all good zealous Men and Women are, either Old or 1707. Young.

ཤ་ 2 Chron. 35.25.

Having touched a little of the young Men, let me juft a little remember the young Women alfo : As for Example,Ruth and Abigail, two difcreet young Women; the first very loving, kind, and true to Naomi, her Mother-in-law; a good Pattern for all Daughters-in-law: Entreat me not, faid fhe, to leave thee; for where thou goeft, I will go; and where lodgest, I will lodge; and where thou dieft, there will I be buried; Thy People shall be my People, and thy God my God. The Lord abundant- Rath ly rewarded her for this godly Refolution. Boaz had

16, 17:

ver. II.

a Sense of her Virtue and Piety, and faid, All the City of of my People doth know, that thou art a virtuous Woman. Chap. 3. Which doubtless was a strong Motive for him to love her; and that Love commonly lafts till Death: Whereas where Money is a Motive, it oftens happens that many Evils attend.

25. 23,

Alfo wife Abigail, her ingenious Speech to David, 1 Sam, and Contrivance to hinder him from fhedding Blood; 24, 25 which he was coming to do (thinking he had Caufe) &. but prevented by her Wisdom: Which, to be fure, was a great Motive to him to love her, after Nabal's Death, and to take her to Wife. She was no proud Woman: For, faid fhe, let thy Handmaid ferve to wash the Feet of the Servants of my Lord. Much might be faid, but I design Brevity.

2 Sam.

As there are many good Examples in Holy Scripture, whereby young People might be ftirred up to Virtue; fo also there are Examples of the Judgements of God on disobedient, impious, vain and ungodly Men and Women, even Young and Old. Oh! let our Youth confider (I befeech them) wicked, difobedient Abja- 11. &c. lom, and poor Dinah; alfo the Prince and the Mo- Numb. abitifh Damfel, whom zealous Phineas flew; for God 25 8. was angry, and is angry with the Wicked every Day.

The before mentioned good Men and Women were in the Time of the Law; and let me add to them,

15.10,

Gen. 34

Pfal. 45.

1707. the Holy Parttern and good Example of our great Lord and bleffed Mafter, who loved Righteousness, and bated Wickedness, therefore he was bigbly exalted, and anointed with the Oil of Gladness above bis Fellows: He bad the Heathen given him for his Inheritance, and the utmoft Parts of the Earth for his Poffeffion: And, what is more, all Power in Heaven and Earth.

Þjar 2.

Matt. 28.

28.

Like

23.

14. 27,

Mark 10.

21, 22.

Luke 2: 49. 51:

Oh, Dear young Men and Maidens! He is our great Pattern, whom we are (and ought) to take for our Example; walking in all Humility and Reverence: He (faith Chrift) that will be my Difciple (that is, his Scholar) must take up his Cross, deny himfelf, and follow me. Oh bleffed Pattern! Oh glorious Example! let us follow him whilft we have Breath in this World; it was always well for them that followed him. What think ye, Oh young Men and Maidens! had it not been well for that Rich young Man, that he had left all, and followed dear Jefus : Be ye your own Judges; look on your Pattern (i. e. Chrift Jefus) when he was but twelve years old; see what he was doing; forget not that Saying which his Mother laid up in her Heart, Wift ye not that I must be about my Father's Bufinefs? Oh, dear Youths! it is good Bufinefs, I can fay through fome good Experience; let me tell you for your Edification, I have served my Mafter, Holy Jefus, and followed him several years according to the best of my Understanding, and I have always found him a good Mafter; his Service is fweet, and his Work is delightful. I have a great deal more to fay for my Lord and Mafter, but my Defign is Brevity: His Yoke is eafy, and bis Burtben is light. He hath faid it, and I have expeaCor. 1. 1. rienced it. Wherefore I am the more free to invite you to follow him, and be his Scholars. An Eminent Servant and Scholar of his faid, Be ye Followers of me, even as I also am of Christ. The Apoftle Paul exhorts Timothy, a young Scholar, and his Son, in the Faith, to be a good Example to others; as alfo his

Matt. 11

29. 30.

1 Tim.

12.

Son

Timus. 27.

Acts 21.

Son Titus. We are alfo told of four young Women, 1707. who were Propheteffes, and divers others; a more particular Account of whofe examplary Lives and Actions are recorded in holy Scripture for our g Learning; unto which, with the Grace of God in the Heart, I recommend all young Men and Women, and conclude thefe fmall Tokens of my very dear Love in Chrift, our Holy Lord and Mafter, defiring the above may be as fo many Patterns for them to follow.

T. C.

A

Loving INVITATION

то

YOUNG and OLD,

In HOLLAND, and Elfewhere,

To Seek, and Love ALMIGHTY GOD, and to Prepare in Time for their ETERNAL WEL

FARE.

Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, and call ye upon him while he is near, Ifa. lv. 6.

To the READER,

Aving from my Childhood been a Lover of the Dutch, and that Love being increased by travelling in Holland and Germany, it came weightily on my Mind to invite and perfwade this People (with others, into whofe Hands this may come, and especially the Youth)

To

I.

To love, ferve and fear, the LORD, the ALMIGHTY, the Great JEHOVAH, and that they first feek the Kingdom of God, and his, Righteoufnefs, as Chrift exhorts or commands, Matt. vi. 33. Thofe ponderous and extraordinary Expreffions, with the large Promise thereto annexed, are well worth the due Notice, and weighty Confideration, of all, both Youth and Aged; but Seem to be very apt to the State and Condition of those that are just entering into the Bufinefs, and Affairs of the World. Ob! that the Youth bad but Faith in the bleffed Lord JESUS, and owned bis pure Doctrine, now in their tender Years; and in the Prime of their Days, that they would remember their Creator in the Days of their Youth, before the Evil Days come: Ob! that ecl, 12i in their blooming and blooming Spring-time, they might be like to lovely Branches, and growing Trees of Righteousness, bearing much Fruit, much good Fruit of Piety and Virtue: In which, faith our boly Lord Jefus Chrift, is your Heavenly Father glorified. This is the real and bearty Defire of my Soul, for the Youth of this and all Generations, Male and Female, yea, both Young and Old, in all Nations throughout the World: The universal Love of GOD flows and overflows in my Soul, like a living Stream, at this Time, as alfo at many others, to all my Fellow-mortals: Oh the great Love of God in Christ Jefus, our great, boly, and good Father, Lord, and Mafter, is wonderful to Mortals! whofe Divine Love is abundantly, and alfo univerfally, fhed abroad to all Nations, through his Eternal Spirit and Grace in the Hearts of the Sons and Daughters of Men, in order to draw, lead, and guide Men and Women from Earth to Heaven.

Thus being defirous (according to my Measure) to promote Truth and Righteoufnefs in the Earth; alfo being fenfible of the Love, Mercy, and Goodness of God, in my very young and tender Years; I am willing, for the Sake of well-inclined young Men and Women, to fend forth

C 3

into