A94156:190
The Christian-man's calling: or, A treatise of making religion ones business. Wherein the nature…
The Christian-man's calling: or, A treatise of making religion ones business. Wherein the nature and necessity of it is discovered. : As also the Christian directed how he may perform it in [brace] religious duties, natural actions, his particular vocation, his family directions, and his own recreations. / By George Swinnock ...
London: printed for T.P., 1662
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
The Egyptians parted with their costly jewels willingly, 1to redeem their lives, as Calvin observeth. The widow in the Gospel spared none of her wealth to obtain health, which is much inferior to life. Skin for skin, all that a man has will he give for his life, Throw but a brute into the water to drown it, how will it labour, and toll, and sweat to preserve its life. View a man on his death-bed, when a distemper is like a strong enemy, fighting to force life out of the field, how doth Nature then with all the might and strength it hath, strive and struggle to keep its ground? What panting and breathing, what sweating and working of all the parts do you behold? and no wonder, The man laboureth for life: If there be such labour for a natural life, that is but umbra vitae, a shadow to this the substance, which is but the union of the body and soul, and lieth under a necessity of dissolution? what labour doth a spiritual life deserve that consisteth in the souls union and communion with the blessed Saviour, and which neither men nor devils, neither death nor hell, shall ever deprive a believer of, but in spite of all it will grow and increase till it commence eternal life? Well might Moses expect that such an heavy weight as this should make great impression, and sink deep into their affections. For it is not a vain thing because it is your life.
The Egyptians parted with their costly jewels willingly, 1to redeem their lives, as Calvin observeth. The widow in the Gospel spared none of her wealth to obtain health, which is much inferior to life. Skin for skin, all that a man has will he give for his life, Throw but a brute into the water to drown it, how will it labour, and toll, and sweat to preserve its life. View a man on his death-bed, when a distemper is like a strong enemy, fighting to force life out of the field, how doth Nature then with all the might and strength it hath, strive and struggle to keep its ground? What panting and breathing, what sweating and working of all the parts do you behold? and no wonder, The man laboureth for life: If there be such labour for a natural life, that is but umbra vitae, a shadow to this the substance, which is but the union of the body and soul, and lyeth under a necessity of dissolution? what labour doth a spiritual life deserve that consisteth in the souls union and communion with the blessed Saviour, and which neither men nor devils, neither death nor hell, shall ever deprive a beleever of, but in spight of all it will grow and increase till it commence eternal life? Well might Moses expect that such an heavy weight as this should make great impression, and sink deep into their affections. For it is not a vain thing because it is your life.