The works of George Swinnock, M.A

This will teach the Scholar, to know more then the greatest Naturalists, or then the Delphic Oracle could enable him to, though it told him his duty, even to know himself; It is a Glass, clean and clear, wherein he may plainly see the spots, and dirt, and deformity of his heart and life; It will teach him to know the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom he hath se•t, whom to know is life eternal; This will teach the Soldier how to war a good warfare, how to fight the Lords Battles against the Prince of Darkness, and all his adherents, and over all, to be more then a Conqueror; There is no Guide, no Counsellor, no Shield, no Treasure (among all the Books that ever were written) comparable to the Scripture! It is reported, that a certain Jew should have poisoned Luther, but was happily prevented by his Picture, ¹which was sent to Luther with this warning, from a faithful friend, That he should take heed of such a man when he saw him; by which Picture he knew the Murderer, and escaped his hands; the Word of God discovereth the face of those lusts in their proper colours, which lie ready in our callings• in all companies, in our goings out, and comings in, to defile us, and which Satan would employ to destroy us; By them is thy servant forewarned, saith David, Psa. 19. 11. By reading and applying it, we may know their visage, and prevent their venom; by the words of thy mouth, I have kept my self from the paths of the destroyer. Cyprian would let no day pass without reading of Tertullian, nor Alexander without reading somewhat in Homer; Shall the Christian let a ⟨p. 506⟩morning pass without an inspection into the Word of Christ! As God commanded Moses to come up into the Mount early in the morning, with the two Tables in his hand; So Reader, he commandeth thee to give him a meeting every morning, with the two Testaments in thy hand.

This will teach the Scholar, to know more then the greatest Naturalists, or then the Delphick Oracle could enable him to, though it told him his duty, even to know himself; It is a Glass, clean and clear, wherein he may plainly see the spots, and dirt, and deformity of his heart and life; It will teach him to know the only true God, and Iesus Christ whom he hath set, whom to know is life eternal; This will teach the Souldier how to war a good warfare, how to fight the Lords Battails against the Prince of Darkness, and all his adherents, and over all, to be more then a Conquerour; There is no Guide, no Counsellor, no Shield, no Treasure (among all the Books that ever were written) comparable to the Scripture! It is reported, that a certain Iew should have poisoned Luther, but was happily prevented by his Picture,