The works of George Swinnock, M.A

I Shall first offer thee two quickening Motives, and then acquaint thee wherein thy daily exercise to Godliness consisteth.

¹First, Consider, Any day may be thy last day, and therefore every day should be an holy day with thee; I mean, not an holy day for play or recreation, but for the work of Religion. He that knoweth not how soon his Master will come and reckon with him, had need to be always employed about his Masters business: Because there is no time of life in which thou art secure from death, therefore every day of thy life thou oughtest to be about thy duty; Prov. 27.1. Boast not thy self of to morrow, thou knowest not what a day may bring forth. Every day is big-bellied, and hath more in the womb of it then any man knoweth; he that salutes the morning with a smiling aspect, may bid the world good night for ever before the evening. The candle of thy life may be blown out on a sudden before its half burnt out. The Poets fable that Death and Cupid lodging together at an Inn exchanged arrows, whereby it hath since come to pass, that old men ••ote, and young men die. Death cometh up to the young and strong; old and weak men go down to Death. Thou mayst be called forth to that war in which there is no discharge, and not have an hours warning to prepare thy self for a march. Sturdy trees are overturned by an unexpected wind, lusty men by violent fevers, or outward accidents; our enemies are strong, our earthly houses weak, the coming of our Landlord is unknown, the lease of our lives is uncertain, we are every moment liable to be ejected, and shall we not be so employed that our Lord when he comes may find us well-doing? I remember I have in some Author read, that the invention of clocks was not primarily to ⟨p. 491⟩mind us of the Suns posting in the heavens, but of our Lives passing on earth. It was Calvins reason for his unweariedness in his studies, when his friends urged against it the injury it did his body, Would ye have my Lord when he cometh find me idle? It will be woeful for that servant whom his Lord when he cometh shall find doing evil, or doing nothing. But and if that servant say in his heart, My Lord delayeth his coming, and shall begin to beat the men-servants and maidens, and to eat, and drink, and be drunken; The Lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him asunder, and will appoint him his portion with unbelievers,