A94156:267
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.
CHAP. X. An Exhortation to make Godliness our business in the whole course of our lives.
The second and principal Use which I shall make of this Doctrine, shall be by way of Exhortation; Ought Godliness to be every ones business? then Reader let me persuade thee in the fear of God to put this Precept into practice; Exercise thy self to Godliness. Let it be the chief trade thou drivest, the principal calling thou followest, to worship the true God in heart and life, according to his revealed Will. I hope thou art satisfied in the weight of the Reasons already delivered; what canst thou say, why thou shouldst not presently set upon the work. Thou hast heard it is the great end of thy being and continuance in this world, ⟨p. 95⟩That it is an employment of the greatest concernment; How it is Soul work, God-work, Eternity-work; That it must of necessity be made the main business, or otherwise all thy labour will be lost: canst thou easily break this threefold cord; let conscience judge between God and thee, whether such a work as this is, doth not deserve all thy time and strength, thine utmost care and greatest diligence, and ten thousand times more then thou canst possibly give it. Thou hast also read how fiery and furious Worldlings, Formalists, Sinners are for their Delilahs and Minions; Oh why art thou so slothful to go in and possess the land, Judg. 18.3.
THe second and principal Use which I shall make of this Doctrine, shall be by way of Exhortation; Ought Godliness to be every ones business? then Reader let me perswade thee in the fear of God to put this Precept into practice; Exercise thy self to Godliness. Let it be the chief trade thou drivest, the principal calling thou followest, to worship the true God in heart and life, according to his revealed Will. I hope thou art satisfied in the weight of the Reasons already delivered; what canst thou say, why thou shouldst not presently set upon the work. Thou hast heard it is the great end of thy being and continuance in this world,