A94156:456
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. To an Archer, and then the meaning is, I will be up betimes, and take as good aim as I can possibly at the mark, and so draw my bow, and direct my arrow that I may hit it.
2. To a General, and then it importeth thus much, I will rise early, and set my requests to God, as Soldiers in Battalia, in rank and file, in good array: I will so marshal them, that they be not routed by being out of order: I will see that they stand in their places, and keep their ground; and what then? his practice after prayer, And will look up: I will observe what became of the arrow I shot. Or the word being an allusion to a Watchman, as the former word to a Commander in chief of an Army, speaketh this, When I have marshalled my prayers in good array, and sent them forth to fight against my spiritual Enemies, and to wrestle with God himself for his grace and love, I will get up to my ⟨p. 187⟩Watch-Tower, to see what execution they do upon my adversaries, what power they have with God, whether they get or lose ground, whether they prevail and win the day. It was the custom in those days, when forces were sent forth to fight, for the General to command one to watch in some high place, if he could spy any coming from the Armies with news. So when Davids Soldiers were engaged with Absaloms, the watchman went up to the roof over the gate, and spied Ahimaaz and Cushi coming with tidings. Thus holy David stood (as it were) sentinel and watched as a spy, longing every moment to hear and see the event, issue and success of his prayers.
2. To a General, and then it importeth thus much, I will rise early, and set my requests to God, as Souldiers in Battalia, in rank and file, in good array: I will so marshal them, that they be not routed by being out of order: I will see that they stand in their places, and keep their ground; and what then? his practice after prayer, And will look up: I will observe what became of the arrow I shot. Or the word being an allusion to a Watchman, as the former word to a Commander in chief of an Army, speaketh this, When I have marshalled my prayers in good array, and sent them forth to fight against my spiritual Enemies, and to wrestle with God himself for his grace and love, I will get up to my