N02451:440
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.
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.
V. When the Year of Patience and Probation is expired, the Barren Tree no longer to be born withal, has a Destruction appoint for it: A Destruction from GOD, which, O M•n, should be a Terror to thee. If Now, it bear not Fruit, After That, a Cutting down shall be ordered for it.
V. When the Year of Patience and Probation is expir'd, the Barren Tree no longer to be born withal, has a Destruction appoin• for it: A Destruction from GOD, which, O M•n, should be a Terror to thee. If Now, it bear not Fruit, After That, a Cutting down shall be order'd for it.
You must be, first, warned of this; That the Barren Tree shall not be always born withal. The Glorious GOD will not always bear with it. The Patience of Heaven may stay a great while; But anon the Leaden Feet will come with Iron Hands. Of one, who had a space to Repent, and Repented not, we find anon it comes to That; Rev. II. 12. A great Tribulation. Barrenness under the Husbandry of GOD; shall I say, 'Tis a Sin? Yea, 'tis a Complication of all Sins. And this under the Aggravation of sinning against Instruction, against Conviction; of Rebelling against the Light. Can the Glorious GOD see a Disappointment of His Husbandry, without an Infinite Indignation against it? A Fiery Indignation that shall devour a Tree so obnoxious unto Him? Ah! Barren Tree; What a Contempt all the while dost thou cast upon the Patience of God? Thus to Despise the Riches of His Goodness and Forbearance, and Long suffering! Thus to Turn His Grace into Wantonness! GOD is greatly provoked at the Dishonour thus done unto Him. His Honour is in His Patience, how abominably, how unaccountably trampled on! He Resents the Disparagement. Yea, The Barren Tree will wax worse and worse. ⟨p. 183⟩Evil Men shall do so. They are the worse for the Patience of GOD. All tends to nourish and augment their Corruption. This adds to the Provocation. Anon, they grow Hopeless. Their Case is Desperate. They are Irrecoverable. To no purpose is any further Patience. To what purpose, one Year more? The Wrath of the Lord arises, and there is no Remedy. So, Abused Patience is turned into Fury. As a patient Creditor, long baffled, and bantered, and played upon, at length takes the Law upon the Debtor; becomes Inexorable: Thus the affronted Patience of GOD, will no longer divest the Law from taking its Course, on the Unfruitful Sinner. The Law is, Cut down the Barren Tree. O Unfruitful ones, Awake out of your security. GOD limits a certain Day, saying, To Day if you will hear His Voice. The Patience will come to an End, if your Barrenness don't come to an End. And, Oh! presume not, The Vision is for many Days to come. It may come to an End, sooner than you are aware of. It may come to an End, when you flatter yourselves, To Morrow shall be as this Day, and much more Abundant. It may come to an End, with such a Writ as that upon you, This Night thy Soul shall be required of thee. But, Oh!