The works of George Swinnock, M.A

I Wish that the Confederacy of the wicked in sin, ²may provoke me to a league with the Israel of God, for a free trade and commerce in holiness. Shall they whose lusts are often contrary, and set them at variance, unite against God and his holy ways! and shall not we, whose graces are ever alike, and of a cementing nature, not join together for God and his Worship? Do they conspire to defile and destroy each others souls, as if vitiated nature did not lead them fast enough to sin, or as if they could not run singly quick enough to Hell! and shall not we encourage one another in the Worship of the living God, and provoke one another to love and to good works? O how much do the servants of Satan by their conjunctions in evil, shame the Children of God for their backwardness in good. Their Master is the Prince of darkness, a cruel Tyrant, a roaring Lyon, that goeth about, seeking whom he may devour; Their work is far worse then any Turkish slavery, its bondage to corruption • the service of unrighteousness; the diversity and contrariety of their Lords, their lusts tearing them as ⟨p. 318⟩it were in pe••es, for the promoting of their particular interests; Their wages is the vengeance of the eternal fire, the worm that never dieth, and the fire that never goeth out, after all their vassalage to their barbarous Masters, and hardships which they have been put to, in making provision for, and gratifying such opposite furies, they are recompensed with extremity, and eternity of torments; yet they can unite their hearts, and hands, and heads, for the advancement of so hellish a Lord, about the prosecution of so base and devilish a work, and to earn so miserable a reward; when the Soldiers of Christ, whose Captain is the Lord of Hosts, the most courteous and compassionate General, whose combats and contests which they are called to, are Noble and Heroic, and whose Crown and Garland will be beyond all comparison and apprehension, blessed and glorious, do rather fight against themselves, then against their enemies, or for their endless happiness! Ah foolish Christians, who hath bewitched us! May we not well blush that Satan should even out-boast the living God, in the unity of his Subjects, that the children of this world should be wiser in their generation then the children of light!