upon the kernel. A good hearing, when you come home at night, and say, Wife I have learned one lesson from my Ground, Cattel, &c. this day.
And then practise the Graces for your Calling. Seek first the Kingdom of God; else you will be the Worlds drudge here, that's sad; and the Devils drudge in hell, that's worse: you'll be poor here, and poor for ever; you will take pains now, and suffer pains hereafter: Yea, your very ploughing will be sin, Prov. 21.4. What an hell is this to be working all day, and yet sinning all day? Shine therefore in the Graces of your Calling. Brown bread, and the Grace of God are good fare, Rags and Christ's Righteousness are good Clothing; a straw bed, and a good Conscience are good Lodging.