The works of George Swinnock, M.A

Thirdly, Consider,³ The exercising thy self to godliness in solitude, will be a probable evidence of thy uprightness. Men are wi•h-held in company from doing evil by the iron curb of fear or shame, and provoked to do good by the golden spurs of praise or profit; but in solitariness there are not such rub• in the way of lust to hinder our passage, nor such baits in the way of holiness to encourage our progress. The naked lineaments, and natural thoughts of the soul are best discerned in secret. The darkest night may afford us light enough to see our selves by; when outward objects and occasions do not interpose ⟨p. 366⟩to hinder our sight or discompose our souls. No mans temper can be discovered by his carriage in a crowd of affairs, no more then his countenance in a troubled water. When the mind is stated in a due repose, it bewrayeth her truest affections, which in the midst of business, she either doth not show, or not observe. If many servants, and several masters be together, busy and active, we can hardly tell to what Masters the particular servants belong; but when the Masters be alone, and walk singly, their servants attend on them, and are known. Our Affections are the servants of our souls, both rational, and sensual; whilst both these Masters are employed, as in company it sometimes falls out, and they wait, its not easy to judge which they serve; in solitude one takes upon it self the government, and then its visible what attendants it hath.

THirdly, Consider,³ The exercising thy self to godliness in solitude, will be a probable evidence of thy uprightness. Men are wi•h-held in company from doing evil by the iron curb of fear or shame, and provoked to do good by the golden spurs of praise or profit; but in solitariness there are not such rub• in the way of lust to hinder our passage, nor such baits in the way of holiness to encourage our progress. The naked lineaments, and natural thoughts of the soul are best discerned in secret. The darkest night may afford us light enough to see our selves by; when outward objects and occasions do not interpose