SIGNS OF A LIVING OR GROWING CHRISTIAN.

The righteous shall flourish like a Palm tree; he shall grow like a Cedar in Lebanon.-Psalm xcii. 12.

SIGN 1. When your chief delight is with the saints, especially them that excel in virtue. Psalm xvi. 3.

2. When the smitings of the righteous are not a burden to you, and you can hear of your faults with affectionate attention. Psalm cxli. 5.

3. When Jesus Christ, in the midst of temptation, is more to you than all the world. Phil. iii. 8.

4.

When reproach for Christ makes you not ashamed of Christ. Mark viii. 38. Heb. xi. 26.

5. When wandering thoughts, in time of duty, find less entertainment than formerly. Psalm cxxxix. 23. 1 Cor. xiii. 11.

6. When length of standing in the profession of Christianity works increase of hatred to all sin. Psalm cxix. 104....113.

7. When you carry about with you a constant jealousy over your own heart, that it turn not aside from God and goodness. Prov. xxviii. 14.

8. When every known new mercy begets new thankful. ness, and that with delight. Psalm cxlv. 2.

9. When known calamity in God's house begets deep sorrow in your heart. Neh. i. 4.

10. When God's afflicting you for your sins makes you love God the better. Psalm cxix. 75.

11. When the same care and travail you at first labored in to get Christ, is as much, if not more, labored in to keep Christ. Heb. vi. 11, 12.

12. When a feeling sense of the peace and edification of the church of God lies so near your heart, that you can

prefer it above your chief concerns. Rom. xiv. 19. 2 Cor. xi. 9.

Psalm cxxxvii. 6.

13. When, under deep distress or languishing, the word of God is precious to you. Psalm cxix. 92.

14. When any condition, though in itself mean, as it comes from God; is most welcome. Job i. 21. Hab. ii. 17, 18.

15. When the peace of Christ's house begets chief joy in your heart. Psalm cxxii. 7, 8, 9.

16. When chief care to avoid all sin is as truly occasioned through fear of dishonoring God, and in incurring his present displeasure, as wrath to come. Neh. v. 15.

Gen. xxxix. 9.

17. When the least apprehension of God's withdrawing makes you seek him more earnestly, in such ways wherein he will be found. Psalm Ixiii. 1.

18. When every company is burdensome to you, that is not designing your Father's glory, but derogating therefrom. Psalm cxx. 5. 2 Pet. ii. 7, 8.

19. When the sins of others come so near your heart, that you walk sadly to see such persons transgress God's commandments. Psalm cxix. 136.

20. When the light of your understanding grows more strong to your making judgment of spiritual things, ac cording to God's word. Eph. i. 18.

21. When bitter things become sweet to you, as they are squared by, and founded on, the will of God. Matt. xxvi: 38, 39. Acts xxi. 14.

22. When the path of the humble is so delightful, that you had rather be with them, than in the tents of the ungodly. Acts xx. 19. Psalm 1xxxiv. 10.

23. When your pity is such to perishing people, that you cannot but weep at the thoughts of their ruin. Luke xix. 41. Jer. ix. 1. Phil. iii. 18, 19.

24. When the yoke of selfdenial, as imposed by Christ Jesus, is not grievous, but pleasant, to you. Matt. xi. 29, 30. Mark x. 28.

25. When the force of the resurrection and judgment to come, lies so close at your heart, that it makes you answer every call of Christ to do or suffer cheerfully. 2 Cor. v. 9, 10. Acts xxiv. 15, 16.

26. When increase of time in Christ's acquaintance, works increase of delight in communion with Christ. Psalm xcii. 12, 13, 14.

27. When in the walk of faith you are more frequent, and less depend upon walking by sense. 2 Cor. v. 7. Gal. ii. 20.

28. When the majesty of the great God, considering how visible you are in his sight, hath an awful prevalence upon your heart. Job xxxi. 4.

29. When you are at open war and constant hostility with bosom sin, as displeasing to God, and forbidden by his law. Psalm xviii. 23.

30. When you have a thirsting care to get the power of godliness in your heart, rather than the form of godliness in the head, or outward profession. 2 Cor. i. 12.

31. When the worship of God, agreeable to his word, is highly prized, and faithfully practised, in the worst of times. Mal. iii. 14, 15, 16.

32. When the soul is more hungry for the word of God, than the body is for temporal food. Job xxiii, 12. Psalm cxix, 72, 162.

SIGNS OF A DYING, OR DECAYING CHRISTIAN.

1. WHEN you are so indifferent to assemble, or frequent the church of God, that you can come, or you cannot come, at your own pleasure.

2. When, in your most solemn worship, you are quickly weary, without warrantable cause.

3. When few sermons will please you; either you not the matter, or manner, or man, or place.

4. When you think you know enough.

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5. When a small occasion will keep you from Christ's table, or communion with the church of God.

6. When you have usually no great mind to prayer. 7. When reading the holy scriptures is more burthensome than delightful.

8. When you are mighty inquisitive after novelties or new things, rather than wholesome doctrine.

9. When you are so little prepared for the solemn assemblies, that they come before you think of them, or long for them.

10. When you come to the assembly more for fear of the brethren's eye, than Christ's omniscient and all piercing eye.

11. When you will rather betray the name of Christ Jesus, and the credit of his gospel, by your silence; than appear for it to your own suffering and disparagement.

12. When, at a small offence, you are usually so impatient, that you commit great sin.

13. When you are more careful to get the words of Christ's people, than the spirit of Christ's people; the form than the power.

14. When you are not much troubled at your own miscarriages, while they are kept from public view.

15. When you love least those Christians that deal most faithfully with you, in the opening your sores, and tendering you remedies.

16. When you pray more for afflictions being removed than sanctified.

17 When under God's calamity, you can neither find necessity nor excellency, to humble yourselves by fasting

and prayer.

18. When the thought of your bosom lust, or any other sin, is more prevalent with you, than pleasing God.

19. When you are mighty curious about the lesser matters of God's law, and mighty careless about the weightier. 20. When the Holy Spirit's help to the great work of mortification, seems not of absolute necessity to you.

21. When you are so ignorant of your spiritual standing, that you know not whether you grow or decay.

22. When increase of time in Christ's acquaintance, worketh decrease of affection to Christ's company. 23. When great sins seem smaller, and small sins seem none at all.

24. When your tongue is frequent in complaining of lesser miseries, and silent in praising for greater mercies. 25. When your sense of the great worth of time is so small, that you are turned prodigal.

26. When a watchful care of a godly life, and Christian conversation, is more accidental than habitual.

27. When care for your body is usually most pleasant, and care for your soul usually most irksome.

28. When you are much a stranger to the practical part of meditation on the word and works of God.