The works of George Swinnock, M.A

Thus the children of God should bespeak each other, If the world be too hard for thee, I will endeavour to assist thee, by discovering the vanity of its shallow allurements, and the foolery of its skin deep affrightments; If the Devil or Flesh be too hard for me, thou shalt do thy utmost to succour me in withstanding their batteries, and repelling their poisonous and fiery darts. Only let us be of good courage, let us watch, stand fast in the faith, quit our selves like men for our God, and our Redeemer, and our souls, and our eternal salvations, and the Lord will be found faithful, who hath assured us that he will not suffer us to be tempted above what we are able. 3. By comforting the sorrowful. Christians should have a Cordial in store for them that are fainting; a cup of wine for the heavy in heart, and be able to speak a word in season to him that is weary; Comfort the feeble; i. e. the sick at heart, such as are ready to sink under the weight of sin, and are frighted with the apprehension of the eternal fire, 1 Thess. 5. 14. Amalek is branded with a mark of ⟨p. 284⟩infamy, and was followed with a curse and slaughter from God, for falling upon the faint and feeble ones of Israel, Deut. 25.18. God cannot endure it, he cannot bear it, that his weak sickly ones should be wronged. He is tender of them himself; he carrieth his lambs in his arms, Isa. 40. 11. and others must do so too, or he will make them rue it. The world doth as the herd, push the wounded Deer out of their company; but Saints endeavour to bind up the broken in heart, to comfort them, as Paul commands his Corinthians, lest they be swallowed up of too much sorrow, 1 Cor. 2.14. The Husbandman doth mind his young tender trees in a special manner above them that are grown up and strong, because such are in more danger of breaking, and bruising, and other hurt then grown trees; so that besides the wall or common fence about the Orchard, he makes a special fence with bushes and stakes about these, and gives them more choice nourishment, and more frequent watering; God is most choice of his little ones, his weak children. When Israel was a child I loved him, I drew him with the cords of love, and with the bands of a man,