A62040:469
The works of George Swinnock, M.A
The works of George Swinnock, M.A. containing these several treatises ...
London: printed by J.B. for Tho. Parkhurst, 1665
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
A Company of Christians, like the Plants in Paradise, should impart an aromatical savour each to other; A friend must show himself friendly, saith Solomon, Prov. 18. But how? By endeavouring to make his friends better. It was a commendable property, which some mention in Socrates, That he always studied how he might better the minds of his Familiars. And Seneca, when the Scholars of Theophrastus had showed him two men, that were intimate friends, whereof the one was very rich, and the other very poor, he said to them, If they be friends, how comes it to pass that the one is so poor, and the other so rich? 1Intimating, that had there been any true friendship, the rich man would have imparted of his goods to the poor man. As true love cannot stand without communicating of ⟨p. 278⟩our temporal riches, so neither without imparting of our spiritual, for the supply of others necessities; If there be love in feasting one another's bodies, there is much more in feeding each others souls; And if to distribute and communicate of our earthly treasures we must not forget, for with such sacrifice God is well pleased; then to distribute and communicate of our heavenly treasures we must be more forward, because with such Sacrifice God is better pleased.
A Company of Christians, like the Plants in Paradise, should impart an aromatical savour each to other; A friend must shew himself friendly, saith Solomon, Prov. 18. But how? By endeavouring to make his friends better. It was a commendable property, which some mention in Socrates, That he always studied how he might better the minds of his Familiars. And Seneca, when the Scholars of Theophrastus had shewed him two men, that were intimate friends, whereof the one was very rich, and the other very poor, he said to them, If they be friends, how comes it to pass that the one is so poor, and the other so rich? 1Intimating, that had there been any true friendship, the rich man would have imparted of his goods to the poor man. As true love cannot stand without communicating of ⟨p. 278⟩