The works of George Swinnock, M.A

Silly man is like the foolish Chicken; though the Kite comes and takes away many of their fellows, yet the rest continue pecking the ground, never heeding their owner, nor minding their shelter. Death comes and snatcheth away one man here, a second there; one before them, another behind them, and they are killed with death, undone for ever, Rev. 2. 23. yet they who survive, take no warning, but persist in their wicked and ungodly ways; They are destroyed from morning to evening, they perish for ever, without any regarding it. Doth not their excellency which is in them go away, they dye even without wisdom, Job 4.20, 21.

It is the saying of an Heathen;¹ That it is impossible for a man to live the present day well, who doth not purpose to live it as his last. I may say to thee, Friend, It is impossible for thee to live the present day ill, if thou wilt but live it as thy last day. If thou dost but consider, Well, this place may be the last place I shall come into, shall I pollute it with sin? or shall I not rather perfume it with sanctity? This expression may be the last that ever I shall speak, shall it •e tainted with vice, or shall it not rather be seasoned with grace? This action may be the last that ever I shall do, and shall it be a deed of darkness, or shall it not rather be a work of the day, of the light? This Sermon may be the last that ever I shall hear, and shall I now be heedless? After this I shall never more have a call from Christ, and •hall I now be careless? This Prayer may be the last Prayer that ever I shall pour out to God; if God deny me now, I am damned and undone ⟨p. 756⟩for ever, and shall not my head, and heart, and will, and mind, and all be working, that it may be a prosperous, a prevalent prayer? This Sabbath may be the last Sabbath that ever I shall sanctify; I may from henceforth and for ever be deprived of all such opportunities of getting and increasing grace, of serving and honouring my Saviour, and of working out my own salvation; If I sow not now good seed, I must never expect an happy harvest. If I buy not now, the market will be quickly over. Shall I lose any precious minute of this holy day? Is it time now to trifle about the affairs of my soul and eternity? Well, I will through Christ, take heed how I hear; I will hear in hearing, I will pray in praying, I will hear, and hearken, cry and call, with all my heart, and strength, and soul, and mind, that if it be possible, the Lord may not leave me without a blessing. When the Orator thinketh he is at the close of his Oration, then he useth his chiefest Art and Rhetoric, to move his Auditors affections, he would have his last part his best part.