A94156:774
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
Treatise › Chapter 21: How to exercise our selves to godliness on a Lords Day.
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.
Look upon performances as boats to ferry thy soul over, and give it a passage to God, and take heed of going contentedly from God without God; 1let thy prayer be, O send out thy light, and thy truth; let them lead me, let them bring me to thy holy hill, to thy Tabernacle; then will I go unto the Altar of God, unto God my exceeding joy.
Seventhly, Sanctify the whole day to Gods service; Be early up in the morning, and as late as thy body will permit at night. The Israelites when they were to batter down the strong holds of Jericho, rose up early in the morning, Judg. 6.15. Upon the Lords day thy work must be to batter down the strong holds of sin; rise early, lose no time. Do not lose the least moment (if it be possible) of this sacred day. The very filings of Gold are of worth; The smallest part of this holy day is of great price; The word Shamur to keep (the Sabbath) Lev. 19.30. signifieth to keep with care and diligence as a great treasure, of which a man would lose none. When men beat Ginger, they will (if good Husbands) be careful that little fly out of the Mortar; but if they beat pearl, they are extraordinary watchful, that not the least of that be lost, because a little of that is of great value. Reader, if thou art a good Husband for thy soul, I doubt not but thou esteemest thy time ⟨p. 373⟩in the week days at so high a rate that thou darest not squander it away in doing nothing, or in that which is worse then nothing; but O what worth, what price wilt thou set upon an opportunity upon a Lords day? How diligent wilt thou be to improve the least piece of that day? God giveth thee six whole days for thine own works; do not deny to him one whole day in seven. Let thy conscience be Judge; Is it not unrighteousness to buy by one measure which is greater, and sell by another measure which is lesser? when the day is consecrated to God, as the goods of Ananias, it is dangerous to keep back any part of it for our own use.