The Christian-man's calling: or, A treatise of making religion ones business. Wherein the nature…

If thou considerest the work of Redemption, and Christs rest, surely out of the carcass of the Lion of the tribe of Judah, thou mayst get some Honey as may delight thy soul, and force thee to sing, My soul doth magnify the Lord, my spirit ⟨p. 367⟩rejoiceth in God my Saviour, Luk. 1.46, 47. The babe in the womb leapt for joy of him before he was born. The heavenly host sung at his birth, and wilt not thou at his second birth, his resurrection from the dead. O let the Primitive Christians salutations be thy consolation, The Lord is risen.

If thou considerest the work of Redemption, and Christs rest, surely out of the carcass of the Lion of the tribe of Judah, thou mayst get some Honey as may delight thy soul, and force thee to sing, My soul doth magnifie the Lord, my spirit ⟨p. 367⟩rejoyceth in God my Saviour, Luk. 1.46, 47. The babe in the womb leapt for joy of him before he was born. The heavenly host sung at his birth, and wilt not thou at his second birth, his resurrection from the dead. O let the Primitive Christians salutations be thy consolation, The Lord is risen.

If thou meditatest on glorification, and thine own rest canst thou do less then rejoice in hope of glory, what Prisoner shackled with Satan's temptations, and fettered with his own corruptions, in the dark Gaol of this World, can think of the time when his Irons shall be knocked off, and he enjoy the pleasant light and glorious liberty of the Sons of God, and not be transported with joy? What heir in his minority, banished from his kindred and country, can think without comfort of his full age, when he shall have the full fruition both of his estate and friends; doubtless friend, the Sabbaths of the holy, are the Suburbs of heaven. In heaven there is no buying, no selling, no ploughing, no sowing, nothing but worshipping God, communion with him, fruition of him, and delight in him; There remains a rest for the people of God. There they rest from their labours; If thou on a Lords day turnest thy back upon the World, and goest up into the mount, conversing with, and rejoicing in the blessed God, what dost thou less then begin thine eternal Sabbath here. Such a Lords day can be no less then Heaven in a looking glass, representing truly, though darkly, thy future eternal happiness; There is no perfume so sweet to a Pilgrim, as his own smoke.