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

Art thou not convinced that the true and living God made thee a rational creature, and hath served thee in all thy days with innumerable mercies, upon a nobler design, Quest. 1 and for an higher end then the gratifying thy flesh and sensitive appetite, and following thy particular calling, and minding sublunary vanities? Friend, what sayest thou? do not muzzle the mouth of conscience, but give it leave to speak its mind freely; art not thou satisfied fully in this weighty truth, That the mighty Possessor of Heaven and Earth created thee and preserveth thee to worship, honour and enjoy himself? If thou art convinced, as its impossible but thou shouldst, unless thou art a beast ⟨image 15⟩in the shape of a man: Why then doth thy life every day give thy conscience the lye? Dost thou not live without God? Is not Religion thy burden and bondage? Hath not the World the top and cream of thy heart, and time, and strength? How often dost thou put God off with the Worlds scraps and leavings? How little is God in all thy thoughts? Is he not forbidden thy heart? nay, Dost thou not daily proclaim open war against him by thy Profaneness and Atheism, as if he had not the least right to thee, nor thou the least dependence on him; and all this against the convictions of thine own Conscience? Friend, Dost thou know what thou dost? Why thou puttest thy finger into the very eye of Nature? The eye of the body is a tender part; but how tender is the eye of the soul? yet thou art all this while endeavouring to put out the eye of thy very soul. Believe it, sins against nature are of a crimson colour: for thy conversation to contradict continually thy very Conscience, will bring upon thee dreadful vengeance.

Art thou not convinced that the true and living God made thee a rational creature, and hath served thee in all thy days with innumerable mercies, upon a nobler design, Quest. 1 and for an higher end then the gratifying thy flesh and sensitive appetite, and following thy particular calling, and minding sublunary vanities? Friend, what sayst thou? do not muzle the mouth of conscience, but give it leave to speak its mind freely; art not thou satisfied fully in this weighty truth, That the mighty Possessor of Heaven and Earth created thee and preserveth thee to worship, honour and enjoy himself? If thou art convinced, as its impossible but thou shouldst, unless thou art a beast ⟨image 15⟩in the shape of a man: Why then doth thy life every day give thy conscience the lye? Dost thou not live without God? Is not Religion thy burden and bondage? Hath not the World the top and cream of thy heart, and time, and strength? How often dost thou put God off with the Worlds scraps and leavings? How little is God in all thy thoughts? Is he not forbidden thy heart? nay, Dost thou not daily proclaim open war against him by thy Prophaness and Atheism, as if he had not the least right to thee, nor thou the least dependance on him; and all this against the convictions of thine own Conscience? Friend, Dost thou know what thou dost? Why thou puttest thy finger into the very eye of Nature? The eye of the body is a tender part; but how tender is the eye of the soul? yet thou art all this while endeavouring to put out the eye of thy very soul. Believe it, sins against nature are of a crimson colour: for thy conversation to contradict continually thy very Conscience, will bring upon thee dreadful vengeance.