The works of George Swinnock, M.A

2. In remembering the poor and afflicted, if God hath made thee able; its best to be merciful in our life-time, to make our own hand our Executors, and our own eyes our Overseers; for the payment of our Gifts and Legacies to our spiritual Kindred, for such have a particular promise that God will make all their bed in their sickness, but its good to be charitable when we are dying; True friends show most love at parting. Though justice must be blind, not to see persons, yet charity must be quick-sighted, to pick out the fittest objects, viz. the poor, and the pious, poor in the first place. Our Goods will not extend to God, therefore they must to the Saints. When Jonathan was beyond the reach of Davids charity, he doth for his sake manifest it to his Son. God is beyond all our gifts, therefore for his sake we must bestow them on the Godly that are his Children; Make you friends of the Mammon of unrighteousness, that when that faileth, ye may be received into the everlasting habitations; Hereby men lay up a good foundation against the time of need. Godly Parents are ignorant how their Children may employ the estate they leave, whether as fuel for corruption, or as oil to keep the Lamps in Gods sanctuary burning; its good therefore for themselves with prudence to dispose of what they may to Gods Servants and Service.

2. In remembring the poor and afflicted, if God hath made thee able; its best to be merciful in our life-time, to make our own hand our Executors, and our own eyes our Overseers; for the payment of our Gifts and Legacies to our spiritual Kindred, for such have a particular promise that God will make all their bed in their sickness, but its good to be charitable when we are dying; True friends show most love at parting. Though justice must be blind, not to see persons, yet charity must be quick-sighted, to pick out the fittest objects, viz. the poor, and the pious, poor in the first place. Our Goods will not extend to God, therefore they must to the Saints. When Ionathan was beyond the reach of Davids charity, he doth for his sake manifest it to his Son. God is beyond all our gifts, therefore for his sake we must bestow them on the Godly that are his Children; Make you friends of the Mammon of unrighteousness, that when that faileth, ye may be received into the everlasting habitations; Hereby men lay up a good foundation against the time of need. Godly Parents are ignorant how their Children may imploy the estate they leave, whether as fuel for corruption, or as oyl to keep the Lamps in Gods sanctuary burning; its good therefore for themselves with prudence to dispose of what they may to Gods Servants and Service.