The works of George Swinnock, M.A

Enable me to pass on like a wise Traveller, in the way of thy Commandments, and not to be stirred at the barking of those Dogs that pursue me with open mouth. My confident neglect will soonest make them quiet; let me never break the peace, but in the quarrel of truth; Give me for peace sake sometimes to part with my right, but never with my righteousness; Let the same mind be in me, which was in Christ Jesus; Teach me from him to be meek and lowly in heart, and yet to be eaten up with the zeal of thy house. Make me willing to suffer, but not to have thy name suffer. Grant me to follow peace with all men, and holiness. O bestow on me that wisdom from above, which is first Pure, then Peaceable, Gentle, and (though hardly provoked, yet) easy to be entreated.

Enable me to pass on like a wise Travailer, in the way of thy Commandements, and not to be stirred at the barking of those Dogs that pursue me with open mouth. My confident neglect will soonest make them quiet; let me never break the peace, but in the quarrel of truth; Give me for peace sake sometimes to part with my right, but never with my righteousness; Let the same mind be in me, which was in Christ Jesus; Teach me from him to be meek and lowly in heart, and yet to be eaten up with the zeal of thy house. Make me willing to suffer, but not to have thy name suffer. Grant me to follow peace with all men, and holiness. O bestow on me that wisdom from above, which is first Pure, then Peaceable, Gentle, and (though hardly provoked, yet) easie to be intreated.

²I Wish that those beautiful children of righteousness, courtesy, and meekness in my carriage, ⟨p. 77⟩may have the Spirit of God for their Parent; I mean, that the fear of my God may be the principle from which they flow. I shall lose the race, how well soever I run, if I do not set out at the right place. Men look only to my practices, and accordingly judge of my principle; if my life be without fault, their charity tells them that my heart is without fraud; but Gods eye is on my principle, and accordingly he judgeth of my practices; if my affections be not gracious, he knoweth that my actions cannot be righteous. My God knoweth me thorough and thorough; He spieth the rottenness and crawling vermin, that are in the bowels of a painted Sepulchre. If I be like a Peach with a craggy stone in my heart, under the cover of a velvet Coat, he understandeth it altogether; I may cozen the dark eyes of men, who when they behold the inoffensiveness of my life, and the height of my profession, are ready to cry out of me, as Samuel of Eliab, when he saw the comeliness of his countenance, and the height of his stature, Surely the Lords anointed is before him;