A94156:981
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.
As the nether Millstone is heavy, slow, and of small riddance, yet the upper Millstone though of greater agility, and quicker dispatch, doth not grind without the nether, but both together make good meal; so the diligent hand of it self, can do little, nay nothing without the blessing of God; yet the Blessing of God, though of infinite efficacy, ⟨p. 471⟩will seldom do any thing without the diligent hand, but both together make a person rich.
As the nether Milstone is heavy, slow, and of small riddance, yet the upper Milstone though of greater agility, and quicker dispatch, doth not grind without the nether, but both together make good meal; so the diligent hand of it self, can do little, nay nothing without the blessing of God; yet the Blessing of God, though of infinite efficacy, ⟨p. 471⟩will seldom do any thing without the diligent hand, but both together make a person rich.
Besides negligence about mens vocations is one great cause of corruption. The proud person is Satan's Throne, and the idle man his Pillow; He sitteth in the former, and sleepeth quietly on the latter; when men have nothing to do, the Devil always sets them a work. As a Bird that wandereth from his Nest, so is a man that wandereth from his place, Pro. 27.8. By place, the Holy Chost understandeth particular callings. Now God had taken care that none should molest a Bird in her Nest, there she was safe, Deut. 22.6, 7. but when she begins to wander, then she is in danger, either to be shot by the Fowler, or caught in the Snare, or made a prey to other ravenous birds; So a man that is diligent in his calling, whilst he is employed therein, is in Gods precincts, and so under Gods protection; but when he wandereth abroad from his calling, going out of his bounds to sit and talk, he is a weft and a stray, and so falleth to the Lord of the Manor, the God of this World.