The works of George Swinnock, M.A

The World hath two faces, the one• ugly and deformed, to•affright the Saint; the other comely and painted to allure him to sin; but Faith seeth how pitiful (only touching the body) her threatenings are; and how poor, only skin-deep her promises are, and makes the soul to disdain both.

The World hath two faces, the one• ugly and deformed, to•affright the Saint; the other comely and painted to allure him to sin; but Faith seeth how pittiful (onely touching the body) her threatnings are; and how poor, onely skin-deep her promises are, and makes the soul to disdain both.

It was by Faith, that Luther could say, Contemptus a me Romanus & favour, & furor, I scorn both Romes favour, and Romes fury; The worlds Furnace and Music • are much alike to a Believer; he is blind and deaf, nay, dead to both; The special object of Faith, is the Cross of Christ, whereby, saith the Apostle, I am crucified to the world, and the world to me. Tickle a dead man, or lance him, its all one, he is sensible of neither. As Fabricius the Noble Roman told Pyrrhus, who one day tempted him with Gold, and the next ⟨p. 713⟩day sought to terrify him with Elephants, I was not yesterday moved with your money, nor to day with your beasts; So Basil when first offered preferment, and afterward threatened with imprisonment, if he would not deny Christ, and turn Arian, to this purpose answered the Messenger, Such babies of preferment are fit to catch Children with, and such bug-bears of bonds and imprisonment, may fright your tender Gallants and Courtiers. Faith enableth the Christian to mount up to heaven, and thereby secures him from the baits and shots, the snares and lime-twigs which attend him on earth. Homer, saith Ulysses, caused himself to be bound to the Mast of the Ship, and every one of his fellows ears to be stopped with Wax, that they might not hearken to the Songs of the Sirens, and so be drowned in the Sea. Faith fastens the soul to Christ, and so ravisheth is ears with the glad tidings of pardon, and peace, and eternal life, that it is deaf to the worlds music.