when he was baptized or christened. And by this, as St. Gregory observes, every man may try the truth of his faith in Christ. For as no man can be said to be faithful, who keeps not his promise; so neither can any Christian be said to have any true faith towards God, if he performs not the promise he hath made unto Him for herein doth his righteousness consist, and hereupon his everlasting salvation depends, through the merits of Christ. 5. This Baptismal vow, is the condition upon which we are admitted into the Covenant of Grace, and "made members of Christ, children of God, and heirs of the Kingdom of Heaven." And therefore they who perform not this condition, but slight, neglect, or negligently observe the same, do uncovenant themselves, and return again to their natural state of sin and misery; "become children of wrath, enemies of God, and heirs of eternal damnation"."

6. The holy Christian religion we all profess, is no other but God's Will and Testament, wherein a goodly

inheritance is promised and bequeathed; but not to be obtained, as St. Augustine observes, except, as in all other testaments, we observe the will of the testator: nor is there any thing more clearly expressed in the revealed will of God, than this, That the benefits of the Covenant of Grace belong only to them, who keep the condition therein required".

7. Every wilful sin is a breach of this covenant, and contracts therewith the sin of perjury, and incurs the forfeiture of all the precious benefits of the members of Christ, children of God, and heirs of Heaven so that no man can reasonably conclude himself within the Covenant of Grace, until the leaven of wickedness, which is a breach of its condition, be strictly searched out and expurged 9.

According therefore to this covenant, which we have every one (rightly christened) made with God, it concerns every man to examine himself, who hath any care of his soul. 8. This condition

con

• Aug. Ser. de Tem. 167.

sists of three general heads, called in Holy Writ by the three names of, 1. Repentance, 2. Faith, 3. Obedience, containing thereunder the whole duty of a Christian man.

9. Repentance consists not only in confession, with sorrow for sin past; but in performance for the future of that grand evangelical duty whereby we forsake sin, renounce all "fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness"," "deny ungodliness and worldly lusts" the which, with several more expressions of the same nature, are the very same in sense with the first part of our Baptismal vow; viz. "To forsake the devil and all his works, the pomps and vanities of this wicked world, and all the sinful lusts of the flesh," which is frequently remembered to be one of the two main ends of all that Christ hath done and suffered for us'.

10. This being therefore "the preparation of the Gospel of peace"," and "the foundation of religion,” is the first general rule of selfexamination,

BY THE FIRST PART,

To forsake the devil and all his works;

And it highly concerns us surely to do this, since they are the children of the devil, who do his works.

The devil's first and general work was apostasy: he abode not in the truth; "he kept not his first estate". Here then, in the first place, consider seriously and impartially, how frequently, nay, daily, if not hourly, thou hast yielded to the suggestions of Satan, and become like unto him, by swerving from thy first profession of the holy Christian faith, and vow of obedience to God's commands when admitted into covenant with God in Baptism.

The more particular works of the devil, are,

1. Pride; whereby he fell from being an angel of light, to be a spirit of darknessa.

2. Lying; for "he is a liar, and the father of it"."

3. Malice, hatred, envy, with all the degrees of murder both in will and deed: "he was a murderer from the beginning."

4. Slander, backbiting,

a Isaiah xiv. 14, 15.

and "accusing of the brethren;" from whence he takes the name of devil. 5. Tempting unto sin: that is the incessant work of the devil, who "continually goes about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devoure."

Examine then, whether, according to thy promise made unto God, thou hast manfully fought under the banner of Christ, against the crafts and assaults of the devil, tempting thee to any of these sins, or to any other miscarriage either in judgment or practice; and hast not rather suffered thyself, oftener than thou canst possibly imagine, to be taken in his "snares, and led captive by him at his will."

The pomps and vanities of

this wicked world.

These are, in other words, "the pride of life," and "the lust of the eyes," which are positively affirmed to be inconsistent with the love of Gods.

Upon this head examine, 1. Hath not thine heart been puffed up with the wind of vain-glory, which

vents itself by boasting and bragging of "vain things" of the world which profit noth, by over-costly and garish apparel, high vaunting, imperious language, strutting gait, affected gestures, supercilious and scornful looks, affecting and "receiving the honour which is from man, more than the honour which cometh from God only'?"

2. Have you not esteemed yourself more than others your equals, if not superiors"; either in respect of your worldly wealth and estate, place of credit and superiority", greatness of wit, readiness of elocution, boldness to outvie, cunning to overreach your neighbour, or in any other of those endowments, which usually worldly qualifications and

swell the vain minds of worldly men with conceitedness of their own worth, and makes them "love the praise of men more than the praise of God"?"

3. Have no idle and lewd company, nor yet the ill example of others, allured you to follow any of those sinful customs of the world, which have some outward

shew of pomp and seeming bravery, but are really vain and empty of all true worth? Have you not delighted yourself in such "lying vanities," and loved even to be cozened both of your time and treasure in pursuance of them¶?

4. Have you not loved and served mammon more than God', by preferring the sordid service of your worldly ends and interests, before the sacred service of God, and the interests of your soul's health and happiness?

resies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revelling, &c.s 2. If upon the strict examination of your heart and life, you find yourself guilty in any of these respects, then remember what follows, that "they who do such things, shall not inherit the Kingdom of God1:" and such surely are not within the Covenant of Grace, neither have they any title to the promises thereof, whilst they continue in any of the forementioned sins unrepented; for the promise only appertaineth "to him that overcometh"," name

the flesh.

1. Hath not the corrupt seed of carnal lust taken root in your heart, and brought forth in life any of those sinful "fruits of the flesh," which are reckoned by St. Paul to be these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, strifes, seditions, he

more particular breaches of this first part of your Covenant with God, will appear upon examination of yourself by those particular commands of God, which they do respectively transgress.

9 Psalm iv. 2.

Matt. vi. 24.

u Rev. ii. 7. 11.

"He that believes" (all the fundamental articles of the Christian faith) "shall be saved; but he that believeth not, shall be damned"."

Here then examine, 1. If you have learned, being young, what are these articles or points of Christian faith whereunto you were baptized or christened; and if you can now give a ready account of your faith; and this both in the very words of your Creed, and also in the full sense and true meaning of each article thereof".

2. Do you stedfastly believe the infallible truth of each article, though perhaps you understand it not in its full extent? Are you zealously affected with them all, resolved to die in this faith, and, if occasion be, to die for it, "resisting even unto blood," whatever may oppose or infringe

8 Mark xvi. 16; John xii. 48. 2 Tim. iv. 7. k Jude 3. "Mark viii. 88.

the same; "earnestly contending for that faith which was once given to (or by) the Saints," the holy Apostles of our Lordk?

3. Dost thou not only believe with the heart, but also frequently confess this faith with the mouth? for as "with the heart man believeth unto righteousness," so," with the mouth confession is made unto salvation!"

4. Have neither the senseless neglect of some, nor the profane scoffs of others, made thee also neglect or be ashamed to confess thy faith in public? And if so, thy faith is not sincere: for he that truly "believeth in God will not be ashamed m" openly to profess it; remembering that there is a dismal shame and confusion of face threatened to him that is "ashamed of Christ and His words "," which are summed up in the Creed.