The works of George Swinnock, M.A

First, Consider that evil Company is very infectious;¹ Wicked men like the Crocodile, slime the way to make thee fall, and when thou art down suck out (as it were) thy blood, and with it, fatten their insulting envy. Thy experience tells thee, that they are industrious to make men wicked and wretched. Such is the corruption of our nature, and the nature of our corruption, that we are sooner polluted by the wicked, then they purified and amended by us; as the good Corn is rather soiled by the bad, then the smutty made bright by the good. The fresh waters run into the Sea, yet they do not sweeten, but are made brackish by it. Our sinful hearts, as Onions, if there be any infection in the ⟨p. 157⟩room, are apt to draw all to themselves; We may hope to save them, when they may destroy us. How many have leaped into the waters to save others from drowning, and been drowned with them? Wholesome Planets, if in conjunction with those that are malevolent, are of bad influence; Its recorded by the Holy Ghost, concerning the Israelites, They were mingled among the Heathen, and learned their ways, Psa. 106. 35. They who join with wicked persons, are prone to learn their wicked practices; Evil men are as Mildew to the good Corn, which makes it black. Its an encouragement to men, to walk in bad and by-ways, when they have Company with them. Sinners are compared to dust, that breeds vermin in houses; to Sepulchres, which send forth noisome vapours; and to thorns and briars, that pierce and pain such as meddle with them; can they be too wary then that handle them? Luk. 15. 8. Rom. 3. 13. Heb. 6. 8. The Owl is a Night bird, and altogether for darkness, but they that Hawk for Birds, make a Stale of her, and whilst the silly Birds are wondering at her, catch and kill them. The Devil, who makes it his work to take and destroy souls,² doth often make use of ungodly men as Stales to further his designs. Sampson was too hard for the Philistines when they opposed him by force, but when they procured Delilah, a wicked companion to tempt him, by that fraud they prevailed against him. The reason (according to some) why our Saviour forbade the Disciple to go and bury his Father was (not out of averseness to civil, much-less to natural respect, but) left his corrupt Kindred,