mourns for his folly and opening his eyes sees Gods hand in all and blesseth the Name of the Lord. Preservatives against this Temptation to Discontent are Discretion Supplication and Consrderation 1. Discretion Most of your vexations are the effect and consequence of your indiscretion hence many of your straits come had you ordered business wisely you had never been in them hence many of your losses many trespasses and the vexations from them have flowed and therefore you must study to be wise Psal. 112. 5. A good man guides his affairs with discretion and so comes to be able to shew favour and lend A wise man discerneth time and judgement orders things in their season and so layes in little fuel for discontent whereas the foolish man by his rashness leaps into troubles and straits and then fumes and roars like a wild Bull in a net all the house cannot hold him And especially young House-holders that have leapt into that condition hand over head erre herein The rashness of their youth layes up for the discontents of their old age And Parents are too blame herein that do not fill their children with advise and all kind of wisdome before they lanch out into this sea of worldly troubles They send them away with Portions and Estates but how few are they that spend a day or an hour in directing them with wise counsel whereby they may live well here and better hereafter A little wisdom would prevent a great deal of Discontent 2. Supplication Beg of God a meek and quiet Spirit which is of so great price in the fight of God and watch after your Prayers not only how the Lord answers but how you endeavour He that prayes against Discontent binds himself to watch and strive against it or else his prayers are sin Beg an humble heart of God The humble man is seldome discontent he thinks the least of mercies is good enough for the chief of sinners Here 's a poor house course fare hard lodging unkind usage but 't is good enough for me Any thing that 's abated of Hell is meer courtesie If I may have but bread to eat and rayment to put on it 's fair for such a one as I. And then beg a mortified heart to all that is in the world When the heart is dead to the world worldly troubles do not trouble him When the Souldiers saw Christ our Lord was dead they would not break his bones He that 's dead to the world will save his bones whole when crosses straits and troubles come upon him why they return to God saying yonder man is dead already to the world his heart is crucified to it he feels nothing so as to be distempered by it When they strip dead men they struggle not you may take all they trouble not at it O beg such an heart that God may do what he will with thee That his will may be done and this prayer will procure patience and help against Discontent 3. Consideration of the Evil and Folly of this Sin It strikes at the Soveraignty Wisdome Power and Love of God at one blow Against his Soveraignty as if he rulâ—…d not things well or knew not what to do with his own Hence this sin is call'd Rebellion Num. 16. 14. with 17. 10. There God calls them Rebels and why because said they thou hast not brought us into a land flowing with milk and honey nor given us inheritances of fields and vineyards Thus thousands in their hearts reproach God and say Alas my lot is fallen ill I have neither house nor ground nor clothes as are fit for me Take heed go on no further in thy complaint This is Rebellion It wounds the Wisdom of God as if he knew not what to do for us and with us We would abhor to say this of God but in effect we proclaim it by our Discontent His wayes are sometimes dark but alwayes just sometimes intricate but alwayes wise Naomi thought that she and hers were quite undone but even then God was providing a stay for her in her old age No sayes the male-content if things had sorted to my mind it had been far better than it is as if you should say If God had taken my way he had hit it Also this puts a check upon the Power of God Can God give flesh Can he help me in this or that strait O I am undone there is no remedy As if his wayes and his thoughts were like thine and mine How oft hath he helped thee at a dead lift when the Lease was to takâ—… â—…hy Rent to pay thy Children to dispose And therefore why should you fret or repine at the straits and crosses that do befall you as though his hand were shortned or his car heavy Sure he that helps Kings can help Husbandmen in their need And then it strikes at the love of God No Father can be so carefull of the good of his Child or Husband of his Wives happiness as God is of each of you that belong to him And why will â—…e be displeased at his proceedings towards you Hear what he saith Jer. 32. 47. I will rejoyce over you to do you good and will plant you in this land assuredly with my whole heart and with my whole soul as if he should say I am glad in my heart when I can have a fit opportunity to do you good and I do it with my whole heart and soul. Nay sayes the discontented man Things falls out with me to the worst spite it self could not order worse for me such unexpected such intollerable troubles and vexations How doth this grieve Love it self that is ordering every thing for thy Good and thou cryest All these things work against me And here 's the evil of it And the Folly also of Discontent is manifest for it produces no good and procures much evil No good comes of it I report me to your experience whether ever your Discontent did mend the matter From the chieâ—… Evil Sin no good can come What folly is this for a man to fret and stamp and play the Bedlam an hour or two to no purpose 〈◊〉 matters nothing at all the better Nay it procures much Evil disheartens thy Wife discontents thy Family distempers thy self and wounds thy soul and grieves away the Good Spirit of God and all to no purpose O consider of these thingâ—… and never be discontent again SECT III. III. THe Third Temptation of the Husbandman is Forgetting God and Depending upon second Causes His Calling lying among the Creatures at some distance from God he is prone by trading with things seen to forget things unseen like a man in a Mill cannot hear the voice of God for the clacking and noise it makes It is the peculiar happiness of the Minister that his very Calling lies about God He dwells at Court every day he needs do little else but contemplate God and perswade others to him But the Husbandmans business lies
and his principle is known to suffer the greatest injury rather than offer the least and therefore he comforts himself that it will not last alwayes and so rests content Yea hâ—… suffers even from his Inferiours and must many times be his servants servant The heaviest burdens also and impositions do usually fall respect had to his mean estate most heavily on him and in publick Calamities where-ever the storm is brewed yer usually it lights on the Husbandman Like his sheep he is often shorn yea almost flead somtimes When he hath gotten a little wool on his back it stayes there but a while his Rent day comes and sweeps all away Quest. And what Remedy hath he for this Inconvenience Answ. For this he useth Faith and Patience which like two Bladders keep up his heart from sinking and dejection 1. He doth and must believe that these things are ordered by the wise Providence of his heavenly Father That men are Gods Hand as it is Psal. 17. 14. The men of the World are his Sword He believes also that even this shall work for his good that his burdens keep him humble when freedom would make him proud he believes that Heaven will put an end to all and make amends for all As holy David said Psal. 27. 11. I hadfainted unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the Land of the living So the Husbandmans spirit would fail but that his faith is strong and sees these are but clouds that will quickly pass away And in the mean time among other provision in his house he provides 2. Patience with this he eats and sleeps and smiles under all his load resolving if he can possess nothing else yet he will possess his soul with Patience and so with the Prophet Jer. 10. 19. Wo is me for my hurt my wound is grievous but I said truly this is a grief and I must bear it God hath laid it on and God alone shall take it off SECT IV. A Fourth Inconvenience in this Calling is That he hath many cares and troubles in the flesh he hath a succession of cares and troubles in this world he deals in those things that have not their name for nought vanity there 's their Substance and vexation of spirit there 's their Accident He hath his house to build or to repair that almost ruines him then his ground to manure that costs him much trouble and care then his Rent or Fine to pay this falls heavy on him and comes oft he hath hardly got up his back but the half year returns and his Rents squeeze him down again so that between the cares of his mind and the pains of his body he hath load enough for one And then his children must be educated though he cannot read yet they shall read and write because he feels the want thereof and then they must be provided for and this creates him new cares and troubles so that though he have not so much fleshly trouble yet hath he troubles in the flesh one upon another It is true he may thank the fall of our father Adam for many of these but however he came by them now he hath them Indeed this advantage he hath by them that they make him long for Heaven his hard work here makes him long to be at rest and though the world thus use him yet hereby he grows out of love with it and is estranged to it in his heart that useth him thus as a stranger Quest. But what Remedy can be given to this Inconvenience Answ. No way in this world to avoyd them the way therefore is to get them sanctified and sweetned Seeing this load cannot be cast off carry it as easily as you can Let prayers therefore be mingled with your cares and cordials with your troubles When you design your cares ultimately at the glory of God and manage them with holy hearts you sanctifie them and a feast on the Promises must be mingled with a meal upon troubles And consider that all men have their Cares as well as you yea perhaps the Gentleman your neighbour hath his head full of cares to make provision for his lusts while your cares are to make provision for your Families And be confident that their way of sin is a worse life than your way of labour and that you will rest from your labours when they shall not rest from their pain SECT V. THe Fifth Inconvenience of the Husbandmans Calling is That he bath more Will then Power to be a publick Good to mend what is amiss in the World To be a publick Good is the highest pitch of happiness in this world and herein only the High and Mighty have the advantage of the poor Husbandman The one may have as long life as good health as much comfort in the Creatures as cheerful an heart and as happy a life as the other with less danger here and a less account hereafter but here is the Husbandmans disadvantage he can but little promote any publick good nor hinder little publick evil he cannot build Hospitals endow Churches erect Schools enact good Laws preach Sermons nor encourage piety Nor on the other hand can he reform Sin if his life lay on it he sees them drunk when he goes to Market and he hears them swear and beholds the Sabbath broken but he cannot remedy it he doth as far as he can he where he sees it likely attempts to them and where it is otherwise mourns for them he comes home oft with a sad heart and wonders at the Patience of God that lets men alone and when he cannot bow the hearts of others can break his own about it As Lot good man could vex his righteous soul when he could not cure their unrighteous ones Our Husbandman hath a publick Spirit though he cannot be of publick use and where many have more power than will which will make for their Judgment he hath more will than power which will make for his comfort Quest. But what Remedy is there for this Inconvenience Answ. No help but his Prayers It was the Character of a Bishop that he could not preach but he could make Preachers by his liberal maintenance and education of persons for that Calling So though the Husbandman cannot preach yet he can help to furnish out Preachers by his Prayers Ephes. 6. 19. And for me also you must pray that utterance may be given unto me By his prayers both Magistrate and Minister are furthered in their Vocations and he visits them twice a day at least and presents them at the Throne of Grace He sees much amiss every where and though he be not so conceited as to think were he in place he could amend it yet he refers it to God and earnestly presses him to mend it And God will do much at the request of an upright Husbandman and when he hates the proud hypocrisies of formalists to this man he will
is better than the beggars only for this that they have larger opportunity to do the Lord service and to do good to others The poor mans meat and drink and sleep are as pleasant and wholesome to him as his Landâ—… lords his moderate labour as acceptable as the others idleness his natural recreations as delightful as the others that are more studied tedious and costly The poor man hath troubles so hath he and they have their suits and affronts and vexations one as well the 〈◊〉 only herein the Great Man is Superiour to him that he hath greater opportunity and ability to honour God and to do good to others more than his poor neighbour hath and happy he if he make use of it and woâ—… for ever to him if he do not If his greatness make him more potent to sin against God if his parts render him more ingenious to put a trick upon Religion if his riches only inable him to serve his lusts more effectually better a thousand times for him that he had been in his Scullions place For this end our Husbandman aimes at 〈◊〉 Estate to do good with it to minister to those that serve at the Altar to relieve his poor Kindred and Neighbours to help forward the binding of poor Children to trades or the maintenance of the ingenious pooâ—… Schollar at School or some other good work that may glorifie his God whose Steward he knows he is and all that ever he hath is at his devotion O Sirs do these thoughts breed in your hearts Are ye devising to do good as well as desiring to be great Alas none of your expences and layings out will pass in your accounts with God at the last Audit but what have some way tended to the glory of your Master or the good of your fellow-servants as well as your selves O if God would intrust me with plenty and with an heart to use it to his Glory then I were happy but of the two let me rather have a narrow Estate and wide Soul than a wide Estate and a narrow heart And this is the sixth Design of the Husbandman so much plenty as may inable him to do good and to Communicate And so you have the Ninth General Head in this Subject viz. the Husbandmans ends and designs which if you find written in your own hearts bless the Lord upon your knees If you fall short let me tell you that speedy Repentance and rectifying of your hearts is your wisdome and duty that God may bless and not blast you in all your undertakings If your aimes be only worldly profit ease or preferment of you or yours What do ye more than others Do not the very Pagans the same And if you care and work only to pay your Rent alas the Turks do so But herein you excell If you look not at things that are seen but at things that are not seen If you aime at God unto God you shall come at last CHAP. X. Rules for the Husbandman in his Calling SECTION I. ANd now we descry our Journies end and are arrived at the Tenth point to be handled in this Subject which is to offer some Rules to the Husbandman in the management of his Calling Every Calling hath its Canons and Rules to walk by as Ministers States-men all Men And it is a Wise Mans choice and the Fools cross to be regulated by a Rule now though you may gather Directâ—…ons out of the foregoing Discourse yet I have thought fit to specifie and insist on these following on set purpose but on this presupposition or if ye will condition that you will walk by them SECT I. THe First Rule for an Husbandman is Learn Prudence and Diligence in your Calling Prudence this your God will teach you Isa. 28. 26. That you may do each thing in its season for things are ugly out of their time Remember that it 's the note of a good man Psal. 112. 5. to order his affairs with discretion And that if any man lack wisdom it is but ask and have And then Diligence 1 Thes. 4. 11. That ye study Gr. as ambitious men for Honour to be quiet and to do your own business and to work with your own hands as we commanded you It was good Mr. Dod's saying He ever liked that Christian that would pray hard and work hard Thy endeavours in thy Calling should be as diligent as if thou would'st win all the world and then as diligent in Prayer as if thou would'st win Heaven Prov. 22. 29. Seest thou a man diligent in his business he shall stand before Kings he shall not stand before mean men that is diligence is the high-way to preferment How many have we seen removed out of the rank of ordinary men meerly by Gods blessing on their diligent labours Pliny reporteth of one Cresinus that from a little ground did by his industry gather so much Riches that he was accused of Witch-craft by Albinus an Aedile his neighbours could not imagine that so small a shred of ground should heap such treasures on him But he at the day of his appearance produces his implements of Husbandry and ranks them in order before the Senate and withall his Daughter a strong Woman and then cryes out Veneficia mea Quirites haec sunt O ye Senators these are all the Charms I have and so was dismist with praise But yet this Diligence may pass its bounds and due limits A man may work hard and have no thanks of God for his labour The Godly Husbandman is busie not out of love to Riches but out of hatred to Idleness An idle man can neither find in Heaven no nor in Hell a pattern The Angels above are ever imployed and the Devils below are ever imploying themselves All the creatures move in their places and hath Man any reason to have a writ of ease There were in Old Rome persons deputed to be Censores morum and in Athens the Areopagi who took particular notice of the Diligence of persons in their Callings and rewarded or punished them accordingly And indeed idle persons are but like wens in the body that are nourish't but it 's only to disfigure It is said Prov. 10.4 The hand of the Diligent maketh rich and yet vers 22. it 's said The blessing of the Lord it maketh rich Indeed both must concur but observe that where it 's said The blessing of the Lord maketh rich it follows And he addeth no sorrow with it Riches without Gods favour shall be like gravel in your teeth but when he sends them in mercy they are perfectly comforts Let these things stir up the sluggish Husbandman in his Calling For the most part we find that God hath most graciously appeared to his people even in the honest discharge of their Callings The Apostles chosen from their Nets and David from his sheep And to come to Husbandry it self where was Amos when the Lord sent him to his people
to the City that 's paved with Pearls and your portion there shall be with the best And why then are you cast down why are you disquieted Trust still in God for you shall yet praise him who is the health of your countenance and your God Leave your sadness to them whose Hell is before them and who have their portion in in this life and endeavour by squeezing the promises contemplating Heaven earnest prayer and practical endeavour to get and keep a Christian chearful spirit And because the Lord thy God shall bless thee in all thy increase and in all the works of thy hands therefore thou shalt surely rejoyce Deut. 16.15 For a merry heart maketh a chearful countenance but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken Prov. 15.13 SECT VII VII THe seventh Rule for the Christian Husbandman is Take a special care for the good of your Children they are parts of you they are the heritage of the Lord they are the hopes of the next generation and unless they be well season'd all the riches you can spare them are cast away If Religion were no reality yet it 's Policy to take pains in their education least they be industrious to waste that which you have been industrious to gather 'T is true sometimes the pains of a Parent is lost and the strictest Parent hath the loosest Child but God hath said Prov. 22.6 Train up a Child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it and because it sometimes speeds well therefore you should never be defective in your duty Your Crop sometimes miscarries and you lose your labour in the field yet because it usually quits the cost you plow and sow and hope the best therefore for their sake for your own sake for the Lords sake bring up your Children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord 1. Drop in the saving principles of Religion betimes instruct them concerning the wofull state wherein they were born and how by repentance towards God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ they may come out of it and do this with your utmost seriousness affection and frequency and water your instruction with prayers and tears bring good Ministers to them and beg prayers for them and let good books keep them company When the learned Junius was dangerously bent in the business of Religion his Father laid in every Chamber of his house a Bible and meeting with the first Chapter of John in one of them he was converted and setled thereby The book that convinced his Child may convince yours 2. Be not quiet till they be Regenerate Creatures cast about as worldlings do to make them rich in the world so that you may leave them rich in grace lighten the promises thunder the threatnings no pains is too great to prevent them from being fagots in the fire of Hell 3. Pray hard for them yea when you are feeding and dressing them cry Gen. 17.18 O that Ishmael may live before thee A child of prayers said good Mr. Dod will hardly miscarry by these Monica won Augustine and by these you may win yours Observe their inclinations to good or evil betimes and accordingly incourage or discourage them discern their haunts timously and remember preventive Physick is the best and that incouragement is as due as frowns when occasion serves 4. Bring them under the power of Gods Ordinances betimes Deut. 31.12 young and old saith God must come Samuel was young but he had not waited long but he was called use them to reading and to tell a verse when you have read use them to Sermons and to remember somthing that was preach't encourage them to get choice Scriptures fill the vessel somthing will stick Engage them to a course of serious prayer let them first use the Lords prayer which he understands though they do not and will accept because they do the best they can but be sure to train them further by shewing them their needs by begging and teaching them to beg the Spirit of Prayer And then your example and their practise will make them perfect You are glad to hear them speak and Almighty God is glad to hear them pray 5. Fix upon them an habitual liking to Godliness and dislike to sin and then they will hardly dislike what they have approved from the cradle or love that which they have been bred up in the hatred of Paint out Grace so to the life that you may enamour them of it and Hell so that they may be affrighted at it and be often using some little Questions to them to that purpose 6. Make them subject to your Authority for else you lose the opportunity of doing them good the Reins may be easily loosed but not so easily straitned by dallying with them you may undo them the disobedient Child seldome wants the inheritance of a curse and yet be wise in your Correction take heed of sinning in correcting of their 〈◊〉 and know that one folly seldome cures another and yet be not affraid of using the rod a few Rods may save abundance of words and when you have said all railing is not Gods Ordinance to cure your Children but wise correction is Prov. 23.13 and will prevent smart to them and grief to you 'T is sad when many are more affraid to chasten their Children then Abraham was to sacrifice his and so the Child goes to Hell for his Wickedness and the Parent for his Mercy but beware you do it wisely as your Heavenly Father corrects you with love moderation and instruction and rather for a disobedient word than an unwilling fault as the breaking of a glass or the like 7. Guide them to the most useful Recreations for Children have plenty of Spirits and will be active and it is not safe to deny them but direct them the-frolick Colt is not to be stifled but tamed nor the stream dam'd up that may profitably be diverted and used let them be permitted Shooting Fencing Wrestling Running Fishing c. for their bodies and Histories Riddles and other witty Questions for their minds least immoderate constraints make them worse afterwards and they grow crooked by being lac'd too strait 8. Be sure you give them a good example which will be better than many rules and for that end be most vigilant over your words and carriage in their presence for you know they are prone to imitation and especially of their Parents And would it not be sad for you to answer not only for your own sins but for all others that are committed by vertue of your evil example whereby you may do mischief many a year after you are dead and gone for your Children may grow loose by our example and their children by theirs and so for ought you know successively to the end of the World SECT VIII VIII THe Eighth Rule for the Christian Husbandman is Purchase some choice Books and read them well I
faithful Servant Thou hast been faithful in a little I will make thee Ruler over much Whereas if Gods Rent be neglected he will either strain upon thee here by some severe cross or other or take out all his Arrears in Hell Where the worm dieth not and where the fire is not quenched Keep up therefore your daily sacrifices unto God both alone and with your family and there alwayes offer an upright humble and holy heart praises and prayers from thence will be prevalent with the Lord I say both alone and with your family and especially on the Sabbath About each of which it will be necessary to enlarge a little 1. Some Rent you have to pay alone for this the Scripture is as clear as can be Mat. 6.6 When thou prayest enter into thy closet and when thou hast shut the door pray to thy Father which is in secret and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly And to this agrees the practise of Jesus Christ and of the Saints in Scripture witness Gen. 32.24 Nehem. 1.4 Dan. 9.3 Mark 1.35 And Reason it self perswades seeing that each of you have secret sins secret wants and secret affairs with God which require private converse between God and your Souls I do not resolve that this Duty is indispensable twice a day but I assert that the neglect of it when opportunitie may be gotten argues a prophane spirit and the conscionable practise thereof is a great argument of sinceritie And in short he that loves not uses not secret prayer yea and meditation and self-examination shall never be rewarded openly Foot-steps also of the use thereof in the Morning are Psal. 5.3 And in the Evening Psal. 141.2 2. An Houshold Rent also daily must be paid I mean a sacrifice in and with your family for it is not enough you pray for them but you must pray with them So Josh. 24.15 I and my house will serve the Lord. For the clearing in some measure and setling this family worship too much neglected in the Husbandmans house let these Propositions be laid down 1. God is not only to be worshipped on the Lords day but every day This is not only typified but proved Exod. 29.38 Two Lambs of the first year day by day continually Wherein though the offering was ceremonial yet the time was moral there being as much reason for the Christians offering every day as for the Jews And as works of necessity have room in Gods day so Prayers and Duties of necessitie may command room in our dayes especially seeing we have daily wants sins and mercies and cannot tell what a day may bring forth 2. God is not only to be worshipped alone in a family but joyntly and together For every Christian family should be a little Church like that Rom. 16.5 Now it 's not enough that the members of the Church worship God alone but it ought to be done together The same reason holds in a family namely for mutual Edification that the stronger may help the weaker and that all may worship without fail It is also much for the Honour ofGod that many joyn in his service And the very tenour of that pattern of Prayer Mat. 6.11 runs plural Our Father which art in Heaven And proves beside that daily prayer ought to be used by divers together Give us this day our daily bread 3. The fittest time for family worship is Morning and Evening This time of worshiping in general the light of Nature it self dictates The morning and evening being such signal periods of time as do in their own Nature intimate to man religious duty then to be done Prayer being the Key to unlock the Blessings of the Day and to lock up the Dangers of the Night for alas we walk upon barrels of Gun-powder in the Day our snares are so many and we lie in the shaddow of death at Night our dangers are so great Also at those times we have most opportunity for such work and therefore when the Lord orders Parents to teach their Children Deut. 6.6 he times it thus When you lie down and when you rise up And the Scripture also makes it manifest Exod. 29.39 Also Numb 28.4 The one Lamb shalt thou offer in the Morning and the other Lamb at Evening And thus the Tribes Acts 26.7 are said to serve God instantly night and day that is evening and morning By which things soberly considered together with the practise of Gods people as a Commentary thereupon you may evidently see That to worship God in your families morning and evening is the will of God it is your duty nay it is your priviledge And now to return to the Husbandman This being his Duty no excuse can clear him no plea can excuse him from paying this chief rent to the most High His inability and ignorance in prayer cannot help him for one sin can be no excuse for another Besides there are Helpes for the weak till strength come And above all the Holy Ghost is a very present Help to all that ask him and a sence of sin danger will soon untie your tongues and make you if not eloquent yet effectual in your prayers Want of time or abundance of business can be no excuse for a man must have time to eat and sleep and pray whatever business stay If any thing fall out that will not let you stay to eat in that case perhaps you may omit your prayer provided you pray as well as feed the heartier next time and are truly sorry for your disappointment And you must believe or else you have not a faith to save you that God can and will make you amends for all the time is spent about your souls see Mat. 22.25 and tremble for your neglects The backwardness of your relations and families will be no excuse For Abraham did and every Child of Abraham must command their Children and their houshold and they shall keep the way of the Lord Gen. 18.19 lest God observing you can command and keep them to their work but cannot command them to Prayer see through your hypocrisie and pour out that dreadful curse upon you from which the Lord bless the poor Husbandmans house Jer. 10.25 Pour out thy fury upon the Heathen and upon the families that call not on thy name Set immediately therefore on your duty with sorrow for your former neglects and a setled resolution for the time to come and be assured that God will meet and bless you as he hath promised and what you take in hand shall prosper Our work on earth is done best when our work in heaven is done first The Philosopher could say he had rather neglect his means than his mind and his farm than his soul. And remember good Job though his charge and business was far greater than yours yet Job 1.5 was constant in his religious duties Thus did Job continually 3. And then for the Sabbath Remember it before it