A94156:977
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 26: How to exercise our selves to Godliness in our Partiular Callings.
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.
First, be diligent in thy Calling: It is observable, that the Apostle adviseth the Romans, Be ⟨p. 468⟩not slothful in business, serving the Lord, Rom. 12.11. All the children of Adam are enjoined to mind their particular callings, by virtue of that command or threatening to their Father, In the sweat of thy brows thou shalt eat thy bread, Gen. 3. As in the Body Politic, so in the Body Natural, there must be order; to which three things are requisite, 1. That every part be in its proper place, each Star in its own Orb. 2. That the parts have each to other a due proportion. 3. That every member do its duty, and be some way or other helpful to the Body. Idle persons are like Wens in the face, which receive of the bodies nourishment, but serve only to disfigure it. Those that are no workers, in Gods account are disorderly walkers, 1 Thess. 5.14. Augustus built an Apragapolis, a City void of business; but God made not the World to be a Nursery of idleness. 1The Ethiopians (as the Historian observeth) would acquaint their youth, that they were born to labour, by accustoming them betimes to fling great stones. Amongst the Turks, every man must follow some Trade, the Grand Seigneur himself not excepted. The Censors morum among the Romans, were to observe who were diligent, who were negligent in their Vocations, and accordingly to commend or condemn them. The Grecians, according to Solon's Law, were great discouragers of them, that like Vermin, lived only to eat what others earn. The Council of the Areopagites enquired how every man lived, and punished such as they found idle. The Devils themselves are diligent about their deeds ⟨p. 469⟩of darkness: Creatures void of life are serviceable in their places and stations; Angels, nay God himself is always working. An idle person cannot find either in Heaven or Hell a pattern. Our lives are therefore called, The lives of our hands, because they are to be maintained by Gods blessing on our labours.