A94156:540
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.
The Naturalists observe of the Salamander, that though she live in the fire constantly, yet she is never the hotter. How woeful is the condition of thousands who live all their days under the Word of God, in which is kindled the heavenly fire of Gods infinite love in Christ to poor sinners, and the hellfire of the hideous horrid nature of sin, yet they are never the hotter! neither warmed with the former, nor scorched with the latter; nay though these fires are sometimes by the workmen who divide the word aright, heated (as I may say) seven times hotter then ordinary (by discovering the freeness (without, yea against desert) fullness (a known; unknown love) and fastness (whom he loveth he loveth to the end) of this divine affection, and by declaring the ugliness and loathsomeness of corruption, in its contrariety to a righteous law, and a gracious Lord; and in its opposition to the souls happiness and perfection, that the very Ministers who take them up, to put them into this fire, are themselves with the extremity of its heat, turned into a live Coal, or all in a flame of love to the blessed God, and hatred against his and their enemy, sin; yet these hearers like the three Children are not touched with all this fire, their garments are not so much as singed, nor the least smell of the fire on them. O woeful wonder!
The Naturalists observe of the Salamander, that though she live in the fire constantly, yet she is never the hotter. How woful is the condition of thousands who live all their days under the Word of God, in which is kindled the heavenly fire of Gods infinite love in Christ to poor sinners, and the hellfire of the hideous horrid nature of sin, yet they are never the hotter! neither warmed with the former, nor scorched with the latter; nay though these fires are sometimes by the workmen who divide the word aright, heated (as I may say) seven times hotter then ordinary (by discovering the freeness (without, yea against desert) fullness (a known; unknown love) and fastness (whom he loveth he loveth to the end) of this divine affection, and by declaring the ugliness and loathsomness of corruption, in its contrariety to a righteous law, and a gratious Lord; and in its opposition to the souls happiness and perfection, that the very Ministers who take them up, to put them into this fire, are themselves with the extremity of its heat, turned into a live Coal, or all in a flame of love to the blessed God, and hatred against his and their enemy, sin; yet these hearers like the three Children are not touched with all this fire, their garments are not so much as singed, nor the least smell of the fire on them. O woful wonder!