CHAP. II. TUESDAY. or the 2d. day after the Lord's Supper. §. 1. I Direction, I muft labor t'imprefs and retain an Image of Chrift upon my foul, whom Ive feen crucified before mine eyes;reprefenting to my felf what a Perfon Chrift was, and what his Behavior in the world; and shape all my Affections and Actions after that rare pattern He fets me. Indeavor to think every where that I fee Him bleeding for my fins, or declaring to me his mind, or doing something that the Gospel speaks of; so that I may lead a mortified life, and be in every thing fafhioned after his likeness; to eat, drink, fell &c, as I think that Chrift wou'd do, (were He in the flesh,) who is one with me: Become as a little Image of Him in the world, that they who see me may behold Him,that I may be holy as He is holy; doing fomething worthy of th' expence of Chrift's bloud, and to think what manner of Perfon I ought to be for whom the Lord of Life died, and who am washed in no other a Laver but the bloud of the Lamb; and fomething answerable to the deareft love of the great God of Heaven and Earth, who has given me fo rich a Gift, and honored me to be his fon, and for whom God furnished fuch a Table, with fo great a Coft; and be a very good Child, feeing I feed fo abundantly upon Chrift's Love: fomething that may correspond with fo many and fo great means of falvation: To be active and full of motion, and exercife my felf in all Godliness: and do fomething that is worthy of a foul and Body confign'd to immortal Blesfedness. How holy fhou'd I be, who expect fuch great things, who have receiv'd fuch pledges of 'em, who wait for the Lord from heaven to change this vile body into his glorious likeness? who fhall for ever live with God, and am already become his Habitation, the Temple of the Lord, which is fanctified for th' eternal Manfions by the Holy Ghoft dwelling in me. S, 2. falm 34. Dill alway give thanks unto the LORD: his praise fhall ever be in my mouth. My foul fhall make her boaft in the LORD: the humble fhall hear thereof and be glad. O praise the LORD with me: and let us magnific , and magnific his Name together. I fought the LORD, He heard me: yea, He delivered me out of all my fear. They had an eye unto Him, and were lightned: and their faces were not ashamed. Lo, the poor crieth, and the LORD heareth him: yea, and faveth him out of all his troubles. The angel of the LORD tarrieth round about them that fear Him: and delivereth them. O tafte and fee how gracious the LORD is: bleffed is the man that trufteth in Him. O fear the LORD, ye that are his faints: for they that fear Him lack nothing. The lions do lack and fuffer hunger: but they who feek the LORD, fhall want no manner of thing that is good. Come, ye children, and hearken un to me: I will teach you the fear of the LORD. What man is He that fufteth to live: and would fain fee good days; Keep thy tongue from evil: and thy lips, that they speak no guile. Eschew evil, and do good: feek peace, and infue it. The eyes of the LORD are over the righteous and his ears are open unto their prayers. The countenance of the LORD is against them that do evil: to root out the remembrance of them from the earth. The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth them: and delivereth them out of all their troubles. The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a contrite heart: and will fave fuch as be of an humble fpirit. Great are the troubles of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of all.. He keepeth of all his bones: so that not one of them is broken. But misfortune fhall flay the ungodly: and they that hate the righteous fhall be defolate. The LORD delivereth the fouls of his fervants; and all they that put their truft in Him, shall not be deftitute. Glory be to the Father &c. ་་་་【 §. 3. X Reafon for abftainning from the Lord's Table. THO' I'm not married, nor of Age, yet my Parents being, by meer misfortunes, or, to Jay better, by God's Providence, brought low, and I, by his Bounty, now in good Circumstances, and independent upon them for my maintenance and fettlement in the World, and alfo without expectation of any further benefit and advantage. from'em, either whilft they live, or when they come to dy: and prefuming that by their careful, and liberal Education of me, (even to the great ftraitning of themselves.) and Part. III. and their utmost indeavors, both by Precept and Example, to bring me up in the Nurture and Admonition of the Lord, I now know very well my own Intereft, and how to govern my telf, perhaps better than they, and they not being dreft to my mind, nor brisk in company, and reduced to small Reputation, tho' of honorable Families,and of good Lives and Understanding, I care not to be feen much with them abroad, thinking it a disparagement to me; and am more apt at home to comptrole them, than willing to be comptrol'd or govern'd by'em. But when I think of addreffing my felf to the Lord's Table, my Confcience checks me for this, and I very much doubt whether fuch a Temper does not unqualify me for that facred Ordinance. Answer. MOST certainly for you thereby become guilty of felf conceit, Pride, Unnaturalnefs, Ingratitude to God and Man, Disobedience to parents, Infolence &c. befides the Folly of it: For the Wheel of fortune turns round, as! have experienced my self both in the litteral and mystical fenfe, and you know not but their Circumstances may yer alter for the better, and yours for the worse, and fo be glad to be Beholden to'em again; but take care left you you may meet with the young man's fate, that faid, EVERY gene ration grows wifer and wifer, and I'm wiser than you, Father. To whom his Father reply'd, Then Son live by thy Wits, and disinherited him. f. 75.6, 7.8. Set not up your horn on high, and fpeak not with a stiffneck. For promotion cometh neither from the Eaft, nor from the Weft; nor yet from the South. And why? God is the Fudge, He putteth down one, and fetteth up another. And METHINKS I hear, when I do hear it thunder, The Voice that brings Swains up, and Cafars under. It is very unlikely, that, with your raw Notions, you should be fo well able manage your felf, as your Parents by their long experience can direc you. But We've an old Proverb, and a true, Which I must now apply to you. Young men, contrary to right rules, But Old men know Young men are so. 1 Dob. 3. 7, Be not wife in thine own eyes. CH. 26. 12. Seeft thou a man wife in his own couceit? There is more hop of 249 of a feo than of him. Ch. 15. 5. Afool defpifeth his father's infruction. D. 32. He that refuseth instruction defpifeth his even foul: but he that heareth reproof getterh Understanding. Ch. 23. 22. Hearken unto thy father that begat thee, and defpife not thy mother when the io old. Ch. 15.20, A foolish Son defpifeth his mother.. Ch. 11. 2. When pride cometh, then cometh shame. Th. 17.19. He that exalteth his gate feeketh detrustion. For the Parents to fare the worfe for the profperity of their Child, is fucha Pride, Ingratitude to God and Man, and unnaturalnefs together, as will furely find a fharp vengeauce from God for it Solomon obferve of Pride alone,that it is the forerunner of deftruction Prov. 16. 18. You may much more conclude fo of it, when it is thus accompanied. Lev. 19.3. Ye shall fear every man his mother and his father. Col. 3. 20. Obey your parents in all things: for this is well-pleafing unio the Lord. Eph. 6. 1, 2, 3. Obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honor thy father and mother, (which is the first commandment with promife.) that it may be well with ther and thou mayft live long on the earth. Prov. 30. 17. The eye that mocketh at his father, and defpifeth to obey hismother', the rav ens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young eagles shall eat it. Deut. 27. 16. Cursed be he that fetteth light by his father,or his mother. tom. 1.30, 31, 32, Proud. Boafters, disobedient to parents, without natural affection, knowing the judgment of God, that they whith do fuch things are worthy of death. All this well confider'd, and layn to heart, you must beg their Pardon and Bleffing, and follow the Directions in Part 2. ch. 2. §. 18, 19. and Appendix §. 22. (turning the Plural number into the Singular) before you may prefume to come to the Lord's Table, or can expect to take this holy Sacrament to your comfort. §. 4, XI Excuse for abfenting from the Lord's Supper. THO I am now my own Mafter, yet I can't refolve to it till I'm married, having no helper that I can confide in. therefore can't fpare fo much time; and not knowing of what Opinion I may marry One, I forbear till then. FOR Anfio, to the former part, READ Pf. 115. 11, 13. Ye that fear the LORD, trust in the LORD: He is their help and their shield. He will bless them that fear the LORD, both Small and great. Pf. 91. 14, 15, 16, Because he hath fet his love upon Me, therefore will I deliver him: He shall call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trou ble Part III. ble, I will deliver him, and honor him. With long life will I fatisfy him, and show him my falvation. And by no means neglect your duty, for D. 127. 1, 2. Except the LORD buid the houfe, they labor in vain that build it: Except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain. It is vain for you to rife up early, to fit up late, to eat the bread of forrows. For Answer to the latter part. If you de fer fettling your felt in any Religion till married, to be of the fatne Church with him or her you marry, for Intereft fake; 'tis plain you think to serve both God and Mammon, which our Savior faies poffitively, je cannot. S. Mat. 6. 24. Chufe therefore now the Lord for your God, and cleave ftedfaftly to Him, and He will find you (as He did Haac) a help meet? Prob. 19. 14. A prudent wife is from the LORD. but otherwife you can never expect the Bleffings of the 128 Pfalm / Bleffed is every one that feareth the LORD that walketh in his ways. For thou shalt eat the labor of thine hands: happy fhalt thou be, and it fhall be well with thee. Thy wife thall be as a fruitful vine by the fides of thine houfe: thy children like olive plants round about by table. Behold, that thus shall the man be bleffed, that feareth the LORD. The LORD shall bless thee out of Zion and thou shalt fee the Good of Jerufalen, all the days of thy life. Yea, thou shalt fee thy childrens children, and peace upon Ifrael. : §. 5. XII. Doubt of fitnefs to come to that holy Table, 1. Am given to Mirth and Company keeping,and know not well how to become serious and referved enough yet. Answ. A Chearful and pleafant Difpofition, and facetious Behavior, where it is rightly managed, and kept within due Bounds, is commonly very ferviceable to the promoting of Peace and Love, and Religion in the world. Droll not upon Religion and Piety, nor make a mock at fin; Utter no left that is reproaching, filthy, or prophane; Abftain from all debauch'd fongs, or ftories; Never promote Rioting, Drunkenness, or Lewdnefs; Nor fhow any manner of delight, or fatisfaction in any of these things when vented, ordone by others, but always discountenance, and reprove them as much as you can. Be fure that your Mirth betrays neither your felf nor Others to any thing which is contrary to Piety, Charity, or Sobriety; nor spend too much Time in Company keep. ing and it will not make you ever the worfea Christian, or lefs fit to receive the holy Communion. Prob. 29. 6. The |