The works of George Swinnock, M.A

Our blessed Saviour teacheth us to see the face of heavenly things in earthly glasses,¹ and to make a ladder of the creatures whereby we may ascend to heaven in our thoughts. He hath set us a pattern that we should follow his steps: What honey of profit and pleasure doth he teach us to draw from all the flowers and weeds too that grow in the garden of the Creation! He instructeth his Disciples by Lilies growing, and seed sown in the field; by trees and vines in the Orchard and Vineyard, by pearls, treasure, tares, leaven, mustard seed, water, bread, nets, fish, salt, oil, lamps, and as at Cana in Galilee turns all this water into wine, as well for their imitation as information. A mean Scaffold may serve to rear up a goodly building; and an ordinary creature may afford matter for excellent meditations. God likens himself to many, to show that there is something of him in all; He compares himself to a Builder, to a Buckler, to a Castle, a Captain, to a Fortress, to a Fountain of living water, to an helper, to health, to an Habitation, to Light, to Life, to a rock, a refuge a reward, to a shadow, a shelter, a shield, to a Lion, an Eagle, a Leopard, a Bear, to fire, dew, a moth, the Sun, and why? but to teach us to read ⟨p. 376⟩him in his creatures; In Heaven the Christian shall know God and all the creatures in him, but on earth we must learn to know him by them.

Our blessed Saviour teacheth us to see the face of heavenly things in earthly glasses,¹ and to make a ladder of the creatures whereby we may ascend to heaven in our thoughts. He hath set us a pattern that we should follow his steps: What honey of profit and pleasure doth he t•ach us to draw from all the flowers and weeds too that grow in the garden of the Creation! He instructeth his Disciples by Lillies growing, and seed sown in the field; by trees and vines in the Orchard and Vineyard, by pearls, treasure, tares, leven, mustardseed, water, bread, nets, fish, salt, oyl, lamps, and as at Cana in Galilee turns all this water into wine, as well for their imitation as information. A mean Scaffold may serve to rear up a goodly building; and an ordinary creature may afford matter for excellent meditations. God likens himself to many, to shew that there is something of him in all; He compares himself to a Builder, to a Buckler, to a Castle, a Captain, to a Fortress, to a Fountain of living water, to an helper, to health, to an Habitation, to Light, to Life, to a rocke, a refuge a reward, to a shadow, a shelter, a shield, to a Lion, an Eagle, a Leopard, a Bear, to fire, dew, a moth, the Sun, and why? but to teach us to read