The works of George Swinnock, M.A

SECT. IV.

Secondly, If thou wouldst manifest godliness in the choice of thy Companions, thy care must be not only to choose such as are godly, but also to choose them, because they are godly. As Godliness must be a ruling quality in them that are chosen, so it must be the ground of thy choice. A man may keep company with godly men, because they live near him, or because they are related to him, or because they are wise, learned, or ingenuous persons, or because they may do, or have done him a courtesy, and yet not put forth the least grain of godliness in it. When Gods grace in them is the ⟨p. 117⟩only ground of our choice, and Gods Image on them, the chief Lodestone of our love, then we exercise our selves to godliness in the choice of our Companions. If I love my Neighbour, and like his company, because he resembleth me in his feature, or in his nature, or because he is a mild, meek, peaceable man, or because I expect some kindness from him; herein I show my love to my self, but none to my God, and therefore nothing of godliness. Laban delighted to have Jacob with him, and would by no means hear of his departure, he sets him to be chief over his flock, he bendeth and boweth to him, he flattereth and fawneth on him, though his servant and underling, and who so much as Jacob in his books! but mark the ground of all: And Laban said unto him, I pray thee if I have found favour in thy sight, tarry; for I have learned by experience that the Lord hath blessed me for thy sake, Gen. 30. 27 He loved Jacob fo• himself, or rather loved himself in Jacob; he courted him not because he was a good man, but because he was a good servant; herein was nothing of Religion; As the Jews followed Christ, not for the miracle, but for the meat, Joh. 6. Such men love others for the outward goods they bring to them, not for the grace or godliness they see in them; for if they were not holy, they would desire their Company; This is feigned, and not the love the Apostle speaks of,