The works of George Swinnock, M.A

A Good Wish about the visitation of the sick, wherein the former heads are applied.

¹The righteous Lord, and God of all grace, who for sin afflicteth man with sickness, yet in the midst of judgement remembereth mercy, intending his instruction, not his destruction by it; having designed such afflictions, as rods to whip men to himself, to make them out of love with sin, the spring of all their sufferings and sorrows, and to wean them from the earth, who otherwise would make it their Heaven; and hath also appointed men to be ⟨p. 589⟩the means through which these mercies shall be conveyed, and sicknesses sanctified to them. I Wish in general, that I may never omit to visit those Neighbours with pity, whom God hath visited in fury; muchless insult as the Edomites over the afflicted Israelites, and persecute them whom God hath smitten, drawing blood from those wounds which are already blew with the blows of the Almighty; but may be faithful to the precept and purpose of my God in this particular, and adopt my second table duties into the Family of the first table, by visiting the sick, not out of common civility, but out of charity, and in obedience to the God of my health. It is my privilege, that my Alms may become Sacrifice, my Courtesies worship, and in paying that debt of love which I owe to my Neighbour, I may pay that duty which I owe to my Maker. O that in all my common transactions, I might move upon principles of reason, and especially in works that have a tendency Godward, act upon grounds of Religion. Lord, thou hast an eye to my good, in all thy providences and dealings; why should not I have an eye to thy glory, in all my practices and actings? Cause thy fear so to possess my heart, that I may visit the sick out of conscience, and let thy grace so assist and accompany my endeavours, that thou mayst visit them to their eternal comfort.

¹THe righteous Lord, and God of all grace, who for sin afflicteth man with sickness, yet in the midst of judgement remembreth mercy, intending his instruction, not his destruction by it; having designed such afflictions, as rods to whip men to himself, to make them out of love with sin, the spring of all their sufferings and sorrows, and to wean them from the earth, who otherwise would make it their Heaven; and hath also appointed men to be