The works of George Swinnock, M.A

Shouldst thou be idle in solitude, or suffer thy thoughts to wander, expect more then good Company, and such as ⟨p. 446⟩will employ thee about works of darkness. Besides, Consider, Though thy thoughts are mantled from the view of men, yet thy God knoweth thy thoughts a far off, long before thou thinkest them, and will judge the secrets of mens hearts, according to his Gospel; He that numbereth the stars of Heaven, numbereth all the thoughts of thy heart; I know the things that come into your mind, O house of Israel, every one of them, Ezek. 11. 5. And he that punisheth men for wicked deeds, doth not let them escape for their evil thoughts; Hear O earth, behold I will bring upon this people, the fruit of their thoughts, Jer. 6. 19. Nay, thy God will scourge men both for and by their thoughts; accusing thoughts are stinging vipers; That worm of conscience which will ever ever gnaw the sinners heart, to his unconceivable misery, is bred in his thoughts; O therefore wash thy heart from wickedness, let not vain thoughts lodge within thee. Remember also O my soul, if thy most retired thoughts are legible to thy God, then thy secret actions are all open and visible to his eye. Never presume upon sin, in hope of secrecy; for though thou mayst cover the candle of creatures with a bushel; yet thou canst not the glorious sun of righteousness; nothing is hid from his sight; There is no darkness nor shadow of death, where the workers of iniquity can hide themselves. Lord, thou hast told me, There is nothing hid which shall not be revealed, nor secret which shall not be made known; I confess my wicked heart is apt to argue impunity from secrecy, and to think I am invisible to thee, because thou art invisible to the eye of my sense; O affect my heart so ⟨p. 447⟩throughly with thine Omniscience and Omnipresence, that • may keep thy precepts, because all my ways (whether inward or outward) are before thee.

Shouldst thou be idle in solitude, or suffer thy thoughts to wander, expect more then good Company, and such as ⟨p. 446⟩