A94156:516
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.
Lastly, If thou would prepare thy self to hear or read the word rightly, leave thy Worldly thoughts behind thee. It is written of Bernard, that when he came to the Church-door he would say; Stay there all my earthly thoughts Say to the cares of this life (when thou art about reading or hearing) as ⟨p. 222⟩Abraham to his Servant; Abide you here and I will go yonder and Worship, Gen. 22.5. If thou shouldst suffer those weeds, they would hinder the springing up of the good seed, the word. They are like Thieves never dogging thee at this duty but to do thee a mischief, either to steal thy comforts, or to wound thy conscience.
Lastly, If thou would prepare thy self to hear or read the word rightly, leave thy Worldly thoughts behind thee. It is written of Bernard, that when he came to the Church-door he would say; Stay there all my earthly thoughts Say to the cares of this life (when thou art about reading or hearing) as ⟨p. 222⟩Abraham to his Servant; Abide you here and I will go yonder and Worship, Gen. 22.5. If thou shouldst suffer those weeds, they would hinder the springing up of the good seed, the word. They are like Theeves never dogging thee at this duty but to do thee a mischief, either to steal thy comforts, or to wound thy conscience.
Christ sharply reproveth the Jews for turning his Fathers house, which should be called an house of prayer, into a Den of Thieves; but how did they do this? By buying and selling, and changing Money in the Temple If thou Reader shouldst in thine heart be buying in thy provision, or selling out thy commodities, or hankering after thine hoards and heaps of Corn, or Wares, or Money, when thou art in Gods House, thou turnest the House of prayer into a Den of Thieves; therefore thy best way is to keep them out, and if they come in afterwards (as Christ did) to whip them out.