UPON

RELIGION,

AND

A CHRISTIAN LIFE.

IN TWO PARTS.

BY WILLIAM BEVERIDGE, D. D.

LORD BISHOP OF ST. ASAPH.

Philadelphia:

Printed by Thomas Kite,

FOR E. LITTELL, 136 CHESTNUT STREET

Two doors above the Bank of the United States.

BR IRO .B35 1829

Copy!

CONTENTS.

PART I.

THOUGHTS ON RELIGION

25

Art. I. I believe there is one God, the Being of all beings

Art. II. I believe, that whatsoever the most high God would

have me to believe or do, in order to his glory and my happi-

ness, he hath revealed it to me in his holy Scriptures

Art. III. I believe, that as there is one God, so this one God is

three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost

Art. IV. believe, that I was conceived in sin, and brought

forth in iniquity; and that ever since I have been continually

conceiving mischief, and bringing forth vanity

28

31

48

50

Art. V. I believe the Son of God became the Son of man, that

I, the son of man, might become the son of God

Art. VI. I believe, that Christ lived to God, and died for sin,

that I might die to sin, and live with God

Art. VII. I believe, that Christ rose from the grave, that I might

rise from sin; and that he is ascended into heaven, that I may

come unto him

57

Art. VIII. I believe, that my person is only justified by the merit

of Christ imputed to me; and that my nature is only sanctified

by the Spirit of Christ implantedin me

59

Art. IX. I believe, God entered into a double covenant with man,

the covenant of works made with the first, and the covenant

of grace made in the second Adam

69

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

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

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82

Art. XII. I believe, there are two other worlds, besides this I live

in; a world of misery for unrepenting sinners, and a world of

glory for believing saints

88

RESOLUTIONS

FORMED FROM THE FOREGOING ARTICLES.

95

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 94

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

word the rule of all the rules I propose to myself

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

96

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 be the portion of

my soul hereafter

98

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

99

Resol. III. I am resolved, by the grace of God, always to be look-

ing upon God, as always looking upon me

10

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

102

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

103

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

let in vain, as careful to keep out sinful thoughts

104

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

cising my thoughts upon good objects, that the devil may not

exercise them upon bad

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 am about

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107

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 of evils

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 then temporal; 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 nothing 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 happiness

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

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111

113

114

116

118

119

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

122

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

the wickedness of swearing falsely, but likewise the very appear-

ance of swearing at all

123

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

125

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

126

Resol. V. I am resolved, by the grace of God, always to speak
reverently to my superiors, humbly to my inferiors, and civilly to

all

127