The works of George Swinnock, M.A

2. Faith enableth the soul to overcome the allurements of the world. If the world cannot terrify the Saint with its fiery Furnace, to disown and deny his Saviour, it will seek to enchant him with its Music, and thereby to make him deaf to the Call and Commands of Christ. Thus it served Joseph; When it could not prevail on the left hand, by selling him for a slave, it trieth him on the right hand, by setting a Delilah to tickle him with pleasure; but by Faith he saw the Hook under the Bait, and durst not nibble at it, much less swallow it. Though the world like Jezebel, painteth her face, and tireth her hair, to render her amiable and lovely, and as a Strumpet, showeth her naked Breasts of pleasure and profit, to entice the believer to go a Whoring after her; yet he vieweth by Faith the deformity of her person, ⟨p. 717⟩under all her daubery, and the dregginess and deceitfulness of her pleasures, notwithstanding their show of clearness, and so rejects them with scorn and disdain. Pliny saith of Cato, that he took as much pleasure in the Honours he denied, as in those that he enjoyed. The believer can glory more in his refusal of glory for Christ, then unbelievers in all their preferments. Indeed, if the Christian did consult with sense, or carnal reason, he would take the worlds present money, but the believer doth not consult with flesh and blood, like wise Abigail, knowing how much it will conduce to his advantage, he can part with his estate for God, and never make those Nabals privy to the design, lest they should hinder it.

2. Faith enableth the soul to overcome the allurements of the world. If the world cannot terrifie the Saint with its fiery Furnace, to disown and deny his Saviour, it will seek to inchant him with its Musick, and thereby to make him deaf to the Call and Commands of Christ. Thus it served Ioseph; When it could not prevail on the left hand, by selling him for a slave, it tryeth him on the right hand, by setting a Dalilah to tickle him with pleasure; but by Faith he saw the Hook under the Bait, and durst not nibble at it, much less swallow it. Though the world like Iezabel, painteth her face, and tireth her hair, to render her amiable and lovely, and as a Srumpet, sheweth her naked Breasts of pleasure and profit, to entice the beleiver to go a Whoring after her; yet he vieweth by Faith the deformity of her person, ⟨p. 717⟩