A94156:514
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.
4. Let thine end in going to hear, be to please God and profit thy soul. Propound a good end in hearing, if thou wouldst have a good end of hearing; Some go to Church for nothing, like the Athenians, the greatest part knew not wherefore they were met together, Act. 17. They have as much as they come for; They come for nothing, and they often go away with nothing. Others go to carp and catch at the Preacher; as the Herodians went to Christ to entangle him in his talk, Mat. 22.15. These go not to hear Gods word, but to do the Devils work, and he will pay them their wages. These fly to the carcass, not to defend it, but to devour it. A third sort go to hear wit and parts, neat expressions, and an affecting graceful pronunciation, like the Jews to hear Ezekiel, Lo thou art unto them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument, Ezek. 33.32. These go to hear man, not to hear God. They hear out of curiosity, not out of conscience; they desire to have their ears tickled, not their hearts touched. They hear and do not, vers. 33. Such go to Church, just as they who go to a noise of Musicians, only for the pleasant sound, for nothing but to hear.
4. Let thine end in going to hear, be to please God and profit thy soul. Propound a good endin hearing, if thou wouldst have a good end of hearing; Some go to Church for nothing, like the Athenians, the greatest part knew not wherefore they were met together, Act. 17. They have as much as they come for; They come for nothing, and they often go away with nothing. Others go to carp and catch at the Preacher; as the Herodians went to Christ to entangle him in his talk, Mat. 22.15. These go not to hear Gods word, but to do the Devils work, and he will pay them their wages. These flie to the carcass, not to defend it, but to devour it. A third sort go to hear wit and parts, neat expressions, and an affecting graceful pronounciation, like the Jews to hear Ezekiel, Lo thou art unto them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument,