The works of George Swinnock, M.A

Seasons for the advancement of thy Saviour, and the soul advantage of thy brother, are rare, and wilt thou throw them away upon vain talk, and needless toys? David could say, Is there none left of the house of Saul, to whom I may show kindness for Jonathans sake? And mayst not thou say, Is there none left of the household of f•ith, or belonging to it, though now aliens from it, to whom I may show kindness for Jesus sake? Ah Lord! whence is it that my soul is so backward in sending beggars to thy gate? Am I ashamed to let the World know how much I am indebted, and what bountiful alms I have there received? Art thou so bad a Master, that I should blush to tell others to whom I belong; or afraid that if I should ⟨p. 82⟩commend thee to them, and send them to thee, they would find me false? Surely to sit at thy feet, and to wait at thy Gate, is infinitely more honourable and comfortable then to sit on the highest worldly throne, and to be waited on by the greatest earthly Princes. What then are the fetters that hinder me from running to invite others to thy Gospel-feast? Do I fear that thy house will not hold us all, or that the inheritance of thy Saints, being divided amongst so many, the lesser share will fall to me? No, I believe that in my Fathers House are many mansions; that there is room enough and to spare for all thy righteous ones; and that my sight of thee, the true Sun, will never be the less pleasing and refreshing, though millions of worlds should enjoy thee. If ever it be true, twill be there, The more the merrier. An innumerable company, which all thy creatures cannot number, may draw water with joy out of the Well of salvation, and yet there not be one drop the less. Where still is the fault, that I am so unfruitful, and do not encourage others to enter themselves in thy family? Am I the fig-tree which thou hast cursed and said to, Never fruit grow on thee more? Or, Is it not rather my wicked heart of unbelief that tells me, Godliness is grown with most but a dead commodity, and if I offer to put it into my Chapman's hands, my own wares will go off the worse? How often hath it suggested to me, that to commend truth to my customers, will be the way to lose my trade; that I must not follow holiness too close at the heels, lest it dash out my brains;

Seasons for the advancement of thy Saviour, and the soul advantage of thy brother, are rare, and wilt thou throw them away upon vain talk, and needless toys? David could say, Is there none left of the house of Saul, to whom I may shew kindness for Ionathans sake? And mayst not thou say, Is there none left of the houshold of fith, or belonging to it, though now aliens from it, to whom I may shew kindness for Jesus sake? Ah Lord! whence is it that my soul is so backward in sending beggers to thy gate? Am I ashamed to let the World know how much I am indebted, and what bountiful almes I have there received? Art thou so bad a Master, that I should blush to tell others to whom I belong; or affraid that if I should