A94156:621
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.
Those Trees shoot highest in Summer, that shoot lowest into the earth in Winter; No Christian usually riseth so high in consolation, as he that is cast down lowest in Evangelical humiliation. There are two in the New Testament famous for ⟨p. 277⟩their contrition, and they are famous for Gods respect and affection to them. Mary was a great mourner, We seldom have a view of her in Scripture without dew on her face, and tears in her eyes, Luk. 7.38, 39. Luk. 23.27, 28. Joh. 19.25. and 20.11, 15. But she had the special honour and favour of seeing the best sight which ever mortal eyes beheld before all others; even the blessed Redeemer in the first step of his exaltation. Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalen out of whom he had cast seven Devils, Mark 16.9. Mary had sinned greatly, and sorrowed greatly, and was upon it greatly respected by God. Peter wept bitterly; A look from love broke his heart in pieces; but Christ took special care to bind up this broken heart, to pour Oil into his wounded conscience, and therefore when a messenger is dispatched from Heaven to acquaint the World with the joyful news of the Saviours resurrection, no name is particularly mentioned in his commission but Peters. God gives him an express command, that whosoever should remain ignorant of those happy tidings, he should be sure that Peter have notice of it. Go your way (saith the Angel) Tell his Disciples and Peter, that he goeth before you into Galilee, there ye shall see him. When a King hath some extra-ordinary good news, and sendeth a Courtier to acquaint his intimate friends with it, but chargeth him, Tell them all of it, but be sure such an Earl have notice of it; whoever you forget, remember him; All will conclude this is the favourite; Peter ⟨p. 278⟩thought that because he had forsworn Christ, therefore Christ might justly forget him; but Christ took such care that if but one in the World besides those two Women at the Sepulchre, had notice of his Resurrection, penitent Peter should be the man. O the Rhetoric, the power of an unfeigned tear! Repentance hath more prevalency with the blessed God, then all the robes, riches, crowns and Diadems of the greatest Potentates in the World.