A94156:441
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.
1. Thy soul must be ever in a praying frame. The Soldier hath his Weapons ready, though not always in fight with his enemy. Thy heart must be ever in Tune, and ready upon the least touch to make heavenly Music. The Churches lips are compared to an honey-comb, Cant. 4.11. The honey comb doth not always drop, but it is always ready to drop. The believers spirit is like fire upon the Hearth, though it do not blaze, yet its ready ⟨p. 180⟩upon any opportunity, to be blown up into a flame.
1. Thy soul must be ever in a praying frame. The Souldier hath his Weapons ready, though not always in fight with his enemy. Thy heart must be ever in Tune, and ready upon the least touch to make heavenly Musick. The Churches lips are compared to an hony-comb, Cant. 4.11. The hony comb doth not always drop, but it is always ready to drop. The beleivers spirit is like fire upon the Hearth, though it do not blaze, yet its ready ⟨p. 180⟩upon any opportunity, to be blown up into a flame.
2. No considerable business must be undertaken without prayer. Thou art Gods servant, and thy duty is to ask his leave in all thou dost, Ephes. 4.6. In all things let your requests be made known to God. When thou risest up or liest down, when thou goest out or comest in, prayer must still be with thee. Prayer is the way to prevent evil. The Worlds poison may be expelled with this antidote. Joh. 17.11. He that converseth with God by prayer, dwelleth in Heaven, and to such a one the earth is but a small point. Prayer is both a Charm to enchant, and a scourge, to torment Satan. It engageth Christ in the combat with the Devil, and so assureth the soul of conquest. When the Saint is fighting and like to be foiled, either by the World, the Flesh, or the Wicked one, prayer is the Letter which he sendeth Post to Heaven for fresh supplies of the spirit, whereby he becometh more then a conqueror. Prayer is the way to procure good, he that will not speak, must not expect to speed. It sanctifieth our food, raiment, sleep, callings, and all our enjoyments to us. The Christian like the Chemist extracteth all good things out of this one body of prayer.