N02451:402
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.
IV. There are Fruits of PIETY, for which we have a Season, when the Business of our Temporal Calling is in its Prosecution. Every Israelite must ⟨p. 162⟩be able to make a suitable Reply, to the Interrogatory once put unto the Sons of Israel; What is your Occupation? It is directed, 1. Thess. IV. 11. Study to do your own Business. Indeed This Thing it self, is to bring forth Fruit in the Season thereof: When a Man minds and plies his own Business in the Season thereof. The Business of the Personal Calling, wherein a Man deserves well of Humane Society, and accordingly demands upon it; This is part of the Fruit, that should be found upon us. For which cause every Man that is employed in any Business which is of use to Humane Society, may challenge what that Maxim of Religion has ordered for him; Honour all Men. The very Wheelbarrow is to be with Respect looked upon. But then, O Christian, Wilt thou not bring forth Fruit unto GOD as well as unto Man, in the Business of thy Personal Calling? And wilt thou not be at work for Heaven, in what thou hast to do upon Earth? How Nobly, how Bravely, how Pleasantly, and with what Songs in the House of thy Pilgrimage will the work proceed, if it may be so! Truly, Now 'tis a Season for thee, to bring a Right Principle into its Operation, and think, Because GOD my SAVIOUR has ordered this Business for me, Therefore 'tis that I will now Cheerfully do what my Hand finds to do. I will Obey GOD my SAVIOUR, and be employed as a Servant of His, in what my Hand finds to do. But then, all the Industry, all the Honesty, all the Alacrity, in carrying on thy Business, from this Right Principle, which thou hast now a Season for; This also will be a Fruit well resented with GOD. And canst thou not Now likewise find a Season, to have thy Mind filled with ⟨p. 163⟩the Precious Thoughts of GOD, until it may be said, How great is the Sum of them? Certainly, The less thy Business does require of Intense Thoughts upon it, and where the Hand is more engaged than the Brain, and the Hand also goes on with a Repetition of the same Thing a thousand times over, Now tis a Season to multiply the Thoughts of one whose Conversation is in Heaven. The Skill of making Occasional Reflections, on Visible and Various Occurrences; Oh! the lovely Fruits, which it would help the Christian to abound withal!