A94156:31
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
To the reader: TO THE READER, ESPECIALLY Of the Parish of Great-Kimbel in the County of Bucks.
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.
TO THE READER, ESPECIALLY Of the Parish of Great-Kimbel in the County of Bucks.
HE who doth but exercise his reason in considering the infinite cost which the glorious God hath bestowed in erecting the stately fabric of Heaven and Earth, and the curious Workmanship which he hath discovered in the several creatures which are the Inhabitants of the higher and lower House (causing his Almighty Power, embroidered Wisdom, and unsearchable Goodness to glister and sparkle far more gloriously in them, then the stars in the clearest night, or the Sun in his noonday brightness) will easily grant me this Assertion, That this great Landlord of the world must needs deserve and expect a considerable rent of Honour and service somewhat suitable to the vast charge he hath been at. Who can be so brutish as to conceive, that the Only wise God should take so much pains, as with infinite counsel to contrive the goodly frame and comely structure of this visible Creation from all Eternity, and by his Omnipotent arm to give it a being, and not intend that his boundless excellencies and vast perfections, written in such a fair print and large characters should be admired and adored. That man ⟨image 13⟩is the person designed to give him his due and deserved praise, is the next unquestionable concession, no other of Gods visible works being capable of his worship. Indeed mans sight is so bad that he can see little of that beauty which appeareth in the glass of the world; but beasts are stark blind they can see nothing at all.
HE who doth but exercise his reason in considering the infinite cost which the glorious God hath bestowed in erecting the stately fabrick of Heaven and Earth, and the curious Workmanship which he hath discovered in the several creatures which are the Inhabitants of the higher and lower House (causing his Almighty Power, embroidered VVisdom, and unsearchable Goodness to glister and sparkle far more gloriously in them, then the stars in the clearest night, or the Sun in his noonday brightness) will easily grant me this Assertion, That this great Landlord of the world must needs deserve and expect a considerable rent of Honour and service somewhat suitable to the vaste charge he hath been at. Who can be so bruitish as to conceive, that the Onely wise God should take so much pains, as with infinite counsel to contrive the goodly frame and comely structure of this visible Creation from all Eternity, and by his Omnipotent arm to give it a being, and not intend that his boundless excellencies and vast perfections, written in such a fair print and large characters should be admired and adored. That man