The Husbandmans Calling, Chapter 5

The Husbandmans Calling · Chapter 5

p. 58CHAP. V. Cap. 5. The Temptations of the Husbandmans Calling, and Preservatives.The Temptations of the Husbandman, and the Preservatives.

WE are now arrived at the Fifth Head, which is to inquire into the Temptations incident to this Calling. Paradise it self was not without them, and in every Calling he must expect them. There are Temptations to suffering, and Temptations to sin; the one mentioned James 1. 2. The other, vers. 13. It is cause of joy when we fall into temptations of suffering, especially for Christ; many account it all joy when they escape such p. 59temptations, but we should rather account it all joy when we meet with them. It's cause of sorrow when we are tempted to sin, though we are apt to think our selves made with such Temptations: And many of these have invaded the harmless Calling of the Husbandman. But to be forewarn'd is the way to be forearm'd; and though he be assaulted, yet he is not forsaken. He hath a Father that will not lead him into temptation; which is not only his daily prayer, but his chiefest care; That though his Mothers children have him Keeper of the Vineyards, yet his own Vineyard may be kept.

SECT. 1.

THe First Temptation of the Husbandman §. 1. Earthlymindedness.is, Earthly-mindedness. The Earth is his Element, therein is his business, and there he is in danger to lose his heart, as it is said John 3. 31. He that is of the Earth is earthly, and speaketh of the Earth. The Husbandman is sprung as it were out of the Earth, and the frame of his heart is prone to be earthly, and his words are much of the same subject. As it is impossible to behold the Heavens above us with one Eye, and Earth under our feet with the other; so it is a very hard business, to have the Eye of the Soul upward, and the Eye of the Body, downward at the same time. …e World looks little when one is in Heaven a great way off it; but while on it, it looks p. 60vast and great. On a Mountain, whole Fields at a distance look no bigger than a leaf of this book; but he that is at them finds them bigger. And a small Hatt held near our Eye, will hinder our sight of the Sun, more than a great Mountain at a distance. O Sirs, the Husbandman is near the Earth, and it looks great in his eye, and indangers to fill the heart and all; it swallows up his heart, and devours his time, and dulls his spirits; he is ready to account these things the greatest things, because they are next him, and he lives in them and upon them; he looks on his money, and sees more beauty in it, than in the Sun that shines; and the face upon his Silver, he thinks the beautifullest face in the world: The lowing of his Cattel, is better Musick to him, than the best Musick, and a good Crop more welcome (suppose him yet without an Eye of Faith) than all the Promises in the Bible. Psal. 17. 14. Deliver me from men of this world, which have their Portion in this life, and whose belly thou fillest with hidden treasures. When the Belly is full of the hid treasures of the Earth, the Heart is often empty of the hidden treasures of Heaven. Described again, Phil. 3.19. Who mind earthly things. To have earthly things is a mercy, but to mind earthly things is a curse. And this is his Temptation-; herein is his Calling, and herein is his Temptation. You know, it is hard to touch pitch without defilement; where both hands a… full, much adoe to keep the heart empty; and p. 61especially when Riches increase, the heart is set on them. O what carnal delight hath a man of the world, to see his stock of Cattle stand and increase, when his fields are well grown, and his barns filled: The comforts of heaven only exceed it. Thou hast put gladness into mine heart, more than when their corn and wine increased, Psal. 4. 7.

The choicest of his thoughts are prone to be spent on these things, and his Soul cleaveth to the dust. Poor man! though he be never likely to have great things in the world, yet his head is full of Proclamations (as we say) and his heart of distractions. Much adoe to dwell on Earth, and live in Heaven at the same time, or for him to have the heart set on the other world, that hath this world set in his heart.

But that I may not discover the diseases of this Calling, without prescribing some cure thereof; I shall add to each Temptation an Antidote or two, if you will resolve not onelyonly to approve them, but apply them.

1. One Preservative from this Temptation 1. Preservative.will be, to consider the Nature of your souls; So excellent, that they are capable to know and enjoy God himself; they are company for an Angel, they are Nobly Descended: Now to degrade these, to bury them in a furrow, to make them stoop to the slavish service of the world, is unworthy and unreasonable; ††Rebus non me trado, sed commodo. Senec. de Benef.As if a man had Golden Mills to grind nothing, but for Horse-bread, with them. It's enough for p. 62the Serpent to eat the Dust all his dayes, your souls are created for an higher end.

2. And then, consider the uncertainty of 2.all these Earthly things you set your hearts upon, Prov. 23. 5. Wilt thou set thine heart upon that which is not? Mark, it's not worth looking at, much less setting thy heart thereon [that which is not]; things that fade, are not, they have no being worth speaking of. And it follows, For riches certainly make themselves wings; if no body steal them, or take them away, yet they make themselves wings; certainly they will away, and flee; not only depart fairly, or run in haste from you, but flee from you; and who would mind such fading trasn? They will sing you a sweet song, like the bird by your window, but they are gone, you have them not in a Cage: And who will fall in love with a Sparrow on the house top?

3. Be often in the Scriptures. That's an 3.Heavenly Book, and will best cure an Earthly heart. To converse with the world, will make you worldly, but to converse with God, will make you heavenly. There God will tell you the vanity and vexation, that is in all earthly things; There he will shew better things, yea, durable riches and righteousness. The Devil can shew you on a Mountain all the Glory of the World; but on the Pisgah of the Bible, God can shew you all the Glory of Heaven: You can hardly come out of the Scriptures without a divine frame, if you will read them withall your heart. The law of thy p. 63mouth is better to me, than thousands of Gold and Silver. Two or three Scriptum est's dash't and disgraced all the Glory of the World, and the God of it also.

4. Be exercised oft in Meditation. As tillage 4. A Saint should go through the world like one in a deep study. Mr. Swin…ck. Meditatio quasiment is ditatio.changes the nature of some barren grounds, and makes them better; so Meditation changes the complexion of the soul, finds it poor, and leaves it rich, lifts up the soul to converse with God, familiarizes the invisible things of God to the soul, and makes a man at home in Heaven, and a stranger on Earth. He that will think with all his heart on God, can think but with half an heart on any thing in the world. When the Soul hath been a while above, what's a house or field in comparison of God? what's a Crown or a World to Him that sitteth on the Throne? Whom have I in Heaven but thee, and there's none on Earth I can desire like thee, Psal. 73. 25.

SECT. II.§. 2.

II. The Second Temptation of the Husbandman Discontent.is, Discontent. He hath divers crosses, and these provoke him to murmure against God. He hath but narrow comforts of this life, and this occasions some grudgings at his own Condition. His shoe pinches him, and he cannot hide it. Unless he be Master of much Grace, he frets, he fumes, he thinks the world is unequally divided; he p. 64takes himself something neglected, and injured. His house is ready to fall, his children want cloaths, his rent day is near, and his money far off; his comforts are discomforts, his things are nothings, and thus he grudges because he is not satisfied; God himself can hardly please him. The Lord hath helped him in forty things, but he is in a strait again, and now that is forgotten. God takes no care of poor men, his Lot is worse than every ones; never man had such a life, would he were in his grave, he should then be quiet; and thus poor man he thinks he hath reason on his side, and that he hath cause to be angry.

And then, the injuries, calu…ies and trespasses he meets with from his unjust neighbours, these grate again upon his angry humour, and inflame him again; never man had such neighbours; one trespasses on him on this side, another sues him for trespass on the other side. A Thief goes away with a sheep or an horse this way, the Fowls and Mice they purloine away his corn another way. His Landlord exacts upon him, every one wrongs him, and he must be a Stock or a Stoick that were insensible. But these things meeting with a weak Christian, weary with labour, tempt him sometimes to say, My soul is weary of my life—I will speak in the bitterness of my soul, Job 10. 1. and alas! so he does, if Grace prevent not: his wife she is chidden, his children beaten, his servants turned out of doors, his neighbours reviled; and then after all he p. 65… at himself, grieves and 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 p. 66better 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 'tis 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.

p. 673. 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 rul…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 p. 68helped thee at a dead lift, when the Lease was to tak…, …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 …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 chie… Evil (Sin,) no good can come. What folly is this, for a man to fret, and stamp, and play the p. 69Bedlam, 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 thing…, and never be discontent again.

SECT. III.§. 5.

III. THe Third Temptation of the Husbandman Forgeting God, and depending on second Gauses.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 much among the Creatures; He must study the Earth, as well as the Heavens; and you know, the hired Servan… …hat are out in the fields, may more easily forget their Lord, than they who wait on him in his chamber. There are many in the world, that have little else to do, but think of God and their Souls; but the Husbandman he hath many things to think on, many things to care p. 70for besides: and the Moon of the world doth interpose and hide from him, the sight and beams of the Sun of Righteousness: and because God is out of sight, he is too much out of the mind of the Husbandman. If the year be fruitfull, he is ready to give the honour thereof to the goodness of the Ground, or to the skilfull husbandry thereof. If it be unfruitful, he is apt to conclude such and such a thing was the cause, not looking to the First Cause, the Mercy, or Justice, or Providence of God, which doth order and govern the growing of every grasse pile, and the blasting of every single ear of corn upon the earth: But none saith, where is God my maker, who giveth Songs in the night? Job 35. 10. When the rain distills, and makes the fields to smile, dow readily does the Husbandman cry out, O the sweetness of this rain! but how unready is he to break forth and say, O the sweetness of that God that gives it! And to help on this neglect of God, most languages have made those words Impersonals, that signifies Rain, Snow, and the like, which must have no Nominative case;—It Rains, it Freezes, &c. as if men were loth to acknowledge God, in those peculiar works of his Providence. When this part of his field misses, he is far proner to take notice of the badness of the Earth, than of the Anger of Heaven. When his Cattle mismarry, his eye is quicker upon the improvidence of his Servants, than on the Providence of his Master in Heaven. But none saith, p. 71where is God my Maker? And so, because we cannot discern his finger, he is constrained next time to lay on his hand, and awaken us to feel and see him.

Thus the Honour also which is due to God, is often laid at the feet of second Causes, and men blesse the hand that reaches, and not the Hand that sends it. If Grace be not predominant in our Husbandmans heart, you shall more commonly hear him, when he is reaping his Corn, commend the goodness of his ground, than the Goodness of his God, and declare to his neighbours his own skill, with great freedome and frequency, but speak of Gods blessing, which was All in All, seldome, and with much straitnesse.

The Autidotes against this Temptation are,

1. A full Perswasion of the General Providence, and particular influence of God, the First Cause over all, and into all Second Causes: hence they are called Second Causes, because of their relation and dependance on the First. See the Genealogy of Corn and Wine resolved into God, Hos. 2. 21, 22. Hence some of the very Heathen, when they went to plow in the morning, they laid one hand on the Plough, (to speak their own part, to be painfulness) and held the other hand up to Ceres, their Goddess of Corn, to testifie their expectation of plenty from her. It is God alone that crowns the year with his Goodnesse, Psal. 65. …. He bringeth the wind out of his treasures, he giveth the former & latter rain in their season; he p. 72causeth his wind to blow, and the waters flow, Psal, 147.16. Not a drop of rain, but he makes and sends it, and tells it where it shall fall. When the Sun shines, or showers fall, do but draw by the curtain, and by faith you may see God in the thing, Deut. 11. 15. And I will sendgrass in thy fields for thy Cattel, that thou mayest eat and be full. Does thy Grass grow well, God from heaven sent thee that grass; Does it wither, parch and fail? God hath sent for thy grass away; and that he never does without good reason: And therefore under the Law, Exod. 23.16, 19. God called for the first fruits of their land; partly to let them know who it was that gave them, and charges his People, Deut. 8. 18. Beware least thou say in thy heart, my Power, and the Might of my hand hath gotten me this wealth: but thou shalt. REMEMBER the LORD thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth. And all thy Endeavours without his Blessing are, as Caesar said of Senecas writings, Aren… sine calce, they fall asunder. Look thou therefore at God in all things. The Finger of God may be seen by an e…e of Faith: There is no Event so great, nor any so …nall, but the hand of God is in it. And O how canst thou forget God, when thou mayest hear from him, and see him every minute? Though you see not his face, yet you may discern his foot-steps. Go into the field, and he hath been there; return into thy house among thy children, and there hath he …en before thee. Thou may'st p. 73meet him in every mercy, and feel him in every Judgment.

As the Wife therefore is somtimes angry with what the Servant is doing, till he tell her, that his Master appoynted him; then she sayes no more: So when cross Accidents fret thee, and second Causes walk contrary to thee, remember the First Cause hath bidden them, and rest content. If the Bottles of Heaven be stopped knock at Gods door, and he will open them, Jer. 14. 22. Are there any among the vanities of the Gentiles, that can cause rain, or can the Heavens give Showers? Art not thou He, O Lord our God? Therefore we will wait upon thee, for thou hast made all these things. Three Keyes the Jewish Rabbins often give him; The Key of the W…mb, the Key of the Grave, and the Key of the Clouds; implying, that none but He can unlock these.

Learn then to see God, to seek God in all things. Satan cannot enter into an Hogg without divine appoyntment. VVhat can one think more casual and independent on God, than the Sabeans and Chaldeans taking away Job's Cattle! and yet he looks beyond them at God. The Lord hath taken away; and this contents him. This opens our mouths to praise him for mercies, and strikes us dumb from repining against him in crosses. I was dumb, I opened not my mouth, because thou d…dst it. Look through all Creatures and Providences as through a Glass, and behold God disposing thee and them with infinite p. 74wisdome; so wilt thou meet God every step, and keep correspondence with him, though mediately, all the day long. As it was with Saul and his fellow travellers, Acts 9. 7. They all heard a voice, but none, save Saul, saw Jesus Christ: So any man perceives the external sensible effects of providence, but it's the Christian Husbandman, that sees God in them, and adores him. Every Rivulet guides him up to the fountain; and seeing his works he presently ascends to the workman, and finds his God in all things, and all things in his God.

2. A second Antidote is, the Consideration of the folly and danger of depending on Second Causes. Folly, for nothing can move, much less help without God; a vain thing to stir the ballance of the Clock or Watch, except the Spring and great Wheel stir. All Creatures are but poor, little Wheels, that can do you no Good without the first Cause. God must say the word; if he hiss to the flies, they come amain; and therefore lose thy time no more in solliciting poor second causes, or depending on them, but knock at the right door, and you will find God still within. Some trust in Chariots, and some in Horses, but we will remember the Name of the Lord our God. In vain is Salvation looked for from the hills; from God the Lord is the salvation of his people. Make thy Ground as good as thou canst, but then trust not in the goodness of thy Ground, but in the goodness of thy God for a plentifull crop; Non Solum sed Caelum facit p. 75fructum, It's not the Earth, but the Heaven that sends the Corn. Manure and prune thy Trees with all thy Art, but then depend on Gods blessing for store of fruit: for the Creature can but do what it's bidden, and therefore its folly to depend thereon.

And consider the danger also; for when its depended on, it is in danger of a blast, and you are in danger of a cu…e. God will not give his Glory to another, nor suffer his Creature to wear his Crown, and therefore he many times smites the Field, the Beast, the Horse, whereon you depend too much. If you make but a Trench for water, and have no dependance on God, he takes it ill, Isa. 22. 11. Ye make a ditch also,—for the water of the old Pool; but ye have not looked to the Maker thereof, neither had respect to him that fashioned it long agoe. Hereby also you invite a Curse upon your selves; for God hath said, Jer. 17. 5. Cursed is the man that maketh flesh his arm, that trusteth in man, and whose trust departeth from the Lord. And if you run such an hazard by trusting in man, how will you escape for depending on any other inferiour creature, below God himself? Read and believe the whole truth of this, and nothing but the truth, Psal. 144. 10, 12, 13. It is He that giveth salvation unto Kings,—that maketh our Sons as Plants,—our Daughters as Corner stones,—our Garners full, our Sheep fruitful, our Oxen strong. Let the Husbandman therefore make God his friend, and p. 76then he is at league with the very stones of the Field, and whatsoever he doth shall prosper. Be sure that he be sollicited every day by prayer, and crowned with praises; and then second Causes are thine own. Use means, but trust not in them. Let not your Faith stifle your Industry, nor your Industry blind your Faith. Let your hands be busie in the second causes, but let your heart be first on the First. And as the sweet Psalmist advises, Psal. 37.3. Trust in the Lord and do good: So (mark So and not otherwise) thou shalt dwell in the Land, and verily thou shalt be fed.

SECT. IV.§. 4.

IV THe Fourth Temptation of the Husbandman Envy at Superiours.is, Envy at his Superiours. And by this Temptation fell the second Husbandman in the world. Abel sat above Cain in the favour and acceptation of God, Gen. 4.4, 5. and for this Cain was wroth, and his countenance fell. He that should have blest God for his Brother, and examin'd himself, he takes it ill at God, and ill of his Brother, and is the death of him; as envy useth to pursue its object to death, he kills him down right, because he was exalted in Gods esteem above him. And ever since, the spirit that is in the Husbandman is prone to lust unto envy. His Landlords temptation is to despise him, and his temptation is to envy his Landlord. He p. 77can hardly come to Town, but he envies the ease of the Tradesman: He can hardly see the fine house of the Gentleman his neighbour, nor the fine cloaths of his Wife or Children, without an envious eye; nay, the painful life of his faithful Minister he is apt to envy, as if he had a degree of ease and honour above himself; yea, except grace prevent and mortifie, there lies at his heart a perpetual grudg, and secret spite at all Magistrates, Ministers, great and wealthy men, all which he thinks do him wrong, because he sweats, and they do not; he payes the money, and they receive it; he gets it, and they spend it, though most of it returns through his hands again. He knows no reason, why such being made of the same mold, and perhaps born of the same Stock with himself, should live in such brave houses, wear such costly apparel, and fare at such an high rate; when he hath his head full of cares, his bones full of pain, and hath hardly meat to eat, or time to eat it; when his Landlords Horses lye in a finer House then he, and his meanest servant wears a cloth beyond him.

This Temptation meeting with a proud temper, doth much disfigure our Husbandman, and makes him speak reproachfully and unadvisedly with his lips. This one fellow came in to sojourn, and he will needs be a Judge, said they of Sodom to Lot the wealthy, Gen. 19. 9. What are these idle Gentry good for? See their intollerable pride and height. p. 78What needs such decking of a walking Dunghil? worser cloaths might serve: Would they were tyed a while to our fare. Never good world since there was such a distinction… between Princes and Peasants, between rich and poor: Nay, if their humour were not curb'd by grace within or fear without, they would actually dispossess their Superiours of their right, and deal as Abimeleck by Isaac, Gen. 26. 16. Go from us (sayes he) for thou art much mightier than we.

The rich, they are sick of their poor neighbours; and the poor are as sick of their rich Superiours: and there is a levelling Principle in the hearts of common people, that can endure no Superiour; as there is an ambitious one in Great Ones to abide no equal. Nay, the Husbandman is apt to think that he hath Reason on his side, y…a and God Almighty also, that God loves none that are richer than he; and because he finds that the Gospel hath included the poor, he thinks to exclude the rich; and comforts himself after all with this, that in Heaven he shall sit above them, if at least any of them come there. Thus he pleases, but mostly frets himself at the Grandeur of Superiors; and instead of chearing himself, he torments himself at the comforts of his betters.

But doth he well this while? Is he indeed in the right? and hath Providence done him wrong, or doth God throw down riches and greatness winking, and bestow honours at adventures? Nay, my Beloved, this is but his p. 79Temptation. The holy Husbandman will not yield to these thoughts, he is of another temper. But though this Cockatrice must be crusht, and Antidotes sought against this malignant humour; yet I dare not plead for any of the excessive gallantry, or costly superfluity, either in fare, building, or apparel, that is in use with any; nor for an idle, unuseful life, for any man or woman in the world; (Our Father Adam himself, if he were alive, would not desire it) I may not speak one word for these; nay wo, wo to them, if poor men perish for want of necessaries, while they swim in their superfluities, and relieve them not: Sadly and certainly shall they rue it with the rich man in the Gospel, if they make their Tenants grown by the racking of their Rents, that they may sing in the multitude of their Frolicks. If their sitting on your Shoulders do not raise them nearer Heaven, but only squeeze down you to the earth, they will have a full cup of wrath made ready for them in due time. But yet in the mean while, if ye will be Gods Husbandry, if ye will be Gods Building, ye must not envy them, no not at all.

To Preserve you then against this Temptation,

1. Study the real evils or troubles, as well as the seeming happiness of your Superiours. You see their Glory, but alas you do not see their misery; you envy the bravery of their Apparel, but you would pity them if you knew the Diseases and Distempers that are often under p. 80it; you see their stately houses, but you see not the cares, the fears, the discontents that many times lodge within them; you grudge at their full Tables and delicate fare, but if you consider the great reckoning they have to pay, you would pity them at your heart. Their …azzards, and troubles, and temptations at present, besides their danger to come, do far surpass their enjoyments, and do rather crave your compassion, then your emulation: For,

1. They are in perpetual danger of falling from their height. If you saw a man advanced to the top of some high pinacle, and there shaking by every blast, would you not pitty such a man? Who would envy that mans advancement? Such is the condition of Great men; they are higher than you, but then their hazzard is greater, and their fall the sadder; Every wind shakes them, and their fears drink up a great deal of their joyes: And then,

2. Their troubles are proportionable to their greatness: You have small debts to pay, and they have great debts to pay, and find it as hard to discharge them, as you find yours; and for one Husbandman, there are two or three Gentlemen that dye in debt: You have crosses in your Children; why, they have greater: And the Sun and Moon in their habitations, do sometimes ecclipse one another, and cannot be fixt in the same firmament: You have injuries offered you, and so you are drawn into suit; Alas! they are seldome out of suit: You are provoked by evil words p. 81now and then, they likewise have their affronts, that pierce them far deeper than yours do. And then for health, that epitome of mercy; you are indeed sometimes sick, alas, they are seldome well: they must eat and drink by rule, and do find far less sweetness in their meat, and sleep than you do; and must these be envyed? And then you must needs imagine their cares do exceed yours; and cares, you know, are the heaviest of your load, and herein they do as much exceed you, as in their estates; care to get, care to keep their own, care to borrow, and care to pay, care to get and keep their reputation, and houshold cares must needs be many: and all these cares and troubles are herein heavier than yours, in that they are more unexpected, and they are less prepar'd for them; and you know the more tender the skin, the deeper the iron enters thereinto.

And 3. As their Troubles, so their Temptations are very great. A wise man would not have their Estates a year, for the Temptations they have in an hour. The greater the Man, the greater is his Temptation. O what temptations have they to Pride, to Flesh-pleasing, to Covetousness, to Atheism! What fuel do their Estates lay up for these sins? How hard is it to have full barns, a vast Estate, and that entail'd, without a Soul at ease? You little think what their danger is, how readily a man forgets God, when he is full. I dare say, thou that enviest him, would st be worse than p. 82he, if thou had'st his Estate. What a strong temptation is it to oppress, when a man knows he can do what he list? The having of much, is a mighty incentive to hunger for more. So that every way thy Superiour, is superiour to thee in temptations, and therefore his condition not to be envied.

And then 4. If you think of their future hazzard, you have small need to envy them; for it is a thousand to one, they miss of Heaven, and go to Hell; and therefore as the Souldier that was Sentenc'd for stealing Grapes, and reproach'd by his fellows for eating them so busily, as he was going to Execution, answer'd, Do you grudge me the Grapes, that I must pay so dear for? So you have little reason to grudge them the Estates, for which they must pay so dear. This is the Portion of their Cup, if they be without Christ; And if thy Superiours be good men, thou shouldst love and honour them, and never envy them.

2. Study the Wisdome and Word of God. As he may do what he will with his own, and thy eye hath no reason to be evil, because His is good; so a little modesty would tell thee, that he hath wisdome to know where to bestow his gifts. Alas! for thy part, he sees that thy neighbours high Estate, and thy high spirit would undo thee: he knows what's fit for him, and he knows what's fit for thee: He knows a Competence, and Heaven at the end of it, is enough for thee, if thou be his Child; and it is too much, if thou be his Enemy. He p. 83knows the better temper, and other usefulness he may be of, which shall not go without reward; and while thou hast more then thou deservest, what needst thou care what God bestows upon others.

And then if you will look into the Word of God, you will quickly see their End. ††Ps. 73.18.Ps 73:18That they are set in slippery places, that they are fatted for the slaughter, and who envies the stalled Oxe his large allowance? **Ps. 49.14.Ps 49:14That the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning; ††Ps. 73.19.Ps 73:19That they are brought into desolation as in a moment, and utterly consumed with terrours; That their utmost happiness is but a dream; That where the Scripture counteth **Ps. 62.Ps 62men of low degree vanity, it determineth that men of high degree, are a lye. And therefore in the name and words of the most High I admonish thee, Psal. 49.16. Be not thou afraid when one is made rich, when the glory of his house is increased: For when he dieth he shall carry nothing away; his glory shall not descend after him.

And thus you see how much against Reason, how much against Religion it is, to have a rising thought of envy against your Superiours; which Considerations may work with you, and Prayer joyned to them will work with God, to bring your spirits level with your Estates, and rather to pity then envy that Crown, that's so garnisht with Pearls without, and lin'd with Tears within.

p. 84SECT. V.§. 3.

V. THe Fifth Temptation of the Husbandman Negligence of, and Deadness in holy Duties.is, Negligence and Deadness in holy Duties. I say this is his Temptation; not that it is his usual sin, if he fear God: for you shall most commonly at his door hear as grave and serious and pathetical a Prayer, as at the Parsons of the Parish; but yet through the multitude of his business, and the weariness of his spirits, he is often tempted to deadness in the Service of God in his Family, and in secret, and somtimes to neglect and pass it over. Alas you can have of a man but his strength; and that ere the Sun be set, is most an end spent and gone; so that when he comes to Prayer, his heart is a sleep, and a little thing would hire him, if he durst, to skip over that good work; by which in very deed he gets and saves more, than by all his dayes work besides. As when Moses spake of sacrificing to God, Pharaoh still spake of work to put them off: So when God calls to worship, the World calls to work, or the Flesh to sleep. Or if the fear of God, or a constant custome do engage him in his Duty, he dreams through it, and is contented that its over, though he have done nothing but displeased God the rein. If the Day had been two hours longer, he would have found strength, to do more work; but he hath no might for God, or ability for heavenly business. p. 85The Fish is scarce ever weary of swiming, because the water is her Element; but on the dry ground she is soon weary: So our poor Husbandman hath strength for two dayes in the Earth, which is his Element; but hardly vivacity and ability for half an hour in the precious service of his God: He is like a Bee that hath lost her sting, dull and dronish: Alas he hath lost his spirits, and hath nothing, but weary limbs, and a dead heart, to present to God.

And Soul-work never goes on, unless we have a mind to work: as they, Neh. 4.6. They built, &c. for the people had a mind to work. O when a man hungers for Prayer-time, more then meal-time: when all businesses are dry, and all Companies taste of the Cask but Gods'; when a man can see more glory and beauty in one verse of the Bible, than in all the Corn in his Field; when the Soul doth really hasten, through all other business, and cry, O When shall I come and appear before God! then the work of God and the Soul goes on; then Duties of worship are welcome to him, and well done by him.

And thus it is with our serious Husbandman, that uses the world that he may enjoy God, and not the contrary, that rids his work that he may go to Prayer, and rids not Prayer out of the way, that he may go to work. But alas, all Husbandmen are not of this mold, happy they for ever, if they were. Abundance of them think, when they have supped they have a VVrit of ease to go to bed, and let p. 86them pray that have nothing else to do. And though they are seldome so weary, but they will think upon their bodies, and take their suppers with them, ere they go to rest, yet they dare venture to forget their souls, and steal to bed without a blessing.

And so in the morning, the VVorld calls on so hard, that prayer is neglected in the Morning; and at night the Flesh calls for ease, that Prayer is neglected at Evening: or if somthing be done that way by reason of custom or conviction, alas the wife she is sleeping in one corner, the child in another, the servant in a third; when they should all of them be wrestling might and main with God for mercy for their souls.

And then, when the Sabbath comes, the poor Husbandman lyes under great Temptations, to make it a Play-day for his body, and yet no Work-day for his soul. He that can rise early every morning, takes his ease that morning, and the Bells do hardly raise him up: And then in the Assembly, the easier is his seat, the readier is he to sleep, while his weightiest affair is in hand: Or it the Church be far, or the weather frown, or his finger ake, a small matter shall keep him at home; though perhaps (as it was the case of Thomas the Apostle) that very day, he might have seen Jesus Christ to his eternal comfort.

And here is the Husbandmans Temptation, Negligence and Deadness in holy Duties. But what Preservative can we prescribe against this p. 87temptation? These two at present. 1. More Zeal. 2. Less Labour.

1. More Zeal. Zeal is Religion boyling hot. And a warm heart in a weary body will be active. Zeal revives the languishing spirits, infuses new spirits, makes a man all spirit for the time. This in a false Religion will raise a man to his Orisons at Midnight, send him some hundreds of miles on Pilgrimage, make him sweep the Church with the Hair of his Head, lame his Knees with Prayers, and blind his Eyes with tears. In the true Religion this works more languidly, it's true, (men swim faster down then up the stream) but more regularly, and doth animate a gracions heart wonderfully in the wayes of God; makes the lame man to leap as an H…rt, and the tongue of the dumb to sing.

The godly Husbandman remembers, that his chiefest business every day is with God, and the hardest of his work is on his knees; and so buckles to it, and is in good earnest, and sweats even at his eyes. The more zeal, the more forward to what is good, and the more unwearied in it. And it is good to be alwayes zealously affected in a good matter, Gal. 4.18. The service of God is the best matter in the world, and it is not enough to be well affected to it, but to be zealously effected in it. The wise Husbandman considers, that in all likelihood, the load of his whole dayes work will be thrown off at night, except Prayer do bind it on; that he cannot be a gainer, if his soul p. 88lose its spiritual life and strength; he knows if he leave off his meals, he must go with thin sides; and if he omit his Prayers, he must go with a thin soul. Alas, what will you be the better to pay your Rent, and to run in arrear with God? to keep your time with your Landlord, and break time with God, your Landlords Landlord? What good can your meat, or clothes, or estate do you, if it be not blest by prayer? or how can God and you be friends, if you keep not correspondence? cannot he, yea will not he make thee amends by the years end, for an hour in a day spent with him? Alas, you may get more in half an hour by Prayer, Psalms, Reading, to wit, some grains of true grace, than by your hardest working all your lives, yea then all the world is worth; and why then will you stand so with God for Somthing warm in a morning before you go out to work is wholsome. So a warm Prayer in the Morning is very wholsome for the soul. Mr. Swinnock,a little time? He that gives you all, will you stand with him for an inch? If your servant should tell you, when he hath neglected a business of concernment, he could not help it, for he had business of his own, would it please you? so neither will it please God when you omit Prayer, &c. that you had other business, and could not heed it. The very Turks, though they make their slaves work hard, yet afford them time for food and rest, will you deal worse with your soul, than with a Gally slave? Hath not God said, Psalm 127.2. It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows, except the Lord give his blessing: and how is that obtain'd but by prayer; a constant p. 89blessing, but by constant prayer? Alas, one mischance may half undoe thee; and were it not best then to keep in with that God, that hath all creatures and casualties in his hand? Mr. Byr. Lanc.You have heard of that religious Gentleman, concerning whom the Witch his Neighbour made this confession at her death, That she had waited seven whole years to do him a mischief, but his constant Prayers had still disappoynted her; until one Morning, that hast of business had carryed him from home without Prayer in his Family; and before his return she had bewitched four or five of his children. Miracle of mercy, and nothing else! that God hath spared thee, whose neglects in that kind have been many. What if Satan had been permitted to do so by thee? how many Prayers might it have cost thee for deliverance? And is it not more comfortable to spend those Prayers for preventing evil, than for removing it? Is not that Prayer better spent that God commands, than that which Sin procures? Nay think, when you are tempted to neglect the service of God in your Families or otherwise, what an honour and advantage it is that you may thus approach God. If the King should but give you liberty to come twice or thrice a day into his presence, and there tell your whole case, and lay out all your wants, and promise a real answer to your requests, how hard or many soever: O how proud would you be of such a priviledge, and seldom would you miss your time, you would find p. 90somthing or other wanting for your selve… or friends, and duly improve it. How much is your Priviledge greater, that may come two or three times a day into the presence of th… King of Kings, and be heard about the grea… things of eternal life? O never fail your attendance; open your mouth wide, and he wi… fill it.

And then get more Zeal, that will heal yo… of your deadness in holy duties. Think seriously, whom am I before? my Maker and Redeemer: And what am I about? The eternal salvation of my soul and body: And whither am I going? Into that world of sou… and spirits, that endless state, whence I mu… never return. And are these things to be … in? Are men asleep when they are beggin… for their lives; in a dream, when their Cau… is trying? O remember, it is the effect… fervent prayer of a righteous man, that avai… eth much. Though he be a righteous man, ye… except he put fervency into his prayer, it prevaileth little: Frozen suits, meet with col… answers from God. Put therefore Fire int… thy Sacrifice, and then it will ascend. Consider that the Lord thy God is to be loved an… served with all the soul, and might, and strength and that he hath a curse, and not a blessing, fo… the deceiver, that hath in his flock a Male, an… voweth and sacrificeth to God a corrupt thing. Mal. 1.13. Nay, sayes God, I could see yo… earnest enough in the Field, busie in the House busie in the Barn, busie every where; and idl… p. 91and cold only when you come to me; you have in your flock a male, but you think any frame, any thing will serve me; I have no blessing for such as you. He that wrestles with me, shall prevail; he that takes pains shall have the Garland, and no man must be crowned except he strive, and strive lawfully. He that hath zeal, strives.

2. To prevent deadness or negligence in holy Duties, You must not … your selves. Immoderate labour may be sinful, as well as immoderate meat and drink. Then it is immoderate, 1. VVhen it is not consistent with the strength of thy body God requires from no man more than he hath given him; he doth not allow a man a weak body, and exact from him strong labour; this were to require Brick, and deny straw. When therefore thy pains in thy Calling, doth quite dis-spirit or distemper thy body, then it grows immoderate; and for a poor accident thou hazardest the substance. 2. Thy labour then is immoderate, when it is not consistent with the Duties of Religion: when secret or family Prayer must stand or fall, at the courtesie of thy labour and business: when thy spirits are exhausted, and thy strength so spent, that when Duties should be done, thy heart like Nabals, is dead as a stone, thy body worn out, and good for nothing but the Bed; then your labour becomes immoderate: And neither will it advantage thy estate, nor thy dead duties advantage thy Soul, and so thou makest a fair Bargain. For p. 92it is certain, that what a man gets by immoderate cares and labour, does him no more good, than what he gets by theft or oppression, Hab. 2.13. The people weary themselves in the very fire, and that for very vanity. VVhat a piece of folly is this? to weary a mans self, and that in the very fire, broyling in the world, and all this for very vanity, a poor recompence. Day-labourers are to be pitied, and the Lord no doubt pities them, and takes up with a lesser Rent of service from them, than from their Masters; yet even they must remember, that they have souls as well as bodies; that they have a Master in Heaven, as well as a Master upon Earth; that a Living must be gotten for Hereafter, as well as a… present: and they ought (as Tertullian saith of eating) so to work, as that they remember, they must to Prayer before they go to bed: Lest this rise up against them, that they were careful to take some warm thing in the mor… ing for their bodies, before they went to work, and neglected a warm Prayer or Chapter, that were much more wholsome for the… souls. You should argue, if I have taken all this pains all day for a little money, shall I not strain one sinew for a little grace at night? If I have tyred my Legs about the earth, shall … not wear my Knees to get to Heaven? If I have wearied my Armes to get a living here, shall I not stretch out my Hands to get a Crown hereafter? And let all resolve that the Husbandman must give place to the Christian, p. 93the Plough must submit to the Prayer; and your Earthly Vocation, to your heavenly Calling.

SECT. VI.§. 6.

VI. THe Sixth Temptation of the Husbandman Charitableness and Nigardliness.is, Vncharitableness and Nigardliness. He can hardly part with that which he hath so hardly gotten. That which he hath gotten with the drops of his sweat, he is like to part with as the drops of his blood, 1 Sam. 25.11. Shall I then take my bread, and my water, and my flesh—and give it unto men, whom I know not whence they be? said that rich Chub Nabal. So the Husbandman, must I take pains for wealth, and give it away when I have done? Let all that will eat, labour as well as I; and herewith he turns off the fittest objects of charity that are, and resolves that every man must be for himself, and so will he. He argues, that no body gives him, and therefore he will give to none. But though this be his Temptation, yet I do not assert that Husbandmen are generally conquer'd by it: For according to the proportion of his estate, he exceeds for the most part the Gentry round about him: The poor Criple at his door, shall have a larger alms to his power, I am sure a quicker dispatch, than at the great pair of Gates close by him: And in publick Collections for charitable uses, the poor Husbandmans p. 88duplicate page p. 89duplicate page p. 90duplicate page p. 91duplicate page p. 92duplicate page p. 93duplicate page p. 94Purse is ready with his Mite, when hi… Landlord was not at Church that day. Neither do I affirm, that every one that asks, is a fit object for the Charity of our Husbandman, (especially if our Laws for setting the poo… on work, were put in execution) no, some lusty Beggars he entertains with a charitable Exhortation to honest labour, and tells them the benefit and comfort that he finds by it; and somtimes sets them on work upon tryal: but because he considers, that it's safer to relieve nine needless Beggars, than to turn away one needy one; therefore he strains himself to help the most that cry for it, and refers himself to the Lord his God for recompense. But yet he hath much adoe with his heart herein. Flesh and Blood looks thrice upon his money, ere the Spirit and Grace can once part with it. It puts all the Faith he hath to the utmost, to give to strangers, when perhaps his own children are unprovided for; and to relieve others, that must come (if two or three bad years meet with him) to be relieved himself.

But if he have no Faith, but an earthly selfish temper instead of it, the poor have cold entertainment at his door. He thinks it enough for him to be just, to pay every man his own; let others be charitable that have greater Estates. He must pay Taxes to the King, he must pay Rents to his Landlord, he must pay Lewnes to the Church, and then to the poor of his Parish, and by this time he is drained, p. 95and can do no more. And it is (to say the truth) a lamentable thing, that so many wandring Beggars are suffered to be unimployed; and yet more, that the burden of them falls upon the poor Husbandman; for his Landlord lives in the City, and visits his Hall only twice a year, and the poor are little the better for that; yea somtimes their unconscionable Rents make the Beggars, and then the Husbandman is forc'd to keep them.

But yet some Preservatives must be laid before the Husbandman against this Temptation.

1. You must consider that you are but Stewards of your Estate. The Property is Gods, the Possession and use only yours. And so what you give is of Gods stock in your hands; and what need you be niggardly of anothers stock? As long as your Alms and Expences will pass in your accounts, it is nothing at all to you, how he will have it dispos'd: The forgetfulness of this, makes men so close-handed. They take all they have to be their own: so Nabal, shall I give my bread and my flesh? So the worldling cries, This is my house, my corn, my bread, and this locks…up his hand: whereas when thou look'st on thy house, say, This is the Lords, who gives me house-room on charity, and therefore any Guest he sends, must be welcome: this Corn is Gods, and so is this Bread, I have but the disposing of it; and so if he order it to a Beggar, I will freely part with it, for it is none of mine, but Gods.

p. 96If some great man give you an Estate o… twenty pounds a year freely, only he… layes twenty shillings Rent-charge upon it: Were not you unworthy, to deny or to grudg the payment of this Rent-charge? why, this is the case. It is the Lord only that hath given you an Estate; charitable relief of such as are in want, is the Lords Rent-charge, which he hath laid upon it; and therefore grudg not to pay it, lest he re-enter, and seize the whole.

And especially considering that he hath charged thee herein, according to thy ability; not as earthly Landlords, that lay somtimes a great Rent on a small living; he would only have thee to suit thy charity to thy ability. O but I am a very poor man, and can hardly subsist. Answ. Art thou poorer than that widow? Mark 12.42. She had not much, and Christ expected not much from her; two Mites shall serve thy turn, if thou hast but little. And our Lord Jesus himself was low in Stock, when he was put to a miracle for money to pay his Tax; and yet (saith the text) he had a Purse for the Poor, Joh. 13.29. Think of this, when thou hast much a do to pay thy Rent, or to pay thy Tax, and grudg not somthing to the hungry and naked, seeing thy Saviour had a purse for the poor, though he somtimes wanted money to pay his Tax.

2. You must believe that giving will make you rich. Well-ordered charity makes no man poor. The way to have full Barns, is to have free hands. To this both God and Man bea… p. 97witness, Isa. 32.78. The instruments of the Churl are evil; that is, he who maketh empty the soul of the hungry, vers. 6. But the liberal man deviseth liberal things, and by liberal things shall he stand. He deviseth how he may do good, and where, and when; he lyes in his bed contriving how he may do poor men good in the best manner; I, say you, so he may quickly devise away all that ere he hath. Nay, saith the Holy Ghost …y liberal things shall he stand: Piety, Equity, and Charity, are the best Pillars in any mans house. None more punctually payes his debts than God; now he that giveth to the poor, lendeth to the Lord, and the Lord he will pay it him again, Prov. 19.17. There is his Bond. Though all be his, yet he will accept of it as lent. Think, when the poor crave, God hath sent them to borrow for him, who will not take it kindly to be denyed. It's true, it seems lost, and you think its as good to cast it down the River, as give it to them. O no, it is not lost, it's Book't in Heaven, and shall be paid on Earth. Cast thy bread on the Waters, and it shall return after many dayes, Eccl. 11.1. most commonly in this life, but the longer it s unpaid, the greater will the sum be at last. The man is yet unborn, that hath lost any thing by God. If you can but trust him, you may gain sufficiently by him.

And to this, do all good men set their Seal, That the charitable hand is blessed of the Lord, and he that loves to give, seldom is in need to receive. Alas, God doth litt…e less th…n p. 98miracles, in the Husbandmans house every day. So much Rent to pay, so many Children to maintain, so many payments without any breathing time, and yet he lives, and is cheerful, and for the most part dies less in debt than his Landlord. Whence comes this! but from the wonderful Providence and Blessing of God. A man would wonder whence every peny and penyworth comes, that he gives and spends and payes: why the Scripture will tell you, He that watereth shall be watered also himself. Sirs, charity is good Husbandry, for it brings a certain and plentiful Harvest. Let the man come forth, that can say he ever was loser by Christ at the long run. If every bit of bread, nay if every cup of cold water, nay if every cheerful word, nay if every charitable thought, be not now or shortly rewarded, then murmure and hold your hand; but till then, open your purse, open your hands, open your hearts, and hide not your self from your own flesh.

SECT. VII.§. 7.

VII. THe Seventh Temptation of the Husbandman Distracting care.is, Distracting Care. He hath so much to do, and so little to do it on, much Brick to make, and little straw to make it with, that he is apt to be overful of cares. What shall we eat? and what shall we drink? and wherewithall shall we be cloathed? Martha p. 99and he are sick of the same disease, to whom Christ thus, Luke 10.40. Martha, foreign.Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things. Thy care divides thy heart, it divides it from me, it divides it from its self, it is a care that troubles thee, & that's naught.

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, ††Yea many like co… are swallowed up of the earth alive. Mr. Swinnock.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. 100no 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.

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 …ccl 5.18.sleep, (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. 101or 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.

And this Temptation is so much the stronger, in that it carries so fair a pretence, and is really spent about honest and lawful things; for about lawful things we most often miss it, and endanger our souls where there seems least danger at all. More men (you know) dye by meat, than by Poyson. As that great Politician used to pray, that God would deliver him from his friends, for he should take care himself to avoyd his enemies: So we have great need to be careful about lawful things, for less care will save us harmless from things plainly evil. And so we shall proceed to lay down some effectual Preservatives against this Temptation of distracting care: Namely,

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. 102the same shoulder: where's that? VponUpon 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.

How can you pretend to trust him for the things of another life, that you never saw, if you cannot trust him for the things of this life, wherein you have seen his Providence over and over? Learn then to use a moderate care about your affairs; but when your cares oppress and disturb the quiet of your heart, bring faith to such promises, as Rom. 8.28. Heb. 13.5. Psal. 84.11. and rest thereby upon them, quietly expecting in the use of all good means a comfortable issue. If the success suit not with thy expectation, believe that God saw thy desire was not for thy advantage. If the issue fall out to thy mind, it is in mercy; thou didst thy duty, and trustedst in thy God, to which he hath annext a certain Promise, Psal. 37.3. T…ust in the Lord, and do good, besure you do both, so shal… thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.

2. Consider the unprofitableness of distracting cares. It is certain, they never do you p. 103good. Your design in them is for your good, for your advantage, but they advantage you not: for Psal. 127.1. Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it, and it is in vain to eat the bread of sorrows. Is it not as good to lay those cares aside, as vex your selves with them in vain. If indeed they could bring your matters to pass, and that success would stil attend upon your carking thoughts, somwhat might be said for them. But alas, it is so far from that effect, that the ready way to blast any business, is to bestow immoderate care about it. The Lord taketh the wise in their own craftiness, and bringeth their devises to nought; that all men may know, that it is not of him that runneth, but of God that blesseth, that any thing comes well to pass: More Prayers, and less cares, will do your business.

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. 104not 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.

SECT. VIII.§. 3.

VIII. THe Eight Temptation of the Husbandman Slavish fear of Man.is, Slavish fear of Man. It is true, he must keep a due Reverence for the Magistrate, for he is the Minister of God; and therefore to contemn him secretly, or disdain him openly, is no little crime. And a just fear and respect he must have for his Landlord, or the Gentleman his Neighbour, because God hath placed them above him; and he hath learnt that by the Father he ought to honour, is meant all his Superiours; and himself expects the like from his children and servants; and therefore he is far from that clownish humour of those, that will make no difference between the King and the Beggar: knowing that would bring confusion into the world, and break that order that God hath plac'd among men. And therefore in all worldly matters no man more respective to his Superiours than the Husbandman; none more ready to p. 105all those services and offices due from him to those above him: He's ready, and his children are ready, his Horses ready, and any thing he hath; and that not out of base fear, or other self-ends, but out of a principle of ingenuity and kindness, and a frame of heart to be doing good to every one. Here is his temper and duty; but now his Temptation lyes in this, That when his Landlord, or other great men about him, do discountenance the practise of piety, and that holy strictness, which is undoubtedly the will of God, and necessary to salvation; he is apt either to take down his Colours, and either to waste his oyl, or hide his Lamp, lest he should bring anger or trouble upon himself.

He hath a mind to have constant prayer in his family, and reading the Scriptures, and singing Psalms, and would do so, if that course were held in the Hall that's near him; but he is loth to go before a Gentleman, no not to Heaven, and hath cause to fear a frown or worse for so doing. And then having but little Faith, he apprehends God far off, and his Landlord near, and will rather venture the loss of his House in Heaven, than his House upon Earth, and so neglects those Duties.

And so likewise in the practice of sobriety, circumspection and watchfulness, the example and fear of Superiours, do lay a strong siege to his convictions and resolutions, and make him (if strength of grace uphold him not) hazzard the Peace of a good Conscience, p. 106to keep the peace and quiet of his outward Estate. Fain he would go to Heaven, if he durst; and enjoy the smiles of God and great men also. He thinks without the favour of man he cannot live; and without the favour of God he dare not dye; and so would conjoyn that which seldome meets, the love of God and the love of the World too. Thus is that Scripture fulfilled, Prov. 29.25. The fear of man causeth a snare. He would fast with his Family, but he dare not. He would read good Books, the best Books, and hear the best Ministers, but he dare not; he would go to Heaven, but he dare not: he is in the snare; The Lord of Heaven help him out!

Not that all of this Rank are taken in this Temptation; for there are many, that go to Gods house for their Religion, and not to their Landlords; that if their Prayers will not bring him with them to Heaven, his frowns shall not bring them to Hell with him; That resolve to be in Gods Books, though they never be in great mens. And these somtimes suffer for their presumption, their Rents raised, or themselves dismist; but they have cast up their accounts, and do know that all that will live godly in Christ Jesus must suffer for it, and are content.

Now to fence and Preserve the Husbandman from this slavish fear of man, consult, 1. The Providence, 2. The Promise of God.

1. Consult the Providence of God. Thou look'st at man, and fearest him: If thou p. 107wouldst look at God, thou wouldst trust in him; thou wouldst see a thousand times more cause to trust in God, then to fear man. For the hearts and hands of all men are in the hands of your God. Great men are in the hand of a great God. And your greatest enemies are in the hands of your ch…ycest friend; and he will bend their hearts to do thee good, or bind their hands that they can do thee no hurt. He commonly makes their foes their friends, that walk uprightly with him. And those that turn aside for fear, he suffers them to lose the favour of great ones some other way, and the love of God also. It comes often to pass, that they who will not suffer for Christ, come to suffer for themselves; that they who are afraid to suffer for their holiness, prove to suffer for their wickedness, as that Black-smith in the Acts and Monuments, that when he was put to it, told them he could not burn, and so escaped the Fire of Honour; but ere long a spark kindled in his shop, and burnt him and shop and all in the Fire of Judgment; and so he burnt for himself, that would not burn for Jesus Christ.

Believe this therefore, if all the Great Ones on earth were set against you, they shall not touch an hair of your head, no not an hair of your Head, till God for your good give them a Commission. One cringe would have secured those three Princes, Dan. 3.15. from a most dreadful peril; but behold their integrity, constancy, and courage, and it is hard to p. 108say which was the strongest. O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thy hand, O King. But if not, be it known unto thee, O King, that we will not serve thy Gods, nor worship thy golden Image which thou hast set up. And did God forsake them in their need? not at all. Alas he hath fire and water in his hands, and can make a Gridiron to be a bed of Down, when he pleaseth.

And therefore look not at man, whose breath is in his nostrils, for wherein is he to be accounted of: Look not at the stone, but at the hand in which it is: for as the stone cannot stir, unless it be moved by the hand; so no man can stir one jot against you, unless God stir him up. Hence we have so oft that phrase in the old Testament, that God stirred up this and that enemy against his people. Instead of pleasing this or that great man, whom it may be thou canst never please; or if thou dost, yet there's another may do thee a mischief as well as he: Do thou study to please God, who can according to that, Prov. 16.7. make thy Enemies to be at peace with thee. Man (sayes ††Homo li…e Deum, et …undum ridebis. Aug.Augustine) fear God, and thou maist smile at the world. Alas, it lyes in the breast of any wretch (is he will come and swear against thee) whether thou shalt be worth a groat before night; and what foresight can arm a man against such mishaps! No, no, It is the p. 109Lord that must be your refuge and portion in the Land of the living. And therefore rely and rest (which you may safely do in the way of your duty) upon his All-ruling Providence.

2. Consult the Promise of God. 1. The Promises he hath made to keep you from the troubles that your Superiours would bring on you, Isa. 41.10. Fear thou not, for I am with thee, [Lord, who can fear, when thou art with them?] be not dismayed, for I am thy God, [O blessed Word! if a weak Husbandman can get a strong God for his God, what need he fear?] I will strengthen thee, yea I will help thee, yea [let not down thy heart man] I will uphold thee with the right hand of my Righteousness. Behold all they that were incensed against thee, shall be ashamed and confounded, they shall be as nothing, and they that strive with thee shall perish. If thy name be in the Eight and Ninth verses of that Chapter, these Promises are as surely entail'd upon thee, as if thy Name were inserted, and they only made to thee. Again, vers. 14. Fear not thou worm Jacob, I will help thee, saith the Lord, and thou shalt thresh the Mountains. Hear this thou that sayest, O I am but a worm to them: how soon may a man crush a worm under his feet, and so soon may these great Mountains fall upon me and crush me: Why sayes God, though thou art but a worm to them, yet I will help thee to thresh the mountains. God and a worm can do much. Somwhat a strange sight to see a worm threshing a mountain, yet p. 110so it is. Many a poor upright Husbandman by his Prayers and convincing life, doth conquer, silence, tame or destroy many a wicked Nimrod that would destroy him. Hath not God said, Zech. 2. 8. He that toucheth you, toucheth the apple of his eye. And will God suffer the proudest of them all, to fly at the apple of his eye? So that except it be for your great glory and good, you may r…st securely and build upon it, That no hand of violence shall touch you, however shall never do you hurt. This is a maxime, No men, or menaces, or miseries, can do a Saint hurt: ††foreign.They may kill you, but they cannot hurt you. Away therefore with that flavish fear, that hinders or discomforts you in your duty. God will not see his Husbandman wrong'd. 2. Consult the Promises he hath made, to deliver you out of your troubles, if they befall you by your Superiours, 2 Pet. 2. 9. The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of Judgment to be punished. Knoweth how, that is, can and will do it. How many gracious promises hath he made? In six troubles and in seaven he will …al. 91.deliver them. Thou shalt tread on the Lion and Adder. He that hath set his love on me, I will deliver him and honour him.

Why art thou therefore so afraid of troubles? of Men or Devils? A prison is not Hell: Loss of Goods, is not loss of the Chief Good. He that can turn thee out of thy house, cannot turn thee out of Heaven; There hee'l be p. 111turn'd out, and thou taken in. Man can threaten thee, but God can destroy thee. Thy great Neighbour will trouble thee if thou pray, and thy great Maker will damn thee, if thou do not pray: But he cannot trouble thee, whether God will or no, but God can damn thee whether he will or no. They that now terrifie thee, will run to hide themselves; and will none of them come between thee and an angry God, for the sins thou hast committed, or duties thou hast omitted, by their inducement. And therefore, Math. 10. 28. Fear not them that can kill the body, and have no more that they can do; but fear him that can cast body and soul into Hell: O fear him, and let them talk.

SECT. IX.§. 9.

IX. THe Ninth Temptation of the Husbandman Affected ignorance.is, Affected Ignorance. His Intellectuals are but obtuse, and Education did not befriend him; his occasions many, and his time scant, whereby ordinarily he wants that necessary knowledge, that should light him to Heaven. And the abuse of knowledge in others, and the excuse his continual labours suggest to him, do tempt him to rest in and defend his Ignorance, and so it grows Affected ignorance. In this he lives, and (without Gods grace) herein he dies. But God forbid, we should charge all persons of that Calling p. 112with this evil: no, there are many, very many have better learned Christ, able with much gravity and distinctness to give an account of all material Points of Religion; that want not an Argument to d…end the Truth, though they cannot put it in Mood and Figure; yea divers that in the Arts come not short, in the Languages exceed some, that sit in Moses seat. And as to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, that consists not so much in mental, as experimental apprehensions; multitudes in this are excellent Schollars, that can describe Faith to the life, though they cannot define it; that can tell how to repent, though they know not whether this or Faith precede. In short, that can feel more than they can speak, and that have learn'd to express more in their lives, than in their words.

And some too there are, that know too much, I mean that have got more notions into their head than they can rule, and for want of wisdome and humility grow giddy and conceited; that they rather come to the Ordinance to judge their Minister, than to be judged by the Word of God: and that think they could discharge that Function better than he, and these are to be rankt among the most intollerable sort of that Calling; of whom it were to be wisht, that either they knew less, that would make them less elevated, or that they knew more, that would make them more humble. But I hope, the number of these are but few. Experience of their own infirmities, p. 113together with further knowledge, will cure them of this swelling, these Rickets in the head; and by degrees they will find that the most they know, is the least part of what they are ignorant of. No, the Epidemical disease of Husbandmen is ignorance, affected ignorance.

Many of them want time to read or think of spiritual matters; their Children cry, their Business cryes, their Creditour cryes, and hard it is to read a leaf without many avocations and distractions: nay worse, many of them cannot read a word; they can see no more in a Bible, than in a stone; nor read one verse therein, though the reading and ruminating of it might be as much worth, as Heaven to them. Ah! that ever Heaven, the gate of heaven should be in a Bible, and a reasonable creature, a Christian should not read it; and those that can, yet will not labour to find it there. Nay worse yet, for many of this Extraction and Education, are wonderful dull of capacity, and apprehend matters (spiritual especially) with much difficulty and confusion; and then such broken m…mories, that they can hold nothing without very much a doe; so that the Prophet J…remy m…ght very well conclude of them, Jer. 5. 4. Therefore I said, Surely these are poor, they a…e foolish, for they know not the way of the Lord, nor the judgement of their God; I will get me to the great men. Alas! it is too manifest, that ignorance prevails among that sort in all places, p. 114insomuch that an Ignorant Peasant is the common Epithet. Their ambition being only to know their ground, their cattel, their market, and their seat in the Church.

Who could have believed the sad story, that Mr. Pemble tells us in his Sermon about Ignorance, if it had not an Author of credit? Of an old man on his death bed, that had heard, in all likelihood, two or three thousand Sermons in his life, that being then examin'd of his knowledge concerning God, should answer, he thought him an old man sitting in a chair: and about Christ, thought him a towardly young Youth: And concerning his Soul, thought it was some great bone in his body, &c. O woful story, That rational creatures who are able to give account of civil affairs with sufficient discretion, and capable of the highest knowledge; That professed Christians that have been brought up and taught that sacred Religion, should know so little in the faith they must be saved by. To expect to be saved by the Son of God, and yet think him to be the Sun in the firmament, as others have exprest; That hope to go to Heaven, and yet know neither faith nor repentance, the undoubted way thither, nor what it is to be justified, or born again.

And more sad, that the Husbandman should plead for this his Ignorance; that any should imagine his sin should excuse him, and bring him off before God; That when God saith, My people perish for want of Knowledge, he p. 115Hos. 4.6.Hos 4:6should conclude, because I want knowledge, therefore I shall not perish; yea, and imagine, that he shall speed better, than the most knowing and conscionable of his Neighbours; what besotted blindness is this? Who can have patience to hear this confident folly? but who is more bold than blind Bayard? Alas, it is ignorance that feeds his presumption. If he did but see himself in a true glass, he would abhor himself in dust and ashes. And therefore its time to seek some Cure of this temptation; And that is,

1. Be perswaded of the absolute necessity of saving Knowledge. That no man is excused by his birth, poverty, or dulness, from getting so much knowledge in the fundamentals of Religion, as will let Christ into the soul, and stear it to Heaven. This is certain, that as no world was made without Light in the first place, so no new world in the soul without the light of Knowledge. Gods Method is, Acts 26. 18. To turn men from darkness to light, and so from the power of Satan unto God. This is the way to Eternal Life, John 17. 3. To know the onelyonly true God, and Jesus Christ. This is the first branch in the New Covenant, A heart to know God, Jer. 24. 7. not his Name, but his Nature, to know God in Chri…, to know his will. Can you think any man goes to Heaven in the dark, to Heaven blind? Gods children are never born blind or dumb: must men of old be so many years, onelyonly to learn the principles of Phylosophy, p. 114duplicate page p. 115duplicate page p. 116and can you commence Christian, and scarce study the Principles thereof a month? Shall your brains be studied more about the sorriest Trade, than about that great Calling, that teaches to live for ever? What variety of instructions do you give your Children for Husbandry? Every day you are at it, and will less a doe make them wise for Heaven than Earth?

Tell me not of your mean Birth and Education. God requires not from you what he he doth from some others; but doth he therefore give you a Patent for gross ignorance? He expects not you shall resolve all the Questions in the Schools, but doth it follow, you should not know all the Principles of your Catechism?

And though your business be great, yet remember still, that one thing is necessary. Though your hands and time be full, yet I hope you'l find leisure to go to Heaven. You must discharge your debts, attend your markets, pay your rents, and bring up your children; And must you not get your blindness eur…d, your leprosie healed, and your soul saved? The busiest of you, if you break a bone, or be sick, will have time to seek help. Are ye too busie to go to Heaven? God forbid. What though you are poor! Are not many poor men rich in knowledge? Must not poor men go to Heaven? and can they come thither hood-wink't? Though thou art but an Husbandman, yet thou must be a Christian; p. 117and to be a Christian without knowledge of the Scripture, is like being a Philosopher without learning.

Though thy Understanding be dull, yet when the Holy Ghost is the School-Master, it is possible to learn. If no man learn any thing that he is dull at first about, how few would have skill in any thing. The first line in the Horn-book is the hardest; the further you learn, the easier: Prayer and Diligence will make it easie. And the Husbandman's God doth instruct him to discretion, and doth teach him, Isa. 28.26. He that teacheth you to know the properties of the Earth, will teach you also the passage to Heaven. He that teacheth you to Plow, when you endeavour it, will teach you to Pray, when you endeavour that.

And though others abuse their knowledge, are better Schollers and worse Christians than thou, yet this will be no excuse to thee. Their sin doth not ease thee of thy duty; They shall go to Hell for their uneffectual knowledge, and thou shalt go to Hell for thy affected Ignorance: But alas, you argue not thus, in the Case of riches or other things: you do not say, my Neighbour yonder hath great riches, and mispends them, therefore I will resolve to be poor; he is proud of his fine clothes, and therefore I'le go in rags. Urge then no more others abuse of knowlege, but seeing it is necessary, do thou obtain it, and use it better.

p. 1182. Be resolved in the means of procuring saving knowledge, Prov. 2.2, 3. If thou incline thine ear unto wisdome, [diligently hear the instructions of the wise] and apply thy heart unto understanding, [set thy heart upon it, as Schollars upon their Books, or Tradesmen on their Trades] yea, if thou cryest after knowledge, and liftest np thy voice for understanding, [Earnestly and continually pray for it; if it be not worth asking, it is worth nothing.] If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasure, [if thou usest all good means, readest in every book, makest out to any good Minister or Christian that can help thee] then shalt thou find the knowledge of God; pains must be taken or no good done: I cannot chuse but wonder to hear illiterate men sometimes, O, I would give all the Cattel I have, that I could but read; who yet might with half the pains, which they would bestow to get one of them, learn to read sufficiently, and yet will not endeavour it. Alas, they speak as they think, but a deceived heart turns them aside: even so, you will hear some ignorant men express themselves; I would I had given all I am worth for that knowledge which such have; and yet when they are directed to the means, they suddenly are weary, and shew thereby they did but dally.

Notwithstanding all your business, you have one whole day every week. How rich in knowledge would you quickly be, if every p. 119minute of that day were put to the best. Some Divines have collected the material points of Religion into fifty two heads, for each Sabbath one; now if the poorest Husbandman in the Land would fix each Lords day on one of these, (and any good Minister would set you in) and in the spare time thereof, read, or hear others read to him, or ask questions, and confer with his honest Neighbour about it, and as he hath occasion the week following, drive in the same nail, What a blessed crop of saving knowledge would he reap when the year is expired? This is to seek knowledge as silver; and it's worth more pains than this, in that there's no going to Heaven without it. If you lived in Countries where no Bibles must be read, where there be no Ministers to teach you, and to know Christ were criminal, there were some excuse for ignorance: but what plenty of precious Bibles have we? what store of excellent Books, Catechisms, and principles of Religion? what choice of Ministers that long to teach you? And to run through all this light into eternal darkness, what excuse can you bring? how great will be that darkness! Up therefore and be doing; let your future diligence, compensate your former negligence, lest you hear that fatal sentence, when it is too late to reverse, Isa. 27.11. This is a man of no understanding, and therefore he that made him, will not save him, and he that formed him, will shew him no favour. Now God forbid p. 120that the poor harmless Husbandman should after his painfull life, be thus sentenced into a more painful state! that for want of outwards, he should be poor here, and for want of inwards be poor for ever. Why, then prevent it, while there is time: The markets yet are open, good eye-salve to be had; The richest pearles to be had, for a little labour. God himself will be the Master, and who will not be proud to be his Schollar? O taste and see how good the Lord is, apply your selves to him, and he will teach you the fear of the Lord, so shall you be rid of this temptation.

SECT. X.§. 10.

X. THe Tenth Temptation of the Husbandman Wronging his neighbour.is, Wrong unto his Neighbour; Though most other imployments exceed this in temptations hereunto, yet this Calling wants not its temptation. This wretched Self is of such powerfull influence, that it draws the plain Husbandman himself, to strain a point of Conscience sometimes, to fulfill the lusts thereof. Hence it comes to pass sometimes (I hope it is not oft) that you may observe deceit and dissimulation in his bargains, though not so much as a tradesman, yet too much for a Christian: unfaithfully commending what is bad, when he sells, and unconscionably condemning and dispraising what is good, when he buys. Even in the p. 121words of Prov. 20.14. It is nought, it is nought, saith the buyer, but when he is gone, he boasteth. Pinching the poor either in his measure, or in his price, when he sells his corn, and taking occasion from his straits, to deal straitly with him. Hence his unsound horse, and unproveable cattel are brought to market, with the greatest protestations of their soundness and goodness; Insomuch as it is grown a distinct Art, to buy or sell any thing in the market; and to buy a Cow a man had need of as many friends as she hath legs, lest he be defrauded. And then so many fair stories, nay, so many equivocations, nay, so many flat ly…s, nay, so many oaths, nay, so many perjuries, swearing this price shall be the lowest, and yet abating it at next word, that a man would wonder men should apparently venture their consciences and eternal happiness, for so small a business, and yet be more astonisht, that this should be done by Christians, that believe the Bible, and by Christian Husbandmen, that are the plainest hearted of all others.

And then another way whereby he is tempted to wrong his Neighbour is, by Trespassing upon him; either his cattel being unruly, and not lawfully ordered, or his fence neglected, (for we must descend, if we would amend the most inferiour things in our way) and these things are neglected either through idleness, or other business, (it is hoped out of no worse design) so long that his honest p. 122neighbour is prejudiced and provoked. And hence follows, (besides the wrong done, which is the worst evil) grudgings, and heartburnings, and often unkind and angry expressions, and sometimes long and chargeable suits. How great a fire a little spark kindles? Insomuch that oftentimes, the nearest neighbours are lest beloved, and sometimes so engaged in suits and rancour against each other, that they lose the comfort of that mutual love and offices, they might enjoy.

And this is a most sad and doleful thing, to be written in tears, and spoken in sighs, that those people should so fail in Actions, whose Religion gives lawes to the Thoughts; that they should live below the Heathens, who expect to be equal to the Angels; that some little part of that world, the whole whereof is not worth the poorest soul in it, should so bewitch a man, to break all bonds, divine and humane, to compass it. Let us therefore enquire out some powerful Preservative against this temptation.

1. Observe the piercing eye of Almighty God alwayes upon thee. When thy heart gives thy mouth the lye in dissimulation, he observes thee all the while, and marvels at thy folly. Would'st thou speak so falsely, if he with whom thou dealest knew thy heart? Why wilt thou speak so, when God knows thy heart? Is he less formidable than a worm? wilt thou bear such awe of one that can only shame thee, and not bear much more of one p. 123that can both shame and damn thee? Thou wilt not affirme a thing if thou knowest a stander by can disprove thee; Why, God is a stander by, and when thou art lying equivocating and swearing, he can disprove thee every word, can stop thy mouth with a thunder-bolt, strike thee dumb, yea, dead in the place, as he did Ananius and Saphira, and many others since, with their lye in their mouths. Hearken what he hath said, 1 Thes. 4.6. Let no man go beyond, or defraud his brother in any matter, because that the Lord is the avenger of all such. If an ingenious argument will win thee, He whom thou defraudis thy brother, wilt thou eat up thine owne flesh? If a dreadfull argument will work on thee, The Lord is the avenger of all such. God will sooner or later reckon surely with thee for it, and therefore as thou tendrest thy safety and happiness, go beyond no man in any matter. God will not see one man rise unjustly on anothers ruine with any patience, nor behold thy cunning to make a prey of his simplicity without a sharp revenge.

Object. A man cannot live in the world without using his wits: Other men use it more than I: These shifts are common and …onest in comparison of others: I do but make the best of my own: Let them look better about them, and then there's no danger.

Answ. There is no necessity laid on any man to sin. It's better to be poor than sin. He would make such a bargain as would undo p. 124do him, that would tell one lye to gain all the world. Others practise is no rule, and will prove no excuse for thy wickedness. God hath given thee to understand, that his Word is the Rule, that must guide and judge thee; and that thou art to imitate not the worst, but the best men, and them onelyonly in what is good. You are to know, that by beguiling others, you make the worst of your own, and hazzard all to increase a little, and venture hell to gain a peny. That God hath not given all men the like measure of skill and perspicacity, but they are plain and simple, and think every one else is like them; but in that case God hath made thee thy Brothers Keeper, and put him into thy hands to deal mercifully and honestly with him.

2. Be confident, that what is got by wronging others, will never do you good; the gain of deceit lasts but a while; or if it do, it's given thee in wrath; like a Sute with the plague in it, it's gay and fine, but death is in it; So is unjust gain, though it stay with thee till thou dye, yet the curse of God stays with it, and rests if not on thy state, body or children, yet on thy poor soul, which is worst of all; And who would be fond of a fair Sute with the plague in it? it were better to wear leather, poor leather or russet were much better: so it were better for thee a thousand times, to live poor, and just, and dye blessed, than to live rich, and dye accursed. The crafty Fox in the Fable hugged himself, that p. 125he had cousen'd the Crow of her breakfast, but when he found himself poyson'd therewith, he wisht it out of his belly. Prov. 21.6. The getting of treasures by a lying tongue, is a vanity tossed to and fro, of them that seek death. Your design perhaps is to make estates for your Children, but alas this is not the way; for if you could rise out of your graves one fifty years after your death, you would find the canker of your deceit and injuries had consumed it all. The eye of Scripture, the eye of Reason, the eye of Experience sees this every day, that—De male quaesitis vix gaudet tertius haeres, The third heir seldome enjoys ill-gotten goods: What madness is this for you to lose your souls in the gaining of the world, and your posterity to lose their souls in the spending of it? and so the same purse or house damnes both the Father and the Son; the Father by injurious getting it, and the Son by ungodly wasting it. How many houses have you seen ruined, where the oppressor hath dwelt? How many unconscio…able Lawyers (who like you have made a prey of the simple) have built strong houses, and made strong entails, yet in a few Generations their names are blotted out, and they who preferred Earth before Heaven, have neither Earth nor Heaven; and c…n you go by their houses, and not receive instruction? will you see and know this, and yet follow them? Alas your thriving is but the fat of a dropsie, which makes a p. 126great shew, but is not sound; brings rottenness in the end of it. Such is your present estate, Your riches are corrupted, your Gold and Silver is cankered, ye have heaped treasu… together for the last dayes. Yea, in this life, God often sends some to squeeze these muckworms, when they have suck't themselves full. And if these things be true, O why will will ye defraud any more? You build castles, but it's in the air; your house wants foundation, your title to your estate is nought, and as sure as there is a God in Heaven, and a curse in this Bible, you will be losers by this gain; no peny that you have gotten by fraud shall ever do you or yours good. God hath said it, Psal. 18.25. With an upright man I will shew my self upright, and with the froward I will shew my self froward.

And is not here sufficient ground to move A discourse about Restitution.you in the point of Restitution. If injurious or deceitful gain, in the judgement of God; and experience of men, and in your own observation do no man good, but much hurt; and inevitably entail a curse upon the man and all his estate, whiles he keep it; Is it not Wisdome and Conscience to restore what you have thus gotten? Would you keep a sute that has the Pestilence in it? will you hold that which God bids you restore, and will damn you in hell, if you keep it? whereas it will do you no good: what, run a plain hazzard of losing your honest gain, by keeping some little which is dishonest? and venture p. 127hell fire, rather than part with some of that estate, when as if God say the word to night, thou must part with it all before morning? Is it not better to bring it back, and be saved, than have it fetch't, and you be lost?

If ever God work savingly, I say savingly, upon your hearts, you will make as much hast to restore, as ever you did to get it; and shake it out of your skirt, as you would brush a spark off your clothes, as Zacheus, Luk. 19.8. No sooner was salvation come to his house, but he cryes out, Lord, if I have taken any thing (mark any thing of what kind soever, of what quantity soever) of any man, (whether good or bad, rich or poor) by false accusation I restore him, (not I'le do it at my leisure, but upon the nail I restore him) four-fold: I'le rather be a loser than my Neigbour; he shall have four-fold.

Object. You will perhaps object your inability and poverty, that you cannot make restitution, or at least this would make you poor enough, and therefore desire to be excused.

Answ. Total inability excuses restitution in the Kind, but yet there must be restitution in the Mind. A will you must have at present, and the deed (except remitted) if ever you be able. In the mean time, you are to be sorry, that you have wrong'd your Neighbour in your actions, and can onelyonly-right him in your wishes. And sure there is some hand of God in it, that your estate (though increased by your trespassing upon, and wronging p. 128of others) should be brought to such an ebb, that you are unable to make just restitution. Surely God hath blown-upon you, with the fearfull blast of his curse already, and you may find by this, that no industry nor intail can assure ill-gotten goods. And as sure as this curse follows you externally, so surely (without repent…nce and restitution) will it follow you eternally. And therefore you are wide point blank in your argument, you cannot restore, because it will make you poor; for if you do not restore, you will be poor. Your building now is on a quick-sand, pile up your wall as high as you can, the quick-sand under it will bring it down, and you and yours under it. And therefore its better to be poor with Gods blessing, than poor with his curse.

And grant it do bring you low, to restore to every man his own; alas it doth but deliver you from that estate, which would do you hurt, and strip you of some garments, that would keep you too hot. However the event, Duty must be done, whether we grow rich or poor by it. Poverty and piety are better company, than riches and sin. And if you can trust God, (and otherwise you can never come to Heaven) he can and will, if it be for your good, make you amends for your selfdenyal, and give you goods, and a good conscience also. Take therefore thy ill-gotten goods in thy hand, (as that Phylosopher did his estate, when he threw it into the Sea) and resolve, 'tis better these things be lost p. 129for me, than with me; and let God doe his will.

Object. 2. It may be you will say, I shall be shamed, my name will be posted up for dishonesty; and it is a saying, that it is a shame to steal or wrong, but a worse shame to bring it home again.

Answ. Sin is worse then shame. A man may stand under shame, but you cannot stand under the guilt of sin. Augustine hath determined long ago, That sin is not remitted, till the thing be restored, wherein you sinned. If your consciencewere tender, or your eyes open, you would more tremble for guilt then shame. It was never better with Ephraim, than when he was ashamed, yea even confounded (the highest degree of shame) for the sins of his youth, Jer. 31. 19. And never worse with Ephraim, than when he was given up to sin, Hos. 4. 17. How long do you think it will be, ere you must be charged before God, Angels, and all your neighbours, with your injurious dealings? and then what unspeakable shame will cover your face, when it will appear that after all these warnings, you lived and dyed in these sins? Alas! It will be but a while, and all your heart and actions shall be laid out to the view of all; and were it not better you prevented this your self?

But to come nearer; Pray what shame is it to do that which is good, or undoe that which is evil? It is a shame indeed to sin, but that is past, that thou art asham'd of too: but now p. 130thou art about a work of righteousness, equity and honesty, there is no shame in this: Nay all men, at least all wise men will think better of thee than before: They will now conclude, certainly yonder is a singular good man, that will part with his estate, and venture his credit, rather than burden his Conscience, or remain under sin. All men will commend this, and much praise will redound to God. Pray what disgrace is it to Zacheus, that he was willing to restore all he had gotten by wrong? God and Man record it to his honour.

But further yet, you may so order your restitution, that (if occasion be) you never need to be known. Consider whom you have injured, and how much; and then choose your discreet Minister, or some other faithful friend, who may dispose the thing restored, or the value of it, to the right owner, and your name never needs to be in question. But rather exceed, than fall short of the full value, in your restitution. I will restore, saith Zacheus, fourfold, that is, rather more than less. And the Lord hath ordered in that case, Numb. 5.7. They shall confess their sin which they have do… and he shall recompence his trespass with t… principal thereof, and adde unto it the fifth part thereof, and give it unto him against whom b… hath trespassed. This is equitable for him, who perhaps hath been prejudiced by your injury, more than the naked worth of the thing; especially if much time be past. And it is profitable for you; when your sin costs you dear, its p. 131likely you will not easily meddle that way again.

Obj. I, but what if the party I have wrong'd be dead, and perhaps there is none left, to whom restitution may be made; or the persons at such a distance, that it is impossible to make them amends.

Answ. Restitution must be made in the proper place, if it be possible; or if the party be dead, to their Heirs or Executors, and pains must be taken to find them out. It is but a reasonable penance for your fault. But if no person can be found in whom the right of receiving remains, then hear what God saith, Numb. 5.8. But if the man have no Kinsman, (or person having right) to recompence the trespass unto, let the trespass be recompenced unto the Lord, even to the Priest—Almighty God is Heir-General in all such cases; in whose name and stead his Priests and poor are authorised to give you an acquittance; and your sin bewailed shall through the Ram of attonement, mentioned in the same verse, be forgiven. But till this be done or fully purposed, your guilt remains, you are yet in your sins.

And thus I have at length, given you a view of the Husbandmans Temptations, and their several Antidotes; not but that he hath many more. As he is a Christian, he is liable to all the temptations of a poor Christian; so as he is Husband, Master, Subject: but I think these are more incident to his earthly Calling, wherein if he be faithful to his own soul in the p. 132use of the Preservatives annexed, I trust, by the blessing of God, he shall overcome, and reign with Christ at last, where the wicked cease from troubling, and where the weary an at rest.