A94156:56
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.
After these I speak to Particular Callings, that they might be managed so, as not to be hurtful but helpful to our General Callings. I conclude the Book with Government of Families, wherein thou mayst learn that thy house must be dedicated to God. Religion in thy house must of necessity be minded, or the whole Family is cursed. The Naturalists observe of the Eagle, that building her nest on high she is much maligned by a venomous Serpent called Parias, which because it cannot reach to the nest, maketh to the windward and breathes out its poison, that so the air being infected, the Eagles young may be destroyed; but by way of prevention, the Eagle by a natural instinct keepeth a kind of Agath-stone in her nest, 1which being placed against the wind, preserveth her young. Satan the crooked Serpent is ever busy to poison the Air in thine house, and thereby to destroy thy self, servants and whole household; the only stone for prevention is to set up Religion. Neighbour, I have many a time pressed this duty upon thee, and I do again in the name of the blessed God charge thee, as thou wilt answer it at the Bar of Christ, that thou immediately set up the worship of God in thy Family. Thou knowest how many Sermons I preached from Josh. 24.15. on this ⟨image 20⟩subject, all which ere long thou shalt give an account of; how inexcusable wilt thou be if after all those warnings thy Family be found in the number of them that call not on God! Good Lord, how dreadful will it be for thee to sink into hell with thy whole house on thy back!
After these I speak to Particular Callings, that they might be managed so, as not to be hurtful but helpful to our General Callings. I conclude the Book with Government of Families, wherein thou mayst learn that thy house must be dedicated to God. Religion in thy house must of necessity be minded, or the whole Family is cursed. The Naturalists observe of the Eagle, that building her nest on high she is much maligned by a venemous Serpent called Parias, which because it cannot reach to the nest, maketh to the windward and breathes out its poison, that so the air being infected, the Eagles young may be destroyed; but by way of prevention, the Eagle by a natural instinct keepeth a kind of Agath-stone in her nest, 1