A61391:552
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.
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.
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'l be poor here, and poor for ever; you will take pains now, and suffer paines hereafter: Yea, your very plowing 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, Raggs and Christ's Righteousness are good Clothing; a straw bed, and a good Conscience are good Lodging.
Let the Abuses in your Calling warn you to beware them. Adam had your Calling in it's prime, but he abused it, and lost it: and if abuses crept into the Garden, they will walk into the Field much more. ⟨p. 277⟩Watch then before, least you wail after; if you will not watch on earth, you will wail in hell.
Let the foresaid Ends of your Calling act you. At the beginning of every year, of every week, of every day, level your ends afresh, as you have been directed: So will you please God the more, and profit your selves never the less: then every Chare you do, will be a work for God; and though you fail in your subordinate ends, yet you'll never fail in your supreme end. You have a mean Calling, you had need of Noble aims; a Celestial end ennobles a Terrene employment.