by George Swinnock
in ePub, .mobi & .pdf formats
But refuse profane and old wives' fables, and exercise thyself unto godliness. —1 TIM. 4:7.
THE unclean spring of ungodliness divideth itself, like the third African gulf, into two main cursed channels, atheism and superstition; in one of which all the children of men swim by nature, and very many, as the silly fish, down the streams of Jordan, till they descend into the lake of Sodom, the dead sea of hell, and perish. Which of these two passages are most fatal and perilous, seems worth our inquiry. The waters in the former stream are deepest; atheism denieth the very being of God, but to prevent sinking in these waters, nature herself hath provided some skin-deep bladders; for though there be many atheists in practice, yet there be no atheists in principles. The being of a deity was so fairly written on the tables of man's heart at first, that though it be exceedingly blotted and blurred by the fall, yet it is still legible. Those heathen, as Caligula and others, who endeavoured to extinguish that candle of the Lord, which shewed them a first cause, or being of beings, could never accomplish it. It is a part of that law which is written in all men's hearts, Rom. 2:15. The orator could say, That no nation was so barbarous as to deny the being of God. Tullus Hostilius,3 third king of the Romans, who derided his predecessor Numa's sacrifices, saying, that religion did but effeminate men's minds, did himself, as Lactantius in Instit. observes, worship the god Fear. Idolatry is a clear proof that all men believe a deity, otherwise they would never worship, not only the sun, as the Masagetes; but dead men, as the Grecians; whom their governors would appoint, as the Romans; cats, dogs, and horses, as the Egyptians; and anything rather than nothing. Though there be, saith a learned author, nations without kings, without laws, without clothes, yet there are none without a god. When man fell, this truth stood.
The waters in the latter stream are not so deep, but they seem more dangerous; for nature is in some respect a friend to superstition, though an enemy to atheism; it would give God some worship, but it must be in its own way. Atheism denieth the being of a deity; superstition undermineth the authority of God. The atheist would have no God, the superstitious would be his own God; his will, not God's word, is the rule of his worship. In this gulf hath many a soul been swallowed up. The atheist turneth to the left hand, the superstitious to the right hand, but he must turn to neither that will keep his feet from evil, Prov. 4 ult.
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Table of Contents
THE CHRISTIAN MAN'S CALLING—PT I
THE EPISTLE DEDICATORY
TO THE READER, especially to the Parish of Great-Kimbal in the County of Bucks
I. The preface and coherence of the text
II. The opening of the text and the doctrine
III. What godliness is
IV. What it is for a man to make religion his business, or to exercise himself to godliness
V. Religion is the great end of man's creation
VI. Religion is a work of the greatest weight. It is soul-work, it is God-work, it is eternity-work
VII. The necessity of making religion our business, both in regard of the opposition a Christian meets with, and the multiplicity of business which lieth upon him
VIII. A complaint that this trade is so dead, and the world's trade so quick
IX. The complaint continued, that this calling is so much neglected, when superstition and sin are embraced and diligently followed
X. An exhortation to make God our business in the whole course of our lives
XI. How a Christian may make religion his business in spiritual performances and religious actions
XII. How a Christian may exercise himself to godliness in prayer. And first, of prayer in general, and of the antecedents to it
XIII. Of the concomitants of prayer
XIV. The subsequent duties after prayer
XV. How a Christian may exercise himself to godliness in hearing and reading the word, and of preparation for hearing
XVI. Of the Christian's duty in hearing
XVII. Of the Christian's duty after hearing
XVIII. How a Christian may exercise himself to godliness in receiving the Lord's supper; and 1. Of the nature of that ordinance, and preparation for it
XIX. How a Christian may exercise himself to godliness at the table
XX. What a Christian ought to do after a sacrament
XXI. How to exercise ourselves to godliness on a Lord's-day
XXII. Brief directions for the sanctification of the Lord's-day from morning to night
XXIII. How a Christian may exercise himself to godliness in natural actions. And first, in eating and drinking
XXIV. How a Christian may exercise himself to godliness in his apparel and sleep
XXV. How a Christian may exercise himself to godliness, in his recreations and pleasures
XXVI. How to exercise ourselves to godliness in our particular callings
XXVII. How a Christian may exercise himself to godliness in his family as the governor thereof
THE CHRISTIAN MAN'S CALLING—PT II
THE EPISTLE DEDICATORY
THE PREFACE AND EPISTLE TO THE READER, wherein the right Christian is characterised, out of the general heads in the three parts of the Christian man's calling
I. How Christians may exercise themselves to godliness in the relations of parents
II. How Christians may make religion their business, and exercise themselves to godliness in the relation of children
III. How Christians may exercise themselves to godliness in the relation of husbands and wives; and, first, Of the duties which concern them both in common. And a good wish from a pious pair
IV. How Christians may exercise themselves to godliness in the relation of husbands, with a good wish about the husband's duty
V. How a Christian may exercise herself to godliness in the relation of a wife, with a good wish about the duty of a wife
VI. How Christians may exercise themselves to godliness, in the relation of masters, with a good wish about the duty of a master
VII. How Christians may exercise themselves to godliness in the relation of servants
VIII. How a Christian may exercise himself to godliness in prosperity
IX. How a Christian may exercise himself to godliness in adversity. Containing motives to it, and the nature of it
X. The means whereby Christians may exercise themselves to godliness in adversity. As also a good wish about that condition
THE CHRISTIAN MAN'S CALLING — PT III
THE EPISTLE TO THE READER PREFACE
I. How a Christian may exercise himself to godliness in his dealings with all men. As also a good wish about that particular
II. How Christians may exercise themselves to godliness in the choice of their companions
III. How a Christian may exercise himself to godliness in evil company
IV. How Christians may exercise themselves to godliness in good company, with a good wish about that particular
V. How a Christian should exercise himself to godliness in solitariness. As also a good wish about that particular
VI. How a Christian may exercise himself to godliness on a week-day from morning to night
VII. How a Christian may exercise himself to godliness in visiting the sick
VIII. How a Christian may exercise himself to godliness on a dying bed
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