This, the first entry in the Puritan Treasures for Today series, presents a modernization of one of Swinnock’s classic works. Throughout its pages, he contrasts the fleeting pleasures of the world and flesh with the life and treasure only God can provide. Swinnock can be overly repetitive at times, and this volume could have used a bit more judicious editing, but it (and this series) is a welcomed addition to the growing interest in Puritan writings.

While men walk on earth, they usually judge themselves fair, because they can find others who are fouler. However, death will remove their masks and give them a mirror, in which all the spots, dirt, and wrinkles in the faces of their hearts and lives will be visible. Men often flatter themselves, but death never flatters anyone. [44]

When you die, God Himself judges you. There is no appeal or reversing His judgment. [53]

Faith teaches us to deny ourselves as utterly weak. Repentance causes us to abhor ourselves as altogether unworthy. Repentance reveals our nakedness and obnoxiousness, and thereby our shame and suffering. Faith tells us that our own rags come infinitely short of hiding our nakedness, and that we must fetch our garments out of someone else’s wardrobe. The whole globe of Christianity divides itself into these two hemispheres: faith and repentance. [58]

There must be conformity to God before there can be communion with Him. God and man must agree before they can walk or dwell together. [66]

The comfort of a Christian in his saddest condition is this: God is his portion. [87]

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