The works of George Swinnock, M.A

¹When David considered the kindness he had received from Jonathan, he said to his servants, Is there none left of the house of Saul that I may show kindness to, for Jonathans sake. He could not but in gratitude study some return suitable to that good will of his dear friend. Great is the kindness I have received from the Scripture; What wilt thou say, what wilt thou do, O my soul, for this Word of thy God! O swear unto the Lord, and vow unto the mighty God of Jacob; surely I will not come into the tabernacle of my house, I will not go up into my bed, I will not give sleep to mine eyes, nor slumber to mine eyelids, until I •inde out a place for the law of the Lord, and an habitation for the Gospel of the God of Jacob. Wilt thou not willingly, O my soul, rather then this worthy guest should lie without doors, take it into thy heart! O that thou wert the ark wherein the two Tables, the two Testaments might be laid up for ever. Lord I will through thy strength ponder all thy sayings in my heart, and make them the rule of my life; I will delight in•thy law, and meditate therein day and night. I will give diligence to reading, be frequent in hearing, and uniform and constant in obedience to ⟨p. 431⟩it. I will teach it diligently my children, and talk of it when I sit in mine house, and when I walk by the way, when I lye down, and when I rise up, I will bind it for a sign upon my hand, it shall be as a frontlet between mine eyes; I will make thy statutes my songs in the house of my pilgrimage, I will rejoice in thy testimonies more then they that find great spoils; I will choose thy statutes as my heritage for ever, for they are the joy of my heart; I will delight in the law of God after the inner man. I will incline my heart to keep thy statutes always unto the end; I have sworn and I will perform, that I will keep thy righteous judgements. But ah Lord, what do I say! I have even cast thy law behind my back, I have broken thy bands asunder, and cast thy cords from me: My carnal mind is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be; I can of my self break thy law, but only through thy strength keep it; I have gone astray like a lost sheep, O seek thy servant and I will keep thy statutes. Be surety for thy servant for good, that I may observe thy precepts: I am a stranger in this earth, hide not thy commandments from me.