The works of George Swinnock, M.A

As Moses cast the tree into the bitter waters, and sweetened the Springs; And as Elijah cast salt into the fountain, and thereby healed the waters; so the salt of grace must be cast into the Spring, the fountain of the heart, or the streams of the life will never be sweet. Till trees are grafted, and their nature altered, all the fruit they bring forth is wild and harsh, and little worth: Till the Christian is grafted into Christ, and a new and another nature be infused into him, all his fruit is unsavoury and unacceptable to God, vain and unprofitable to himself. Such a one is like a Cypress tree, fair to look on, but barren. Like a Painter, he may make a great stir about the colours and shadows of things, the form of Godliness, and show all his wit, and art, and skill in expressing the outside, but wholly neglecteth the substance, and contemneth the inward parts, the power thereof.

As Moses cast the tree into the bitter waters, and sweetned the Springs; And as Elijah cast salt into the fountain, and thereby healed the waters; so the salt of grace must be cast into the Spring, the fountain of the heart, or the streams of the life will never be sweet. Till trees are grafted, and their nature altered, all the fruit they bring forth is wilde and harsh, and little worth: Till the Christian is grafted into Christ, and a new and another nature be infused into him, all his fruit is unsavoury and unacceptable to God, vain and unprofitable to himself. Such a one is like a Cypress tree, fair to look on, but barren. Like a Painter, he may make a great stir about the colours and shadows of things, the form of Godliness, and shew all his wit, and art, and skill in expressing the outside, but wholly neglecteth the substance, and contemneth the inward parts, the power thereof.

There be several things which may help to make the life fair in the eyes of men; but nothing will make it amiable in the eyes of God, unless the heart be changed and renewed. Indeed all the medicines which can be applied, without the sanctifying work of the Spirit, though they may cover, they can never cure the corruption and diseases of the soul. The best man without this is like a Serpent painted as it were without, but poisonous within. As the herb Bistort, he may have smooth and plain leaves, but a crooked root. Or as a Pill, be gilded on the outside,