A94156:815
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.
A good wish about the Lords day, wherein the former heads are Epitomized.
The first day of the Week being of divine institution, 1and Baptized by God himself with that Honourable name of the Lords day, partly in regard of its Author, This is the day which the Lords hath made; partly in regard of the blessed Redeemer, who rose that day and Triumphed over the Grave, the Devil, the Curse of the Law, and Hell; it being a day Sanctified for the glory of my Saviour, of which I may say as of Jacob, The Lord hath chosen it to himself for his peculiar Treasure, Psa. 135.4. and a day set apart for the spiritual and eternal good of my precious soul, wherein I may enjoy communion with my God in all his Ordinances, without interruption, I wish in general that as the Spirit may be in me in the week days, so that I may be in the Spirit on the Lords day, filled therewith, and enabled thereby to have my conversation all the day long in Heaven. O that my care in fitting my soul for it, my holy carriage at it, and my suitable conversation after it, may testify that I had rather be a Door-keeper in the House of my God, then to dwell in the Tents of Wickedness; and that I esteem one day in his Courts, better then a thousand else-where. I wish in particular that I may prepare for it, 2as for a Wedding day, wherein Christ and my soul are to be espoused together, and to that end before it cometh, ⟨p. 392⟩may be careful, so to order my earthly affairs that they may not encroach upon this Holy ground; and so open the door of my heart, and adorn it with spiritual excellencies, that the King of Glory may enter in, and think himself a welcome Guest in my soul: O that I might never give my God cause to complain of me, as once of the Jews, Your Sabbaths and solemn feasts I cannot away with, for your hands are defiled. As Nehemiah shut the Gates of the City, that no burdens might be carried in on the Sabbath day, so let me secure the Gate of my heart, that no Worldly things may disturb me in Sabbath duties. O let me not like Martha be careful, and troubled about many things, but on this day especially, sit at Christs feet, mind the one thing necessary, and choose the good part which shall never be taken from me. I wish that I may long more for it then ever a Bride-groom did for his Bride; that when it is come in, I may bid it heartily Welcome, and that as my Saviour rose early, that morning to justify me, so I may rise early on this day to glorify him.