A94156:226
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.
He is fitly called Beelzebub, the master Fly, because as a Fly he quickly returns to the bait from which he was but now beaten. Though Emperors may turn Christians, saith Austin, yet the Devils will not.
Doth not this fully speak the necessity of making Godliness our business? 1Can such difficulties be conquered without much diligence? Who can eat his way like Hannibal) through such Alps of opposition without hot water and hard work. If like Sampson we would break all these cords of opposition in sunder, we must awake out of sleep and put forth all our strength; Saints are all called ⟨p. 68⟩to be Soldiers: Our whole life is a warfare, All the days of my appointed time, Job 14.14. An Expositor reads it, 2All the days of my warfare I will wait till my change come. The Soldiers life, is no lazy life; Armies are wholly for action, especially when they deal with such subtle, strong adversaries that assault them day and night without ceasing. Who can conquer three such mighty Monarchs as Flesh, World and Devil are, or force his way through their temptations and suggestions, unless he fight in earnest, and make it his business. That fire, if ever any, had need to be hot that must melt and overcome such hard metal; and that hand, if ever any, had need to work hard that will remove and level such high mountains. If the silly Hare, pursued by such a pack of Hounds offer once to stand still or lye down, she is sure to be torn in pieces and devoured. There is a time, saith the holy Bishop, 3when Kings go not forth to warfare; our spiritual war admits no intermission, it knows no night, no winter; abides no peace, no truce; this calls us not into Garrison, where we may have ease and respite, but into pitched fields continually; we see our enemies in the face always, and are always seen and assaulted; ever resisting, ever defending, receiving, and returning blows; if either we be negligent or weary, we dye; We can never have safety and peace but in victory: There must our resistance be courageous and constant where both yielding is death, and all treaties of peace, mortal.