The works of George Swinnock, M.A

1. Thou art in danger of being drawn to sin. They who dwell in Ethiopia, quickly change their skins into a black colour. Its ill and unwholesome for our souls to breath in an Infectious Ayr. Looking-glasses that are very clear and clean, are quickly obscured and dimmed with the foul breath of such as blow upon them. The River Hypanis, famous for the sweetness of its water, by receiving the bitter waters of the Fountain Erampes is poisoned. Joseph learned the Court phrase, to swear by the life of Pharaoh, by his living amongst them whose tongues were tipped with such language. David was brought to feign himself frantic, and to dissemble, as if he could have fought against Gods Favourites, and sheathed his Sword in the bowels of his friends, ¹by associating with uncircumcised Achish. If Peter needlessly thrust himself amongst the High-Priests servants, how soon is he taught even with a Curse and an Oath to deny his Master? Men like Children, come in time to speak the wicked language and cursed dialects too of the Country and Company in which they dwell.² Make no friendship with an angry man, and with a furious man thou shalt not go, saith the Wise man: But Mark Reader, his Reason, lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul; The love of friends may quickly breed a love to their faults; and so by getting a friend, thou gettest a snare to thy soul, Prov. 22. 24, 25. If thou wouldst avoid the contagion of sin, avoid all needless communion with sinners. He who walks much in the Sun, is tanned insensibly. Wicked men will be likelier to make thee worse, then thou to make ⟨p. 92⟩them better. Israel could not bring Egypt to Worship the true God, but Egypt brought Israel to offer sacrifice to their false God. Twas from them that the Jews sucked that poison which cost both them and their posterity so dear; The golden Calf was first fashioned in the Iron furnace. ³The Tyrant Mezentius tied the living bodies of the Captives to the dead; the dead stunk up the living, but the living could not quicken the dead. Lewd men are continual weights, pressing down others to wickedness. How few live in Venice but grow lecherous? or in Spain but become proud? or in France, and are not fantastic? or among the Dutch and do not drink in both their deceitfulness, and their drunkenness?