N02451:395
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.
Arbours Frugiferae. The ORCHARD flourishing.Arbores Frugiferae. The ORCHARD flourishing.
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.
We read, Eccl. III. 1. To every thing there is a Season, and a Time to every purpose under Heaven. ⟨p. 156⟩Truly, To every Fruit there is a Season; and a Time for every thing that is to be done in our way to Heaven, and in pursuance of our Purpose to come to Heaven.
I. There are the Fruits of PIETY, for which we have a Season every Day, at the Hour of our Daily Sacrifices. The Devotions wherein we hear GOD speak to us, and GOD hears us also speak to Him; The Devotions wherein we Read the Word of GOD, and seek the Face of GOD, and Commune with our own Hearts; What are these, but so many Fruits of Piety? First, there is the Religion of the Closet; So prescribed, Mat. VI. 6. Enter into thy Closet, and when thou hast shut thy Door, Pray to thy Father who is in secret. And then, there is the Religion of the Household; So prescribed, Col. IV. 2. Masters, continue in Prayer, and Watch in the same with Thanksgiving, Together with such as belong unto you. Now these Fruits of Piety, in every Morning, and in every Evening, we are to find a Season for them. The People of GOD had of old their Morning Sacrifices, and their Evening Sacrifices. Our Devotion are Spiritual Sacrifices acceptable to GOD by JESUS CHRIST. In these Devotions, doing the part of Priests unto GOD, we are to have both our Morning Sacrifices, and our Evening Sacrifices. In the Morning, there is a Season for us to Retire, and Feed upon some Truths wholesome to be taken, as we may say, next our Hearts; and then do like him who said, My Voice thou shalt hear in the Morning, O Lord; In the Morning I will direct my Prayer unto thee, and will look up. In the Morning there is a Season for us, ⟨p. 157⟩to call our Domestics together, and after we have also fed them with something from the Word of Truth, hereupon to do like him, of whom it is said, He feared GOD with all his House, and prayed unto GOD always. In the Evening there is a Season to Repeat such Devotions; and Renew our Visits unto Heaven. Yea, Some will oftener in a Day than so, find a Season for Addresses to Heaven, with some of these Devotions. He did so, who could say; Psal. XV. 17. Evening, Morning, and Noon will I pray and cry aloud. But in the Evening, for the close of all, and that we may lie down in Peace, and sleep, and be assured of dwelling in safety, have we not a Season to Reflect on the Favours we have received in the Day, and be Thankful for them? A Season, to Reflect on the Errors we have committed in the Day, and be humbled for them?