A94157:190
The door of salvation opened by the key of regeneration
The door of salvation opened by the key of regeneration: or A treatise containing the nature, necessity, marks and means of regeneration; as also the duty of the regenerate. / By George Swinnocke, M.A. and pastor of Rickmersworth in Hertfordshire.
London: printed by John Best for Tho. Parkhurst, 1661
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.
We read of Zeuxes the Painter, that he drew grapes so to the life that he deceived the birds, who came flying to them, and pecking at them, as if they had been real grapes. Certainly a graceless man may have such a complete form of godliness, that those who are gracious cannot but judge it to be accompanied with the power, when ⟨p. 84⟩indeed it is but the picture. When there was a famine in Samaria, a scarcity of good food, the fourth part of a cab of Doves dung (which might be the quantity of a pint) was sold for five pieces of silver (twelve shillings six pence of our money) observe at what an high rate that which was nothing worth was valued at in a famine; truly so, there is such a scarcity of true godliness, that godly men (who exceedingly long for the advancement of Christ and Christianity in mens hearts and houses) prize and encourage any thing that cometh near it, that looketh like it, or hath any tendency towards it; But that which is highly esteemed of men, may be abominable in the sight of God, Luk. 16.15.
We read of Zeuxes the Painter, that he drew grapes so to the life that he deceived the birds, who came flying to them, and pecking at them, as if they had been real grapes. Certainly a graceless man may have such a compleat form of godliness, that those who are gracious cannot but judge it to be accompanied with the power, when ⟨p. 84⟩indeed it is but the picture. When there was a famine in Samaria, a scarcity of good food, the fourth part of a cab of Doves dung (which might be the quantity of a pinte) was sold for five pieces of silver (twelve shillings six pence of our money) observe at what an high rate that which was nothing worth was valued at in a famine; truly so, there is such a scarcity of true godliness, that godly men (who exceedingly long for the advancement of Christ and Christianity in mens hearts and houses) prize and encourage any thing that cometh near it, that looketh like it, or hath any tendency towards it; But that which is highly esteemed of men, may be abominable in the sight of God, Luk. 16.15.