The works of George Swinnock, M.A

If he be a ridiculous person, that having choice of lusty horses, should let them all go empty, and lay an extraordinary heavy load upon a poor tired jade, that is hardly able to go, much more foolish is he that prodigally wasteth his youth, and health, and strength, in the service of the flesh and the world, and leaves the great and weighty affairs of his soul and eternity, to be transacted on a sick or dying bed; O my soul, what little cause hast thou to future or delay thy solemn provision for the other world? First, thy life is uncertain, thou hast not another day at thy disposal.¹ There are some creatures, they say, in Pontus, whose life lasteth but one day; They are born in the morning, come to their full growth at noon, grow ⟨p. 689⟩old in the evening, and dye at night. What is thy life but a vapour, that soon passeth away? The first minute thou didst begin to live, thou didst begin to dye; Death was born when thou wast born, the last act of life is but the completing of death; As on thy birthday thou didst begin to dye, so on the day of thy death thou dost cease to live; How many outward accidents, and inward diseases, art thou every moment liable to? May I not say to thee as Michael to David; Save thy self to night, for tomorrow thou shalt be slain? Others have died suddenly, by imposthumes, or the falling-sickness, or violent means; and if thou promisest thy self a fair warning, before the fatal stroke, thou dost but cozen and cheat thy self. But secondly, If thou wert sure to see the evening star of sickness, before the night of death overtake thee, thou art not sure thy sickness shall not be such as may not incapacitate thee for the working out thy salvation. Extremity of pain, anguish of body, lack of sleep, the violence of a fever, may indispose thee, and distract thee, that thou canst not so much as think of God. Or, thy distemper may be such that the Physician may charge thee not to trouble thy self with melancholy or sad thoughts, lest thou wrongest thy body, and yet the Minister commandeth thee to pull up those sluices of sorrow, if thou wouldst not lose thy soul for ever. Or, cold diseases, as the Lethargy or Palsy may surprise thee, and incline thee to continual slumbers, till at last thou sleepest the sleep of death;

If he be a ridiculous person, that having choice of lusty horses, should let them all go empty, and lay an extraordinary heavy load upon a poor tired jade, that is hardly able to go, much more foolish is he that prodigally wasteth his youth, and health, and strength, in the service of the flesh and the world, and leaves the great and weighty affairs of his soul and eternity, to be transacted on a sick or dying bed; O my soul, what little cause hast thou to future or delay thy solemn provision for the other world? First, thy life is uncertain, thou hast not another day at thy disposal.