the Lord's supper, and offer up unto thee the daily sacrifices of prayer and praise, and in all, my soul will press after communion with thyself, and edification to mine own soul. Furthermore, I do purpose by thy grace to submit myself to all thy dispensations, cross as well as comfortable. I will not choose my condition in the world, but leave God to choose for me, prosperity or adversity, health or sickness, riches or poverty, liberty or imprisonment, honour or shame, I proclaim liberty to thee, to use me as thou pleasest, so thou wilt honour thyself, sanctify all to my good, and save my soul; afflictions from Christ I will bear patiently, tribulations for Christ I will bear triumphantly, if thou wilt give me strength from above; I will be ordered by thee.

And as I will accept of thee, O Lord, and all that thou proposest to me, so I will dedicate myself to thee, soul and body, and all I am and have.

My soul shall be thine to be reformed, purified, and conformed to thine image, from which by sin it is sadly degenerated. My soul shall attend upon thee, for commission from thee, for subjection to thee, for assistance of thy grace; my poor soul shall tremble, and never be at rest till it centre in thee, and have communion with thee; I will daily put my soul into thy hands, in well doing, and will commend my expiring soul to thee at death, hoping thou wilt receive me. Thou hast endowed my noble soul with useful faculties, which I desire to devote to thee, and employ for thee; my mind and understanding is best employed in conceiving of thee, thinking on thee, fixing upon thee; O that I could meditate on God, and spiritual objects day and night! My conscience shall act for thee, and I resolve to yield to its dictates, and maintain its tenderness, and subject it only to thy authority. I will

clear my memory of vain trifles, and replenish it with divine truths, I will remember my sins to be humbled, thy mercies to be thankful, my duty to practise it. My will shall choose thee and thy ways, cleave to thee with purpose of heart, and O that it were kindly melted into thy will! I will love thee, O Lord my Saviour, desire after thee, delight in thee, I will fear and stand in awe of thy glorious Majesty; thou shalt be my hope and confidence; I will hate all sin, as offensive to my God; my soul shall rise up in indignation against sinners, and chiefly abhor myself for mine own iniquities.

God forbid that I should rob God of my body, I will employ it for thee, and devote all my members to thee as instruments of righteousness unto holiness, I will breathe out my soul to God in prayer and praise, my tongue which is my glory, shall not utter vanity, but speak to God's glory, and others' edification. I will restrain my appetite, that I may be temperate in all things. I will make a covenant with mine eyes, that they may not be windows to let in vanity, but inlets of light and heavenly objects which may affect my heart. I will hear God's word and incline mine ear to such discourses, as may edify my soul. My hands I will wash and compass thine altar, and keep them from striking, stealing, or taking bribes; O that they might act for God! I will bow my knees daily to God in prayer, my feet shall carry me to God's ordinances, and religious societies; never to theatres or spectacles of sin and vanity. And as I would be the Lord's, so all mine shall be his, so far as my power extends. Lord, I here dedicate to thee my wife, children, servants, brethren and sisters in the flesh, and all my connections; I will use all endeavours, in my place to bring all to thee, with whom I have to do, by my

prayers, example, instructions, admonitions, or procuring godly ministers to preach to them, that by any means they may be won over to thee, and though I love my relations dearly, yet rather than sin against, or forsake thee, I will freely forego them.

That property in the world which thou hast given me shall be freely at thy disposal, to part with for thy sake; I will distribute frankly for the good of thy church, and the supply of thy saints' necessities, and the extremities of others. My credit shall vail to thy honour, let my name be trampled on that God may be glorified; if I have any reputation in the world, I will improve it for the advancement of the interest of my dear Lord. I dedicate my house to the worship of God, and entertainment of pious ministers, and serious Christians, and strangers, and shall think it well perfumed when God is therein faithfully served. Yea, as I esteem thee, my God, above all the necessary accommodations of life, so I am willing for thy sake to suffer the loss of all, and will study that great lesson, “in every state therewith to be content;" myself and all that I am, and have, are wholly resigned to thee, to be, do, endure, and be disposed of according to thy pleasure. This covenant I subscribe in the integrity of my heart, hoping for acceptance through the merits and mediation of my dear Lord Jesus, the mediator of this blessed covenant; and though I may fail through the infirmity of the flesh, yet I desire and hope thou wilt cover and cure my unavoidable infirmities, recover me out of my backslidings, and preserve me, and present me blameless before thy tribunal. Amen. My heart again echoes to my hand and tongue. Amen,

and Amen.

A

FAMILY ALTAR,

ERECTED TO

THE HONOUR OF THE ETERNAL GOD;

OR, A

SOLEMN ESSAY

TO PROMOTE THE WORSHIP OF GOD IN

Private Houses.