George Swinnock is one of the easiest of the Puritan authors to read. Long out of print, this republication of his works will be welcomed by all who have an interest in and love for Puritan literature.
THE CHRISTIAN MAN’S CALLING – Part III – continued
VII. How a Christian may exercise himself to godliness in visiting the sick,
A good wish about the visitation of the sick, wherein the former heads are applied,
VIII. How a Christian may exercise himself to godliness on a dying bed,
A good wish about the Christian’s exercising himself to godliness on a dying bed; wherein the former heads are applied,
IX. Means whereby Christians may exercise themselves to godliness: A good foundation; living by faith; setting God always before our eyes,
X. Means whereby Christians may exercise themselves to godliness: A constant watchfulness; frequent meditation of death; daily performance of sacred duties,
XI. Means whereby Christians may exercise themselves to godliness: Frequent meditation of the day of judgment; a daily examination of our hearts; avoiding the occasions and suppressing the beginnings of sin,
XII. Means whereby Christians may exercise themselves to godliness: A humble frame; suppressing sin in its first rise; the knowledge of God,
XIII. Means whereby Christians may exercise themselves to godliness: A contented spirit; avoiding those things that hinder godliness,
XIV. Motives inciting Christians to exercise themselves to godliness: The vanity of other exercises; the brevity of man’s life; the patterns of others,
XV. The excellency of this calling, and the conclusion of the treatise,
HEAVEN AND HELL EPITOMISED
THE EPISTLE DEDICATORY
To THE READER
PREFACE
I. The division of the chapter, and interpretation of the text,
II. The doctrine, That such as have Christ for their life, gain by death, with the explication of the phrase, To me to live is Christ,’
III. What privative gain the Christian hath by death,
IV. What, positive gain a Christian hath by death,
V. The difference betwixt a sinner and a saint at death,
VI. The sinner’s privative misery at death,
VII. The positive part of a sinner’s misery at death,
VIII. A second use of trial, with motives to enforce it,
IX. The marks of a true Christian from the text,
X. Other marks of saints,
XI. The third use-viz., Exhortation to mind spiritual life,
XII. The life in Christ must be minded speedily, with the grounds of it,
XIII. This life in Christ must be minded diligently, with some motions to it,
XIV. The first direction for the attaining a spiritual life, Illumination,
XV. The second help to a spiritual life, Humiliation,
XVI. The third help to a spiritual life, Application of, or affiance on, Jesus Christ,
XVII. The fourth help, Dedication to God,
XVIII. Two other helps, The word and prayer,
XIX. Motives to mind this spiritual life: It is the most honourable, most comfortable, most profitable life,
XX. Comfort to true Christians,
XXI. Comfort against the world’s fury, and Satan’s rage,
XXII. Comfort against our own corruptions, our own or other believers’ dissolution,
XXIII. The excellency of heaven,
XXIV. The certainty that saints shall obtain heaven,
XXV. The eternity of the saints’ happiness in heaven,
THE FADING OF THE FLESH
THE EPISTLE DEDICATORY
I. The preface, division of the psalm, and coherence of the text,
II. The interpretation of the text, and the doctrine, that man’s flesh will fail him,
III. The reasons of the doctrine, Man’s corruptibility, God’s fidelity, and man’s apostasy from God,
IV. First use, Discovering the folly of them that mind the flesh chiefly,
V. Second use, An exhortation to sinners to prepare for death, with three quickening motives: Death will come certainly; it may come suddenly j when it comes, it will be too late to prepare,
VI. Three motives more: A dying hour will be a trying hour; the misery of the unprepared; the felicity of the prepared,
VII. What is requisite to preparation for death. A change of state and a change of nature, with a most gracious offer from the most high God to sinners,
VIII. The second exhortation to the serious Christian, shewing how a saint may come to die with courage,
