The works of George Swinnock, M.A

I Wish that my end in the Choice of my Companions may be principally to further my own, ³and their everlasting peace. If I use any company upon other accounts, I frustrate my God, I cozen my own soul; For me and others to unite in sin, would be a conspiracy against Heaven, and too lively a resemblance of those Governors of Hell, whose only work is to draw others to, and to encourage them in wickedness. For us to join in gratifying the flesh, and purveying for our appetites, and passing away the time, that it may be less tedious, would ⟨p. 150⟩be a confederacy against the Spirit, and but a more cleanly and neat acting of the part of Beasts, who understand no other happiness, then to feed and sport together; For us to accompany only about worldly employments, to get an insight into commodities, and callings, that we might be wiser to buy and sell, or to hear and tell news, this would become a Turk, and were but a cutting [time] the most precious commodity of all to waste. For us to associate, barely to increase our knowledge, and widen the windows of our understandings, or to quicken and raise our fancies, and enlarge our natural parts and endowments, even this would be but a transcript of the lives of the most refined Heathen, who were ignorant of the true weight and worth of eternal concernments; But to meet together as Christ did with his Apostles, to discourse about the things appertaining to the Kingdom of God, to provoke one another to love, and to good works, to admonish, advise, encourage, and comfort, and to build up one another in the most holy faith, this is a work worthy of a Christian, and becoming them that are called to be Saints. O that my Gods end may be much in my mind, when I converse with any of his chosen, that all our conjunctions may be fruitful in holiness; Christians are choice Tutors, and rare Masters, by whom many precious things may be learned; my God hath lent them me for a little while, and intendeth shortly to send for them home; why should I loiter or trifle with them, when such excellent Lessons are given me by them! Lord, I know within a few days I shall be deprived of these and all other helps; O help thy most unworthy creature, ⟨p. 151⟩in that little time that he doth enjoy them, to make the most, the best improvement of them, to love them as my own soul, and to do them the greatest service I can;