The works of George Swinnock, M.A

1. Our minds are restless, and will be employed either upon what is good • or upon what is evil. The mind of man is as a Mill-wheel, continually turning about, and drenching in the waters; Our hearts are as a stirring child, that cannot endure to sit still. No Virgin hath so many Suitors for her love, as our minds for their thoughts. The Sun may as soon be stopped from his race, as the heart from its thinking. We are all in this respect like the Sea, which cannot rest, ever in motion; Is ⟨p. 363⟩not he a foolish miller, that turns the water which should grind his Corn, into the High-way, where it doth no good? And is not he a foolish Christian, that employeth those thoughts about needless •oy's, which should help to provide him spiritual food? As the natural heat will be ever working; if it have not food to digest, it will prey upon the spirits, and destroy it self; so the mind of man will be always busy; if not in thinking of the excellencies of God, or the love of Christ, or the beauty and necessity of holiness, then in speculative wantonness, or contemplative wickedness, in ambitious fancies, or revengeful desires; We are like a Boat swimming against tide, there is no standing still; if the Oar be left that we go not forward, the Tide will carry us strongly backward; If the ground be not sown with good seed, it will of it self bring forth evil weeds.

1. Our minds are restless, and will be employed either upon what is good • or upon what is evil. The mind of man is as a Mill-wheel, continually turning about, and drenching in the waters; Our hearts are as a stirring child, that cannot endure to sit still. No Virgin hath so many Suitors for her love, as our minds for their thoughts. The Sun may as soon be stopped from his race, as the heart from its thinking. We are all in this respect like the Sea, which cannot rest, ever in motion; Is ⟨p. 363⟩not he a foolish miller, that turnes the water which should grind his Corn, into the High-way, where it doth no good? And is not he a foolish Christian, that imployeth those thoughts about needless •oy's, which should help to provide him spiritual food? As the natural heat will be ever working; if it have not food to digest, it will prey upon the spirits, and destroy it self; so the mind of man will be always busie; if not in thinking of the excellencies of God, or the love of Christ, or the beauty and necessity of holiness, then in speculative wantonness, or contemplative wickedness, in ambitious fancies, or revengeful desires; We are like a Boat swimming against tide, there is no standing still; if the Oar be left that we go not forward, the Tide will carry us strongly backward; If the ground be not sown with good seed, it will of it self bring forth evil weeds.