N02451:152
Agricola. Or, The religious husbandman: the main intentions of religion, served in the business…
Agricola. Or, The religious husbandman: the main intentions of religion, served in the business and language of husbandry. A work adapted unto the grand purposes of piety; and commended therefore by a number of ministers, to be entertained in the families of the country. : [One line from I Corinthians]Agricola. Or, The religious husbandman: the main intentions of religion, served in the business and language of husbandry. A work adapted unto the grand purposes of piety; and commended therefore by a number of ministers, to be entertained in the families of the countrey. : [One line from I Corinthians]
Boston: printed by T. Fleet for D. Henchman, 1727
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Georgica Sacra. The SOWING Of the Field. › The Stony Ground.
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.
Beware, Beware, O my Hearers, that what Impression of Religion may have been made upon you, do not wither in Apostasy. The Word of GOD has doubtless raised some good Motions, & some good ⟨p. 49⟩Practices in many of you. For GOD's sake, let them not wither. Your Prayers in your Closets, and with your Households; your Cares to do Good upon your Children, and among your Neighbours; your watch over your whole Conversation: your Appetite for Communion with GOD in His Institutions; If these things do wither in any Man, My Soul shall have no pleasure in him, saith the Lord. Wherefore there are Three Things to be earnestly pressed upon you. And tho' it be Stony Ground that I have to deal withal, yet we will see what the Mighty Hammer that breaks the Rocks to pieces, will do upon it.
Beware, Beware, O my Hearers, that what Impression of Religion may have been made upon you, do not wither in Apostasy. The Word of GOD has doubtless raised some good Motions, & some good ⟨p. 49⟩Practices in many of you. For GOD's sake, let them not wither. Your Prayers in your Closets, and with your Houshoulds; your Cares to do Good upon your Children, and among your Neighbours; your watch over your whole Conversation: your Appetite for Communion with GOD in His Institutions; If these things do wither in any Man, My Soul shall have no pleasure in him, saith the Lord. Wherefore there are Three Things to be earnestly press'd upon you. And tho' it be Stony Ground that I have to deal withal, yet we will see what the Mighty Hammer that breaks the Rocks to pieces, will do upon it.
First; Tho' you are never such a Stony Ground, Yet, Oh! be prevailed withal to beg it of a Gracious GOD, that He would mercifully take away from you the Heart of Stone. Is it the Stony Ground, that yields nothing but withering Fruit? Yet, Oh! Let so much Fruit be found upon the most Obstinately Stony Ground among you. Go to a Glorious CHRIST, with doleful Complaints about that hard Heart of thine; and plead with the Lord His Promise; Ezek. XXXVI. 26. I will take away the stony Heart. Beg it of Him; Oh! Be it unto me according to thy Word! It may be, He will do this Thing, when thou dost entreat Him to do it for thee. And when this Thing is done, Then, then, thou wilt have a Fruitful Soul. All things will then work together for thy Good. But, if thy Heart must and will remain a Stone, GOD will one Day break thee in the place of Dragons! But then,