A94156:523
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.
When the heart is awed with the apprehension of a Divine presence, the iron gates of the ears will fly open of their own accord, and give the Word a free passage. The Creature dares not but hearken diligently to the speech of that God, on whose breath depends his life and death, when he seeth him immediately before his eyes: I can speak it by experience, saith Erasmus, that there is little good to be got by the Scriptures, if a man read or hear it cursorily and carelessly; but if a man do it out of conscience, and as in Gods presence, he shall find such an efficacy in it, as is not to be found in any other Book. This setting thy self seriously, as in Gods presence, is like the Masters eye to his servant, which will make him ply his work whether he would or not; or rather like the fire to the Smiths bar of iron, which doth so mollify it, that he striking whilst it is hot, may beat it into what form and mould he pleaseth.
When the heart is awed with the apprehension of a Divine presence, the iron gates of the ears will fly open of their own accord, and give the Word a free passage. The Creature dares not but hearken diligently to the speech of that God, on whose breath depends his life and death, when he seeth him immediately before his eyes: I can speak it by experience, saith Erasmus, that there is little good to be got by the Scriptures, if a man read or hear it cursorily and carelesly; but if a man do it out of conscience, and as in Gods presence, he shall finde such an efficacy in it, as is not to be found in any other Book. This setting thy self seriously, as in Gods presence, is like the Masters eye to his servant, which will make him ply his work whether he would or not; or rather like the fire to the Smiths bar of iron, which doth so mollifie it, that he striking whilst it is hot, may beat it into what form and mould he pleaseth.
This temper of soul in the Thessalonians was so great a favour, that Paul thought he could never praise the Author of it sufficiently: For this cause thank we God without ceasing, that when ye heard the word of God, ye heard it not as the word of man, but as it is indeed the word of God, 1 Thess. 2.13