Ill, you must obey the Voice of God; and he will love you, and preferve you from your fpiritual Enemies, and from everlafting Death. Ind. You will now be pleased to explain to me THAT PRIDE OF LIFE, which a • Christian renounces at his Baptifm.'

Milf. By the Pride of Life is meant, that great Opinion, which, through the Corruption of Nature, all People are apt to have of themselves;-with an eager, restless, and immoderate Defire after every thing that may distinguish them from others, and which may fet them high in the Efteem of the World.

Now this Pride of Life is the Occafion of many Evils, which are highly displeasing to God, and must be refolved against by every good Chriftian.

The Evils are thefe that follow:-They who are under the Power of this Vice, are more concerned for the Efteem of the World, than how to please God:-They are therefore too often tempted to fupport the good Opinion of the World, by laying that out on Vanity, which fhould be the Support of their Families, or of the Poor :-And they are too apt to defpife the Poor, as if they were not Creatures of the fame Kind with themselves. -They look upon all the Advantages or Bleffings they have, whether in their Perfons, or in their Poffeffions, as their Due; and therefore are generally unthankful to God, and rob

him of the Honour of his own Gifts:-In fhort, they are angry, when they are not valued as they think they deferve; they are apt to be difcontented, and to think, that they deferve more than they have to repine at their Misfortunes, and overlook their own In"firmities; and are therefore utter Strangers to that Humility, which must recommend them to the Grace and Favour of God: For be refifteth the Proud, and giveth Grace to the Humble*.

Ind. Since this Pride of Life and Heart is fo natural to us, what can cure us of it?"

Miff. Nothing but the Grace of God, and poffeffing your Heart with Things of greater Moment.

Confider, that you are liable to Eternal Mifery:That your great Bufinefs in this World is to prepare for a happy DEATH, and the DAY OF JUDGMENT; and you will be very indifferent about feveral Things, which you now take too much Pleasure in.

For which Reason you will neither study to be vain and foolish in your Drefs, nor fingular and conceited in your Opinions, but imitate fuch as are fober-minded-as knowing, That the Ornament of a meek and bumble Spirit + is in the Sight of God of great Price; and should therefore be your great Concern.

1 Pet. v. 5

3

† Ibid, iii. 4.

And.

And then, if you remember, that you have nothing which you have not received*, nothing but what you must give an Account for, you will have more Reafon to fear, than be proud of your Advantages.

Ind. Well, Sir, I fee fufficient Reason, why every one, who purpofes to become a • Christian, should renounce the Devil, and all • bis Works,-the Vanities of the World,—and the Lufts of the Flesh.-I am also convinced of the great Advantage thofe will reap, who are able to overcome thefe Difficulties. -But then I am difcouraged exceedingly, ⚫ when I see so many, who have undertaken ⚫ to be Christians upon these Conditions, in a manner renounce that Religion afterwards, <-either finding it impoffible to obferve thefe Conditions, or thinking that they are

fo very neceffary to Salvation, as you

fay they are.'

Miff. Believe not this, because of our faying fo only; but because the God of Truth and Mercy hath fo faid, who would have all Men come to the Knowlege of the Truth, and requires nothing to be done or avoided by Chriftians, but what is abfolutely neceffary to their Salvation; and which He will enable them to perform, if it is not plainly their own Fault.

As for fuch as call themselves Chriftians, but do not the Things which Christ has comI Cor. iv. 7. manded,

M

manded, you must not judge of the Chriftian Religion by them, but by your own Senfe, and Want of a Redeemer.-The Christians you fpeak of have never truly confidered the extreme Danger they are in;-nor what the Son of God has declared :-That it were better for them, that a Mill-ftone was hanged about their Necks, and they caft into the Sea, than they should be the Occafion of Offence to well-difpofed People.-And indeed, none ferve the Defigns of Satan more than such Sort of Christians ;-and who have no other Choice, but a true and timely Repentance, or everlasting Mifery. And Repentance, one would hope, they would chufe, if they would confider the great Patience of God, which ought to fill their Eyes with Tears, and their Hearts with that Shame and Sorrow, which is the Work of true Repentance.

Do but remember what I have told you before, that a true Faith in God, and in his Word, will enable you to overcome all the Difficulties you can poffibly met with.

It is for this Reason that every one, before he takes upon himself the Chriftian Profeffion, is obliged to give an Account of his Faith, without which it is impoffible to please God.

Ind. Having given you fo much Trouble already, I muft now afk you to explain to me the Particulars of the Chriftian Faith; * Luke xvii. 2.

⚫ but

but with your Leave I will wait on you again very foon."

Miff. As foon as you can.In the mean time, I must put you in mind-To beg of God to deliver you from the Attempts of the Devil and his wicked Agents, who will try all Ways to divert you from your good Purposes.

And may God keep you in the good Difpofition you seem to be in!

The PRAYER.

Lmighty and moft merciful Father, preferve me from all the Temptations of my Adverfary the Devil, who goeth about feeking whom he may be permitted to devour.-Give me holy Refolutions, and a watchful Spirit, that I may perfevere in the Way of Godliness, and my Life correspond with the Purity of my Faith.-Oh! Let me never dishonour so excellent a Title as that of a Christian; but do thou reign in my Heart, by thy Spirit of Grace guiding all my Actions, and directing my Intentions, that I may be the Servant of thy divine Will here, and be admitted to the Holiness and Glories of that State, where Thou reigneft for ever and ever, and art All in All. Amen.