The works of George Swinnock, M.A

and can my expressions be too full of weight and reason, or my affections too full of bowels and pity, in my dealing and discourse with such men? Lord, thou knowest the poor silly children of men, are unable to judge of eternal affairs according to their weight; they are quickly lost, when in their thoughts they begin to launch into that boundless Sea; The ponderousness of the subject, is ready to affright and press them down, being so much beyond and above their shallow understandings; But wouldst thou please to enable them, though it were but to peep into the other world, and to behold, through some Crevice, what is doing and enjoyed there, both by thy friends and thine enemies, they would soon have other thoughts of thee and thy service, and other carriages when they are about thy work; the greatest seriousness would then be too little, the greatest ardour would not be thought enough for thy worship; they would then indeed, be fervent in spirit when they are serving the Lord. O teach thy servant, though he cannot see into the other world with the eye of sense, yet so to look into it with an eye of faith, that he may transact the concerns thereof with that diligence, faithfulness, and fervency, which thou acceptest, and whilst he liveth, be zealous of good works.

I Wish that my heart may be so affected with pity towards sick and afflicted persons,⁴ that I may often and earnestly remember them in my prayers. A little Captive, considering the Leprosy of her Master, was instrumental for his cure, by crying out, Would God my Lord were with the Prophet that is in Samaria, for he would recover him of his Leprosy. I have more reason when I behold a Leprous soul, near its last gasp, to look up to Heaven with, Would to God that poor creature were with Jesus Christ, that great prophet of his Church, who is able and willing to enliven, and pardon, and sanctify, and save; Would to God he would be persuaded to come to Christ, to cling to Christ, to close with Christ, for he would recover him; And what do I know but my prayers may be prevalent on his behalf; Christ when dying, prayed for his enemies, for them that imbrued their hands in his blood; and shall not I pray for my friends when they are dying, and possibly ignorant whether they are going? My Prayers are a cheap courtesy, and diminish nothing of my estate, either spiritual or temporal. Their misery is an awakening motive to the duty. Never did they stand in such need of help from others, and wrestling with God on their behalves, as now that they are taking their journey into a far Country, and entering upon an unchangeable condition. They may say to me, as Nehemiah to Geshem; I am doing a great work, &c. I am going to die, to bid adieu to all the folly and vanity, and comforts of this world, to take possession of my long home, of the place wherein I must abide for