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

He that minds Religion by the by, will if other things intervene, put it back, and be glad of an excuse to wave that company, to which he hath no love; nay he doth in the whole course of his life, prefer his Swine, as the Gadarenes, before his soul; set the Servant on Horse-back, and suffer the Master to go on foot. His voice to Religion is like the Jews to the poor man in vile Raiment; stand thou there, or fit thou here under my foot-stool; and his words to the World, are like theirs to the man in goodly apparel, Come up hither, or sit thou here in a good place, James 2.2, 3. He doth like Jacob, lay the right hand of his care and diligence upon the youngest Son, the body; and the left hand upon the first born of the soul; That which was Esau's curse is esteemed by him as a blessing, that the Elder serves the Tounger; He is so unwise as to esteem lying vanities before real mercies; often so unworthy, as to forget God, whosoever he remembereth; and so uncivil at best, as to give God the Worlds leavings, and to let the Almighty Creator Dance attendance till he pleaseth to be at leisure. If he be in the midst of his devotion, he makes an end upon the smallest occasion, ¹and is like the Patriarch, who ran from the Altar when he was about his Office, to see a Fool new fallen from his beloved Mare.

He that minds Religion by the by, will if other things intervene, put it back, and be glad of an excuse to wave that company, to which he hath no love; nay he doth in the whole course of his life, prefer his Swine, as the Gadarens, before his soul; set the Servant on Horse-back, and suffer the Master to go on foot. His voice to Religion is like the Jews to the poor man in vile Rayment; stand thou there, or fit thou here under my foot-stool; and his words to the World, are like theirs to the man in goodly apparel, Come up hither, or sit thou here in a good place, James 2.2, 3. He doth like Jacob, lay the right hand of his care and diligence upon the youngest Son, the body; and the left hand upon the first born of the soul; That which was Esaus curse is esteemed by him as a blessing, that the Elder serves the Tounger; He is so unwise as to esteem lying vanities before real mercies; often so unworthy, as to forget God, whosoever he remembreth; and so uncivil at best, as to give God the Worlds leavings, and to let the Almighty Creator Dance attendance till he pleaseth to be at leasure. If he be in the midst of his devotion, he makes an end upon the smallest occasion,