The Christian Man's Calling (eBook)

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 

By Topic

Joy

By Scripture

Old Testament

Genesis

Exodus

Leviticus

Numbers

Deuteronomy

Joshua

Judges

Ruth

1 Samuel

2 Samuel

1 Kings

2 Kings

1 Chronicles

2 Chronicles

Ezra

Nehemiah

Esther

Job

Psalms

Proverbs

Ecclesiastes

Song of Solomon

Isaiah

Jeremiah

Lamentations

Ezekiel

Daniel

Hosea

Joel

Amos

Obadiah

Jonah

Micah

Nahum

Habakkuk

Zephaniah

Haggai

Zechariah

Malachi

New Testament

Matthew

Mark

Luke

John

Acts

Romans

1 Corinthians

2 Corinthians

Galatians

Ephesians

Philippians

Colossians

1 Thessalonians

2 Thessalonians

1 Timothy

2 Timothy

Titus

Philemon

Hebrews

James

1 Peter

2 Peter

1 John

2 John

3 John

Jude

Revelation

By Author

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