1699. 41. My Sighing and Tears are after thee, O thou Beloved of my Soul!

42. All the Profit and Pleafure that is in this World is Nothing, and lefs than Nothing, in Comparifon of thee, and the Enjoyment of thy Prefence, O, thou Lord of Life and Glory.

43. Thou Great Creator of all Things, from whom all Things have their Being, fend forth the Spirit of thy Son into my Heart, whereby, with Acceptance, I may cry, Abba Father.

44. O! Holy Father, let me feel thy Power, that I may be able to make War in thy Righteoufnefs, again't the Enemy of my poor Soul.

45. Great, Eternal God, give me Wifdom to walk uprightly before thee, and before the Children of Men: O that my Soul may feek after it for ever!

46. With which, O Lord, fill my earthen Veffel, for Jefus's Sake, that I may be gentle, and eafy to be entreated to do thy Will, fo that I may never rebel against thee.

47. Lord,, do not tarry long from me; for if thou hides thy Face, I am troubled; or when the Curtain is drawn between me and my Maker, then my Spirit within me languifheth,

48. Therefore, O Lord, arife, and the Thoughts that are at Enmity with thee, fhall be fcattered from my Soul.

49. Then fhall my Soul be a fit Receptacle for thee, and a Temple thou doft delight to dwell in, O Living God!

50. And, Holy Father, as thou haft begotten those Thoughts and Defires in my Soul, fo do for many more of the Sons and Daughters of Men.

51. Such a Soul, whofe Thoughts and Meditations are on this wife, Almighty God never did, and never will reject, or caft off.

52. Heaven and Earth may pass away, but the Mercy and Goodness of the Lord God of Heaven and

Earth

Earth will not pafs away from those that are thus in- 1699. wardly exercifed before him.

53. The holy Men of God, and the Faithful in Ages paft, bore Teftimony to these Truths.

54. And there is that of God, in the Souls of the Faithful, that can fay Amen to the fame.

55. I will never leave thee, nor forfake thee, faith the Almighty, to, and concerning, thofe who love him truly.

56, Fear not, Worm Jacob, for I will be with thee, faith the Lord, if thou goeft through the Fire, it shall not kindle upon thee; and if thou goeft through the Water, it Shall not overwhelm thee.

AN

1707.

Exol.

20, 12,

A N

EXHORTATION

то

YOU UTH,

And OTHERS, to follow:

BEING

Part of a LETTER from T. C. to a Friend in Dublin.

ET the Young Man and Maiden, diligently read the holy Scriptures;

L

and whenever they come to a Paffage that affects them, let them not only turn down that Leaf, but let them be fure that it hath Place in their Hearts: And when they read of a good Man, or Woman, then let them earnestly pray, and fervently cry to the Lord, the great God, and holy Father of our dear Lord Jefus Chrift, and God of all the Righteous in all Ages, that he would pleafe to make them like to thofe his dear Children and Servants. Oh! that all young People might not forget this great Command of God, Honour thy Parents, that thy Days may be long upon the Land which the Lord thy God giveth thee. How many stubborn Youths hath

the

the Lord cut off in their Prime, and in the Flower of 1707. their Days: And, on the other hand, how hath the Great Almighty bleffed, profpered, preferved and honoured, those that have been obedient to their Parents, and honoured their Parents and Elders? And let the young Men and Maidens note this, That none truly honours their Parents and Elders, but those who are Pious and Virtuous; fuch were Jofeph, Samuel, David, and Solomon; as alfo King Jofiah, who began to reign at eight Years old. God Almighty gives many a good Senfe of his Grace at that Age, and thereabouts; he ordaineth Praise many times out of the Mouths of Babes and Sucklings. Let the Youth endeavour to follow thofe good and great Men; and for their Instruction, I shall give a Touch of the above five Worthies.

First, In particular, beginning with Jofeph. His Fa- Cen. 37. ther fent him to his Brethren; he went willingly, (tho' his Brethren hated him ;) and when it was in Gem 44his Power to hurt them, he rendered them Good for ? & 45. 15. their Evil; a good Example for both Young and Old. And when tempted to Sn by his Mistress in ch. 39. Egypt, he faid, How can I do this great Wickedness, and9. fin against God? Who highly favoured him for his Piety, Virtue and Chastity.

Secondly, Samuel, for whom his Mother prayed ear- 1 Sam. 1. neftly to the Lord; and when he had given him to 10. her, fhe gave him to God again: A good Pattern Chap. 3. for all Mothers. When he was but a little Lad, the 4, 5.& Almighty called him, and he thought he had been Eli, up he gets, and faid, Thou calledft me? No, faid the Old Man, I did not call thee, lie down again. He did not grumble, as many of our Youths do: The Lord called again; he willingly runs to Eli; he did not Love his Bed fo much as Obedience, and faid, Thou didst call me. Eli obferving that God had spoke to the Child, faid to him, when he calleth again, fay, Speak, Lord, for thy Servant beareth. Lec

old

1707. old Ones mind this, and encourage their Youth to anfwer the Call of God betimes: So God calls again, and he answers: Speak, Lord, for thy Servant beareth. The Lord by his Grace calls to little Ones, many times in the midft of their Play, and fometimes in their Beds Oh! that our Youth may do and fay as little Samuel; that they may grow as he did, and be in Favour with God and Man

Sam. 16.

11, 13, 27, 28,

29.

Thirdly, David, his Father's youngest Son, kept his Sheep, and in that innocent Employ the Lord was with him, to Admiration; his Father fent him to his Brethren. But Eliab, his eldest Brother, frowned upon him, and reviled him; he only made this foft Reply, Is there not a Caufe? He overcame the great Philiftine, in the Name of the God of Ifrael; and God highly exalted him for his Uprightnefs, Sincerity and Piety, which was very great: For notwith1 Sam. 24. ftanding Saul would have kill'd him; yet when David had him in his Power, he fpared him, infomuch that Saul wept, and said, If a Man find his Enemy, will be let him go? And there was loving Greetings between them: So he overcame the Evil of Saul's Heart, by the Good that was in his; according to thofe holy Expreffions of the Apostle Paul, Rom. xii. 21. Be not overcome of Evil, but overcome Evil with Good. Words worthy to be writ in Letters of Gold,and more worthy to be obferved and practifed.

9, 10, &c.

& ver. 19.

Fourthly, Solomon, who afked of God Wisdom, being in his own Eyes but as a little Child, faid unto 1 Kings 3. the Lord, Give unto thy Servant an understanding

7. 9.

2 Kings 22. 1, 2,

3, &c.

Heart; Which Request God granted him, and gave him alfo Riches and Honour. Oh! fee the Benefit of pleafing God, young Men and young Women.

Fifthly, Jofiah, a young Prince, and King: How zealous was he for God's Service and Worthip: What a wonderful Reformation he made in the Land, and how was he lamented at his Death, as generally

a!!