The Christian-man's calling: or, A treatise of making religion ones business. Wherein the nature…

CHAP. IV. What it is for a man to make Religion his business, or to exercise himself to Godliness

I Proceed to the second particular promised, is to show what it is for a man to exercise himself to Godliness. It implieth these three things.

I Proceed to the second particular promised, is to shew what it is for a man to exercise himself to Godliness. It implyeth these three things.

First, To give it the precedency in all our actions; that which a man maketh his business he will be sure to mind, whatsoever he omits. A good Husband will serve his shop before his sports, and will sometimes offer an handsome & warrantable kind of ⟨p. 22⟩disrespect to his friends, that his calling may have his company; he will have some excuse or other to avoid diversions, and force his way to his trade through all opposition, and all because he makes it his business: He that makes Religion his business, carrieth himself towards his general, as this man doth towards his particular calling: In his whole life he walks with God, and is so mannerly and dutiful as to give God the upper hand all the way. He knoweth that his God must be worshipped, that his family must be served, and that his calling must be followed (for Religion doth not nullify, only rectify his carriage towards his earthly vocation) but each in their order, that which is first in regard of excellency, is first in regard of his industry. He is not so unnatural as to serve his cattle before his children, nor so Atheistical as to serve his body and the world before his soul and his Saviour. He is so sensible of his infinite engagements to the blessed God, that he allotteth some time every day for his religious duties, and he will be sure to pay God home to the utmost of his ability whosoever he compounds with or pays short.