Private thoughts upon religion, and a Christian life - William Beveridge (bp. of st. Asaph.) - Google Libros

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Art. X. I believe, that as God entered into a covenant

with us, so hath he signed this covenant to

us by a double seal, Baptism and the Lord's Supper

Art. XI. I believe, that after a short separation, my soul

and body shall be united together again, in order to

appear before the judgment-seat of Christ, and be

finally sentenced according to my deserts

Art. xii. I believe, there are two other worlds, besides

this I live in; a world of misery for unrepenting sin-

ners, and a world of glory for believing saints

FORMED FROM THE FOREGOING ARTICLES.

Resol. I. I am resolved, by the grace of God, to walk by

rule, and therefore think it necessary to resolve upon

rules to walk by

Resol. II. I am resolved, by the grace of God, to make

the divine word the rule of all the rules I propose to

Resol. III. I am resolved, that as I am not able to think

or do any thing that is good, without the influence of

the divine grace; so I will not pretend to merit any

favour from God, upon account of any thing I do for

his glory and service

Concerning my conversation in general.

Resol. I. I am resolved, by the grace of God, to make

Christ the pattern of my life here, that so Christ may

y be the portion of my soul hereafter

Resol. II. I am resolved, by the grace of God, to walk

by faith, and not by sight, on earth, that so I may live

by sight, and not by faith, in heaven

Resol. Ill. I am resolved, by the grace of God, always to

be looking upon God, as always looking upon me 98

Concerning my thoughts.

Resol. I. I am resolved, by the grace of God, to watch

as much over the inward motions of my heart, as the

outward actions of my life

Resol. II. I am resolved, by the grace of God, to stop

every thought at its first entering into my heart, and

to examine it, whence it comes, and whither it tends 102

Resol. III. I am resolved, by the grace of God, to be as

fearful to let in vain, as careful to keep out ; sinful

Resol. IV. I am resolved, by the grace of God, to be

always exercising my thoughts upon good objects,

that the devil may not exercise them upon

Resol. V. I am resolved, by the grace of God, so to

marshal my thoughts, that they may not one justle

out another, nor any of them prejudice the business I

Concerning my affections.

Resol. I. I am resolved, by the grace of God, always to

make my affections subservient to the dictates of my

understanding, that my reason may not follow, but

guide my affections

Resol. II. I am resolved, by the grace of God, to love

God as the best of goods, and to hate sin as the worst

Resol. III. I am resolved, by the assistance of divine

grace, to make God the principal object of my joy,

and sin the principal object of my grief and sorrow;

so as to grieve for sin more than suffering, and for

suffering only for sin's sake

Resol. IV. I am resolved, by the grace of God, to desire

spiritual mercies more than teinporal ; and temporal

mercies only in reference to spiritual

Resol. V. I am resolved, by the grace of God, to hope

for nothing so much as the promises, and to fear no-

thing so much as the threatenings, of God

Resol. VI. I am resolved, by the grace of God, to arm

myself with that spiritual courage and magnanimity, as

to press through all duties and difficulties whatsoever,

for the advancement of God's glory, and my own hap-

bo

Resol. VII. I am resolved, by the grace of God, so to be

angry, as not to sin, and, therefore, to be angry at

nothing but sin

Concerning my words.

Resol. I. I am resolved, by the grace of God, never to

speak much, lest I often speak too much; and not to

speak at all, rather than to no purpose

Resol. II. I am resolved, by the grace of God, not only

to avoid the wickedness of swearing falsely, but like-

wise the very appearance of swearing at all

Resol. III. I am resolved, by the grace of God, always

to make my tongue and heart go together, so as never

to speak with the one, what I do not think in the other 130

Resol. IV. I am resolved, by the grace of God, to speak

of other men's sins only before their faces, and of their

virtues only behind their backs

Resol. V. I am resolved, by the grace of God, always to

speak reverently to my superiors, humbly to my infe-

riors, and civilly to all

Concerning my actions.

Resol. I. I am resolved, by the grace of God, to do every

thing in obedience to the will of God

Resol. II. I am resolved, by the grace of God, to do

every thing with prudence and discretion as well as

with zeal and affection

Resol. III. I am resolved, by the grace of God, never to

set my hand, my head, or my heart, about any thing,

but what I verily believe is good in itself, and will be

esteemed so by God

Resol. IV. I am resolved, by the grace of God, to do all

things for the glory of God

Resol. V. I am resolved, by the grace of God, to min-

gle such recreations with my business, as to further

my business by my recreations

Concerning my relations.

Resol. I. I am resolved, by the grace of God, to honour

and obey the king, or prince, whom God is pleased to

set over me, as well as to expect he should safeguard

and protect me, whom God is pleased to set under

Resol. II. I am resolved, by the same divine grace, to be

as constant in loving of my wife, as cautious in choos-

Resol. III. I am resolved, by the grace of God, to do

my endeavour to give to God whatsoever children he

shall be pleased to give to me, that as they are mine

by nature, they may be his by grace

Resol. IV. I am resolved, by the grace of God, to do

my duty to my servants, as well as expect they should

do theirs to me

Resol. V. I am resolved, by the grace of God, to feed the

flock that God shall set me over, with wholesome food,

neither starving them by idleness, poisoning them with

error, nor puffing them up with impertinencies 156

Resol. VI. I am resolved, by the grace of God, to be as

faithful and constant to my friend, as I would have my

friend to be faithful and constant to me

Concerning my talents.

Resol. I. I am resolved, if possible, to redeem my time

past, by using a double diligence for the future, to

employ and improve all the gifts and endowments,

both of body and mind, to the glory and service of

my great Creator

Resol. Il. I am resolved, by the divine grace, to employ

my riches, the outward blessings of Providence, to the

same end; and to observe such a due medium in the

dispensing of them, as to avoid prodigality on the one

hand, and covetousness on the other

Resol. III. I am resolved, by the grace of God, to im-

prove the authority God gives me over others, to the

suppression of vice, and the encouragement of virtue;

and so for the exaltation of God's name on earth, and

their souls in heaven

Resol. IV. I am resolved, by the divine grace, to im-

prove the affections God stirs up in others towards me,

to the stirring up of their affections towards God 169

Resol. V. I am resolved, by the grace of God, to im-

prove every good thought to the producing of good

affections in myself, and as good actions with respect

Resol. VI. I am resolved, by the grace of God, to im-

prove every affliction God lays upon me, as an earnest

or token of his affection towards me

On the Education of a Christian.

THE advantage of being well-grounded in the Chris-

The want of this is the occasion of so little true re-

ligion among us

The direction of the Church in this behalf, and of God

The obligation on parents to observe it

The Church Catechism most easy, and yet most full

and comprehensive

The necessity of being made Christians by baptism ibid.

And that for children as well as adult persons

The promise made at baptism implies the necessity of
Christian instruction

ibid.

The several parts of that promise lead to the knowledge

of all the rest of the Catechism, viz. of the Creed, Ten

Commandments, Lord's Prayer, and doctrine of the

Directions for instructing children in this Catechism 194

They must begin with them betimes

Employ others to teach them, if they cannot do it them-

When taught the Catechism, send them, for further in-

struction, to the minister

The great obligation upon parents to instruct their chil-

Abraham's care, in this respect, rewarded, and Eli's

neglect punished

The advantage of it to themselves, and to their children 200

An exhortation to it

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