Section 7: The husbandmans calling showing the excellencies… by Richard Steele | AskReformation

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:237p. 99–100

There is a care of the Head, a care of Providence, Prov. 31.16. That's commendable. There is a care of the Hand, a care of diligence, Prov. 21.5. That's profitable. And a care of the Heart, a care of diffidence, Phil. 4.6. That's abominable: Much of this care molests our Husbandman: many cares about his house, many about his ground, care fills his heart in Seed time, care overfills it in Harvest: but when his Rent day approaches, his cares press him down, care sometimes to borrow it, and then care to repay it. These invade him in the worship of God, and make long Parentheses in his Prayers; these wait upon him to his bed, and sometimes trouble him in it; and these visit him next his heart in the Morning. When he should be full of the thoughts of Heaven, these fill him with thoughts of the Earth, ^†and the Body robs the Soul of the cares that are needful for it; as how it should be f•d; wherewith it should be clothed, or how its deadly wounds shall be healed: how seldom do these break his sleep! When the Husbandman is Reading, or at Prayer, and running quite towards Heaven, these like a rub to the Bowl, make him fall short of his Mark. O says he, if this Rent were paid, or if I had ⟨p. 100⟩no Rent at all to pay, how freely and cheerfully could I serve God, and take care about my soul! but this world, this world takes me off, and whatsoever my soul doth, Rent must be paid, and care must be taken: As if he should say, If I were a Gentleman, I would be a Christian; I would take care of my soul, if I had nothing else to do.

There is a care of the Head, a care of Providence, Prov. 31.16. That's commendable. There is a care of the Hand, a care of diligence, Prov. 21.5. That's profitable. And a care of the Heart, a care of diffidence, Phil. 4.6. That's abominable: Much of this care molests our Husbandman: many cares about his house, many about his ground, care fills his heart in Seed time, care overfills it in Harvest: but when his Rent day approaches, his cares press him down, care somtimes to borrow it, and then care to repay it. These invade him in the worship of God, and make long Parentheses in his Prayers; these wait upon him to his bed, and somtimes trouble him in it; and these visit him next his heart in the Morning. When he should be full of the thoughts of Heaven, these fill him with thoughts of the Earth, ^†and the Body robs the Soul of the cares that are needful for it; as how it should be f•d; wherewith it should be cloathed, or how its deadly wounds shall be healed: how seldome do these break his sleep! When the Husbandman is Reading, or at Pra•r, and running quite towards Heaven, these like a rubb to the Bowl, make him fall short of his Mark. O sayes he, if this Rent were paid, or if I had ⟨p. 100⟩no Rent at all to pay, how freely and cheerfully could I serve God, and take care about my soul! but this world, this world takes me off, and whatsoever my soul doth, Rent must be paid, and care must be taken: As if he should say, If I were a Gentleman, I would be a Christian; I would take care of my soul, if I had nothing else to do.

†Yea many like co• are swallowed up of the earth alive. Mr. Swinnock.

:238p. 100–101

It's true, care must be taken how to live in the world, but not distracting care, not excluding care, not unseasonable care, not immoderate care, not distrustful care. Not distracting; when the mind is drawn this way, and then drawn that way, hurried uncomfortably and indisposed to any good. Not excluding care, whereby the thoughts and cares of Heaven are shut out. For (as a reverend Divine says) either men must use the world as if they used it not, or they will serve the Lord as if they served him not. If thou hast need to pay man his due, sure much more care is to be taken to pay unto God his due; if care how to live thirty or forty years, much more to live forty thousand years: If you must take care to escape the Prison, much more to escape Hell. Again, it must not be unseasonable care; when the body should be refreshed by meet or ¹sleep, (for it is comely and good for one to eat, and to drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labour) nor when the soul should be refreshed with the Ordinances of God, for one thing is needful, to wit, that better pat. Not immoderate care, whereby the body is distempered, ⟨p. 101⟩or the soul unfitted for the comfortable discharge of your heavenly or earthly Callings. Nor lastly, distrustful care, when you trust too much in your own understanding, and too little in the Wisdom and Providence of God.

It's true, care must be taken how to live in the world, but not distracting care, not excluding care, not unseasonable care, not immoderate care, not distrustful care. Not distracting; when the mind is drawn this way, and then drawn that way, hurryed uncomfortably and indisposed to any good. Not excluding care, whereby the thoughts and cares of Heaven are shut out. For (as a reverend Divine sayes) either men must use the world as if they used it not, or they will serve the Lord as if they serv'd him not. If thou hast need to pay man his due, sure much more care is to be taken to pay unto God his due; if care how to live thirty or forty years, much more to live forty thousand years: If you must take care to escape the Prison, much more to escape Hell. Again, it must not be unseasonable care; when the body should be refreshed by meet or ¹sleep, (for it is comly and good for one to eat, and to drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labour) nor when the soul should be refreshed with the Ordinances of God, for one thing is needful, to wit, that better patt. Not immoderate care, whereby the body is distempered, ⟨p. 101⟩or the soul unfitted for the comfortable discharge of your heavenly or earthly Callings. Nor lastly, distrustful care, when you trust too much in your own understanding, and too little in the Wisdom and Providence of God.

1eccl 5.18.•ccl 5.18.

:240p. 101–102¶1

1. Learn to cast your care upon God, 1 Pet. 5.7. Casting all your care upon him, for he careth for you. A most rare Duty, and a most excellent Promise. Cast, not only put or lay it on, in part, or at leisure, but cast it wholly and speedily. Cast what? why, your care, your distracting care, so the word signifies; your necessary cares you must grapple with as well as you can; but when they squeeze, torment, divide, distract the heart, then cast them away; and not one or two of them, but All your care. In six troubles and in seven go the same way, knock at the same door, throw them on ⟨p. 102⟩the same shoulder: where's that? Upon him; one able to bear and order them all, and not only able, but very willing, For he careth for you: It is his business to care for you; his business and design is to order all things for your eternal good. What needs the child torture himself about a business, when the Father, that is wise and loving, sends him word that he will take care thereof? Says God, Let present duty be your care, and future events shall be mine; If you will trust me, I will order it well for you.

1. Learn to cast your care upon God, 1 Pet. 5.7. Casting all your care upon him, for he careth for you. A most rare Duty, and a most excellent Promise. Cast, not only put or lay it on, in part, or at leisure, but cast it wholly and speedily. Cast what? why, your care, your distracting care, so the word signifies; your necessary cares you must grapple with as well as you can; but when they squeeze, torment, divide, distract the heart, then cast them away; and not one or two of them, but All your care. In six troubles and in seaven go the same way, knock at the same door, throw them on ⟨p. 102⟩the same shoulder: where's that? Vpon him; one able to bear and order them all, and not only able, but very willing, For he careth for you: It is his business to care for you; his business and design is to order all things for your eternal good. What needs the child torture himself about a business, when the Father, that is wise and loving, sends him word that he will take care thereof? Sayes God, Let present duty be your care, and future events shall be mine; If you will trust me, I will order it well for you.

:243p. 103–104

And therefore when they crowd in upon you, and overpress you, let out your hearts to God in prayer, lay your straits and business before him: commit thy way to the Lord, trust also in him, and see if he do not bring it to pass. Say, Lord, my heart is overwhelmed in me, out of the Depths I cry unto thee, I can do no good of it, but thou canst; this knot thou canst untie; my carking snarls it the faster, I'll trouble my self no more but to do my duty; my contrivances are Castles in the Air, but thy Understanding is infinite. And at long run you will find this, that Real Piety, is the truest Policy. Alas the Husbandmans head is ⟨p. 104⟩not shaped for worldly wisdom, he is plain and simple; and again, he is spent sufficiently by his labour, hath no need to break his head and disturb his sleep and mirth with these distractions, especially while they will do him no good; and therefore go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink that thou hast with a merry heart, for God now accepteth thy work, Eccl. 9.7.

And therefore when they crowd in upon you, and overpress you, let out your hearts to God in prayer, lay your straits and business before him: commit thy way to the Lord, trust also in him, and see if he do not bring it to pass. Say, Lord, my heart is overwhelmed in me, out of the Depths I cry unto thee, I can do no good of it, but thou canst; this knot thou canst unty; my carking snarls it the faster, I'le trouble my self no more but to do my duty; my contrivances are Castles in the Air, but thy Understanding is infinite. And at long run you will find this, that Real Piety, is the truest Pollicy. Alas the Husbandmans head is ⟨p. 104⟩not shap'd for worldly wisdom, he is plain and simple; and again, he is spent sufficiently by his labour, hath no need to break his head and disturb his sleep and mirth with these distractions, especially while they will do him no good; and therefore go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink that thou hast with a merry heart, for God now accepteth thy work, Eccl. 9.7.