Fading of the Flesh and the Flourishing of Faith

Stephen Yuille -- himself the author of two books about the theology of Puritan George Swinnock: Puritan Spirituality: the Fear of God in the Affective Theology of George Swinnock and Trading and Thriving in Godliness:The Piety of George Swinnock -- notes that Reformation Heritage Books is publishing a new edition of Swinnock's The Fading of the Flesh and the Flourishing of Faith.

RHB says:

In this book, George Swinnock presents modern readers with valuable food for thought as he expounds Psalm 73:26, “My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.” Swinnock combines careful explanation with vivid illustration to reveal the futility of earthly comforts and highlight the inestimable comfort, satisfaction, and joy afforded us in Christ. Displaying the relevance of the Puritans for today, you will find this sorely neglected and sobering topic an easy, thought-provoking, and compelling read.

That We Are Really, Which We Are Relatively

What a man does in secret reflects his true character. As Thomas B. Macaulay said, "The measure of a man's real character is what he would do if he knew he would never be found out." J.C. Watts, Jr. put it another way: "Everyone tries to define this thing called Character. It's not hard. Character is doing what's right when nobody's looking."

Another measure is how a man behaves in his own household. No one knows our flaws, our weaknesses, our besetting sins, apart from God, better than our family members, those most close to us, who see us when we are "tired or worried or hungry" (C.S. Lewis). It is easy to be religious and upstanding around strangers and even friends, but much harder to exemplify the religious virtues of patience and love and longsuffering around those in our own home. Who we really are is reflected in how we are with our relations.

That is why Philip Henry, who spoke often of family religion, had a certain saying. His son Matthew, the famous Bible commentator, who was certainly in a position to know the true character of his father, wrote the following (J.B. Williams, ed., The Lives of Philip and Matthew Henry, Vol. 1, p. 69):

The Lord having built him up into a family, he was careful and faithful in making good his solemn vow at his ordination, that he and his house would serve the Lord. He would often say, -- That we are really which we are relatively. It is not so much what we are at church, as what we are in our families. Religion in the power of will be family religion. In this his practice was very exemplary; he was one that walked before his house in a perfect way, with a perfect heart, and therein behaved himself wisely. His constant care and prudent endeavour was not only to put away iniquity far from his tabernacle, but that where he dwelt, the word of Christ might dwell richly. If he might have no other church, yet he had a church in his house.

This saying comes from the Preface to the Reader of a work by George Swinnock, Heaven and Hell Epitomized (1663), found in his Works, Vol. 3, p. 219:

Exalt godliness in thy family. If once Christ be chief in thy heart, I am confident he will, to thy utmost power, be so in thy house -- that thou art really, which thou art relatively.

Godly Discontent

The following is extracted from a poem, "On the Much Lamented Death of My Sincerely Honoured and Beloved Friend Mr. Thomas Wilson," in Life and Death of Mr. Wilson, p. 96, by George Swinnock, quoted in J. Stephen Yuille, ed., Trading, and Thriving in Godliness: The Piety of George Swinnock, p. 214:

Lord, why should I contented be,
whilst I am thus absent from thee?
Can there be day without the sun,
or bodies live when souls are gone?

Thou art my Sun, my Soul, and I
absent from that do daily die.
What do I here, when all's above,
that is deserving of my love?

My God, my Christ, my friends are there,
my heart, my hopes, what do I here?
O let my heaven-born soul expire
itself in sallies, and desire.

Only to rest, and make its stay,
where thou art all in all for ay.
O come thou down with speed to me,
or take me quickly up to thee.

Ministry and Magistracy

Thomas Hall (d. 1665), The Works of George Swinnock, M.A., Vol. 4, The Beauty of Magistracy, pp. 221-222:

So magistrates should be very tender over the messengers of Christ, who are the best friends, if they be faithful, that princes have in the world. Magistracy and ministry, the word and the sword, should go together. The pulpit guards the throne; hence Nathan is called the friend of David, 1 Kings 4:5; king Joram calls Elijah his father, 2 Kings 6:21; and Jehoshaphat calls the Levites his sons, 2 Chron 29:11; and Hezekiah spake comfortable, delightful, pleasing words to the hearts of the Levites, 2 Chron 30:22. The magistrate must protect their persons from violence, and their maintenance from the encroachment of cruel cormorants, lest, by famishing them, he bring a famine of the word upon the people. He must plant the word where it is wanting, and continue it where it is planted. It was well observed by Queen Elizabeth, when the justices of peace in the county of Suffolk met her Majesty in progress, every one of them having a minister by him, I see the reason now, saith the queen, why the county of Suffolk is better governed than other counties; it is because the word and the sword go together. Then church and state are like to flourish when Moses and Aaron, Zerubbabel and Joshua, Zech 4:14, go hand in hand together. When the minister reproves sin, and the magistrate punisheth it; when the magistrate makes use of the minister's direction, and the minister enjoys the magistrate's protection; when Joshua joins with Eleazar, and David consults with Nathan and Gad, the prophets of the Lord; and Josiah with Huldah, and Uzziah with Zechariah the priest, then, and never till then, can we look to prosper, 2 Chron 26:5. It is Aaron's office to speak, but it is Moses's rod that works the wonders. Ministers must preach, and magistrates must punish offenders.

Sabbath Day Wishes

George Swinnock, "A good wish about the Lord's-day, wherein the former heads are epitomised," in The Christian Man's Calling, The Works of George Swinnock, Vol. 1, pp. 255-256:

The first day of the week being of divine institution, and baptized by God himself with that honourable name of the Lord's-day, partly in regard of its author, 'This is the day which the Lord hath made;' partly in regard of the blessed Redeemer, who rose that day, and triumphed over the grave, the devil, the curse of the law, and hell; it being a day sanctified for the glory of my Saviour, of which I may say as of Jacob,' The Lord hath chosen it to himself for his peculiar treasure,' Ps. cxxxv. 4, and a day set apart for the spiritual and eternal good of my precious soul, wherein I may enjoy communion with my God in all his ordinances, without interruption, I wish, in general, that as the Spirit may be in me in the week-days, so that I may be in the Spirit on the Lord's-day, filled therewith, and enabled thereby to have my conversation all the day long in heaven. Oh that my care in fitting my soul for it, my holy carriage at it, and my suitable conversation after it, may testify that I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than to dwell in the tents of wickedness; and that I esteem one day in his courts better than a thousand elsewhere. I wish, in particular, that I may prepare for it as for a wedding-day, wherein Christ and my soul are to be espoused together; and to that end, before it cometh, may be careful so to order my earthly affairs, that they may not encroach upon this holy ground ; and so open the door of my heart, and adorn it with spiritual excellencies, that the King of glory may enter in, and think himself a welcome guest in my soul. Oh that I might never give my God cause to complain of me, as once of the Jews, ' Your Sabbaths and solemn feasts I cannot away with, for your hands are defiled.' As Nehemiah shut the gates of the city, that no burdens might be carried in on the Sabbath-day, so let me secure the gate of my heart, that no worldly things may disturb me in Sabbath duties. Oh let me not, like Martha, be careful and troubled about many things, but on this day especially sit at Christ's feet, mind the one thing necessary, and choose the good part which shall never be taken from me. I wish that I may long more for it than ever a bridegroom did for his bride; that when it is come in, I may bid it heartily welcome, and that as my Saviour rose early that morning to justify me, so I may rise early on this day to glorify him.

Sing David's Psalms With David's Spirit

Isaac Watts complained that it was needful for himself to "teach my Author [David] to speak like a Christian," and therefore in his hymnbook aimed to

have rather exprest myself as I may suppose David would have done, had he lived in the Days of Christianity. And by this means perhaps I have sometimes hit upon the true Intent of the Spirit of God in those Verses, farther and clearer than David himself could ever discover, as St. Peter encourages me to hope. I Pet.i.11,12.

Puritans, however, often spoke of the need to, as Richard Rogers put it, "sing David's psalms with David's spirit; sing with spirit and sing with understanding; regard that more than the tune."

Lewis Bayly's "Rules to be observed in Singing of Psalms" from The Practice of Piety, p. 154, include:

2. Remember to sing David’s psalms with David’s spirit (Matt. xxii.43.)

3. Practise St. Paul’s rule—“I will sing with the spirit, but I will sing with the understanding also.” (1 Cor. xiv.15.)

George Swinnock wrote in The Christian Man's Calling (Works, Vol. 1, p. 342):

Only, reader, be careful to sing David's psalms with David's spirit, and not like a nightingale to sing by rote: 'I will sing with my spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.' Making melody with grace in the heart, is the best tune to set all David's psalms with.

Thomas Ford, Singing of Psalms the Duty of Christians Under the New Testament, pp. 38-39:

Only God's own people have an inward experimental knowledge of the glorious excellencies and attributes of God, (viz.) his power, wisdom, goodness, &c. They only have tasted how sweet the Lord is in his promises and providences. They know, and none but they, what the offices of Christ are, in the power, fruit, and benefit of them. They know what it is to be redeemed from the earth, and from death, and from the nethermost hell. They only have experience of the mercy and loving kindness of the Lord, supporting, supplying them, and ordering all for good to them. And they alone have a lively feeling of their infirmities, sigh and groan under the burden of their corruptions, are troubled for the indisposition and untowardness of their hearts. These and such as these, who are so inspired and affected, can sing David's psalms with David's spirit. Others may sing more pleasingly to the ear, but these alone make melody in the ears of the Lord, who looks at the heart.

Question. That is it we desire to be satisfied in: how we may sing David's Psalms with David's spirit.

Answer 1. It is commonly, truly, and piously said, we must sing David's Psalms with David's spirit, though there is no text in the Bible, to my remembrance that hath those very words; but some speak somewhat to this effect, as Col. 3:16, we must sing with grace in our hearts, that is as much as if he should have said, sing David's Psalms with David's spirit.

2. We grant it is impossible for any to sing psalms so, but one that is a new creature, renewed in the spirit of his mind, as David was.

3. We say in the general, to sing David's Psalms with David's spirit, or to sing with grace in our hearts unto the Lord, there must be not only an habitual, but an actual disposedness; as when a man sets upon any duty, he must stir up the grace that is in him; so it is not enough in singing psalms to have an habit of grace, but we must stir up, and act the gifts and graces of God within us.

Here then this will be the great question: how our spirits ought to be disposed when we are to sing, that we may so do it as to give God the glory, and gain benefit to our own souls? Or, (which is all one) how we may sing David's Psalms with David's spirit? Or how we may sing with grace in our hearts unto the Lord? which is the doctrine in the text.

John Wells resolves the matter for us in his Cripplegate morning exercise ("How We May Make Melody in Our Hearts to God in Singing of Psalms," in Puritan Sermons, 1659-1689, Vol. 2, p. 74):

Singing of psalms must only be the joyous breathing of a raised soul; and here the cleanness of the heart is more considerable than the clearness of the voice. In this service we must study more to act the Christian than the musician. Many in singing of psalms are like the organs, whose pipes are filled only with wind. The apostle tells us, we must "sing with our hearts." (Col. iii. 16.) We must sing David's psalms with David's spirit. One tells us, "God is a spirit; and he will be worshipped in spirit even in this duty."

Works of George Swinnock

The 5-volume Works of Puritan George Swinnock have recently become available to read online (HT: Tony Byrne). Of him James Hamilton wrote (Our Christian Classics: Readings from the Best Divines, with Notices Biographical and Critical, Vol. II, p. 282):

Except to a few collectors, the writings of Swinnock are almost unknown; but we confess that we have rejoiced in them as those that find great spoil. So pithy and pungent, and so practical, few books are more fitted to keep the attention awake, and few so richly reward it.

Volume 1: The Christian Man's Calling (Google Books)
Volume 2: The Christian Man's Calling cont'd (Internet Archive; Google Books)
Volume 3: The Christian Man's Calling cont'd; Heaven and Hell Epitomised; The Fading of the Flesh (Internet Archive)
Volume 4: The Fading of the Flesh cont'd; The Pastor's Farewell; The Gods are Men; The Beauty of Magistracy; Men are Gods; The Incomparableness of God (Internet Archive; Google Books)
Volume 5: The Door of Salvation Opened by the Key of Regeneration; The Sinner's Last Sentence (Internet Archive; Google Books)

George Swinnock on the Lord's Day

George Swinnock, The Works of George Swinnock, "The Christian Man's Calling," Vol. 1, Chap. 22, pp. 258-260:

A good wish to the Lord's-day.

Hail thou that art highly favoured of God, thou map of heaven, thou golden spot of the week, thou market-day of souls, thou daybreak of eternal brightness, thou queen of days, the Lord is with thee, blessed art thou among days, Luke 1:28. I may say to thee what the angel said to Daniel, Oh day greatly beloved! Dan 9:23. Thou art fairer than all the children of time, grace is poured into thy lips; God, even thy God hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows, Ps 45. Of the Jewish Sabbaths and other festivals, in comparison of thee it may be spoken, They perish, but thou remainest, and they all wax old as a garment; and as a vesture hast thou folded them up, and they are changed, but thou shalt (maugre the malice of men and devils) continue the same, and thy years shall not fail, Heb 1:11-12. As the temple succeeded and exceeded the tabernacle, this was fleeting, that was fixed, so dost thou all former Sabbaths, they were but morning stars to usher in thee, the sun, and then to disappear. Other festivals in all their royalty are not arrayed like unto thee. All the graces triumph in thee, all the ordinances conspire to enrich thee; the Father ruleth thee, the Son rose upon thee, the Spirit hath overshadowed thee. Thus is it done to the day which the king of heaven delighteth to honour.

Thou hast not only a common blessing with other days by the law of nature, but a special blessing above all other days, from the love of thy maker. Let thousands mark thee for their new birthday; be thou a day, as it was said of that night to the Jews, much to be remembered, much to be observed to the Lord, for bringing many out of worse than Egyptian bondage, Exod 12:42; be thou to them a day of light and gladness, of joy and honour, and a good day, Esther 8:16. On thee light was created, the Holy Ghost descended, life hath been restored, Satan subdued, sin mortified, souls sanctified, the grave, death, and hell conquered. Oh how do men and women flutter up and down on the weekdays, as the dove on the waters, and can find no rest for their souls, till they come to thee their ark, till thou put forth thy hand and take them in! Oh how do they sit under thy shadow with great delight, and find thy fruits sweet to their taste! Oh the mountings of mind, the ravishing happiness of heart, the solace of soul which on thee they enjoy in the blessed Saviour! They are sorry when the days shorten for thy sake, they wish for thee before thou comest, they welcome thee when thou art come, and they enjoy so much of heaven in thee, that thence they love and look, and long the more for their eternal Sabbath. "Go forth, O thou fairest among women, and be thou fruitful in bringing forth children to thy maker and husband. Be thou the mother of thousands and of millions, and let thy seed possess the gate of them that hate them," Gen 24:60. Do thou, like Rachel and Leah, build up the house of Israel; do thou worthily in Ephratah, and be thou famous in Bethlehem. Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O thou mighty and gracious day, and in thy majesty ride prosperously; because of meekness, righteousness, and truth, let thy right hand teach thee terrible things; let thine arrows be sharp in the hearts of spiritual enemies, whereby the people may fall under thee. The Lord hath chosen thee, he hath desired thee for his habitation, Ps 132. Thou art his rest for ever; in thee he will dwell, for he hath desired it.

Let him abundantly bless thy provision, and satisfy thy poor with bread; let him clothe thy priests with salvation, and let thy saints shout aloud for joy; let thine enemies be clothed with shame, but upon thy head let the crown flourish. Let nations bow down to thee; let kingdoms fall down before thee. Let all the kingdoms of the earth become the kingdoms of thy Lord and of thy Christ; be thou honoured as long as the sun and moon shall endure, even throughout all generations. Thou art like Joseph, a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a wall, whose branches run over the wall. The archers have sorely grieved thee, and shot at thee, endeavouring to weaken thy morality, and hated thee, but thy bow abode in strength by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob, from thence is the shepherd, the stone of Israel; even by the Lord of Sabbaths who shall help thee, and by the Almighty who shall bless thee with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that lieth under, blessings of the breasts and of the womb; the blessings of this day have prevailed above the blessings of all other days; let them be continued and increased on the heads of this holy and honourable day, and on the head of that day which is separate from its brethren. Let them be ashamed and confounded that seek after thy hurt, let them be turned back and put to confusion that desire thy ruin; let all those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee; let them that love thy sanctification say continually, Let the Lord be magnified, who delighteth in the prosperity of his saints, and therefore hath set apart his Sabbath for their soul-good.

Thou, like Jacob, hast got away the blessing from the other days, yea, thy God hath blessed thee, and thou shalt be blessed: "Blessed are they that bless thee, and cursed are they that curse thee." In a word, the Lord be gracious to thee, and delight in thee, and cause the light of his countenance to shine upon thee; let all thine ordinances be clothed with power, and be effectual for the conversion and salvation of millions of souls; let thy name be great from the rising of the sun to the going down of the same. Finally, farewell sweet day, thou cream of time, thou epitome of eternity"”thou heaven in a glass, thou firstfruits of a blessed and everlasting harvest: Did I say farewell? A welfare I wish to thee; but oh let me never lose thee, or take my leave of thee, till I come to enjoy thee in a higher form, to see the Sun of righteousness,"”who early on thy morning rose and made a day indeed while the natural sun was behind,"”face to face, and to know thy maker and master as I am known of him, when I shall be a pillar in the temple of my God, and shall go out no more, but serve him day and night, to whom, for the inestimable dignity and privilege of his own day, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen, amen.