The works of George Swinnock, M.A

Secondly, By good company erring Saints have been recovered. Holy David lay sleeping in his sin till his good friend Nathan jogged and awakened him. Many a one hath been roused out of his spiritual lethargy by private admonition. Hence saith Solomon, Two are better then one, because they have a good reward for their labour. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow; but woe to him that is alone when he falleth, for he hath not another to help him up, Eccles. 4. 9, 10. Men that are troubled with the Falling-sickness, are sometimes carried away and die with their distemper, it seizing upon them when none is with them; but when they fall amongst company, by rubbing and chaffing them they often come to themselves again. Every scandalous sin especially is a kind of Falling-sickness, very dangerous to the soul; its ill therefore for them that are overtaken with it and have none with them by serious admonition to recover them out of it.

Secondly, By good company erring Saints have been recovered. Holy David lay sleeping in his sin till his good friend Nathan jogged and awakened him. Many a one hath been roused out of his spiritual lethargy by private admonition. Hence saith Solomon, Two are better then one, because they have a good reward for their labour. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow; but wo to him that is alone when he falleth, for he hath not another to help him up, Eccles. 4. 9, 10. Men that are troubled with the Falling-sickness, are sometimes carried away and die with their distemper, it seising upon them when none is with them; but when they fall amongst company, by rubbing and chaffing them they often come to themselves again. Every scandalous sin especially is a kind of Falling-sickness, very dangerous to the soul; its ill therefore for them that are overtaken with it and have none with them by serious admonition to recover them out of it.

I have read of a Minister that in the night had a sudden motion to go visit a certain neighbour, and though he argued with himself the unseasonableness of the time, and his ignorance of any cause for such an