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

We may say of this work of Christianity, compared with all other works, what David said of Goliaths sword, There is none like it; this is soul-work, this is God-work, this is eternity-work, and ⟨p. 49⟩therefore of greatest weight, and requireth us all to make it our business: Such blows as these three are, one would think might force fire out of a flint.

We may say of this work of Christianity, compared with all other works, what David said of Goliahs sword, There is none like it; this is soulwork, this is God-work, this is eternity-work, and ⟨p. 49⟩therefore of greatest weight, and requireth us all to make it our business: Such blows as these three are, one would think might force fire out of a flint.

This is Soul-work: As soul woe is the heaviest woe, and soul-wants are the greatest wants, so soul-work is the weightest work; the dangers of a soul are the deepest dangers, the loss of the soul is the dreadfullest loss, the neglect of the soul is the dolefullest neglect: The consequence of the action is frequently specified from the excellency of the person or subject concerned in it. The soul of man is a most excellent piece, both in regard of the spirituality and immortality of its substance, as also in regard of that divine image imprinted on it, those heavenly qualities with which it was at first endowed. Princes stamp not their image (except in cases of necessity) on brass, or tin, or leather, but on gold and silver, the chiefest and most excellent metals; therefore though those affairs which concern the body are but of ordinary respect, yet those that concern the soul are of unconceivable weight and regard. One soul is more worth then ten thousand bodies, then ten thousand worlds.

This is Soul-work: As soul wo is the heaviest wo, and soul-wants are the greatest wants, so soulwork is the weightest work; the dangers of a soul are the deepest dangers, the loss of the soul is the dreadfullest loss, the neglect of the soul is the dolefullest neglect: The consequence of the action is frequently specified from the excellency of the person or subject concerned in it. The soul of man is a most excellent piece, both in regard of the spirituality and immortality of its substance, as also in regard of that divine image imprinted on it, those heavenly qualities with which it was at first endowed. Princes stamp not their image (except in cases of necessity) on brass, or tynn, or leather, but on gold and silver, the chiefest and most excellent mettals; therefore though those affairs which concern the body are but of ordinary respect, yet those that concern the soul are of unconceivable weight and regard. One soul is more worth then ten thousand bodies, then ten thousand worlds.