for Perfonal Pajling. . 3~ 1 acc(irding to God's own heart, 2 Sain. xii. 16. Pfal. xxxv. 1 3· by Daniel, a man greatly be/oyed, Dan. ix. 3· and x. 2, 3• and by the devout Centurion, Acts x. 30. It was a frequent exercift: of Paul, the labo- _.t"ious Apofile of the Gentiles, 2 Cor. xi. 27 .. Thcfe all had the feal of God's good pleafure with their work, fet upon it, in the C<?mmunion with God, allow'd them therein. And 'tis our duty to go forth by the footfieps of the flock, following thci_r <ipproved example. . - . . Lajl!y, That occafional religious fafiing and humi· liation is a duty required in the word of God,and to , be performed by focie_ties in a publick ce1pacity, will' not, I prefume,. be qudlioned. Now, upon that: · ground, the duty of perfonal fafiing and humiliation, n1ay b~ thus evinced. ' I. There is nothing in the natury ofreligious fafi– ing and humiliation, that of itfelf ~·s publick, or ne~ .ce.ffarily requiring a plurality of'perfons to join there– in. The preaching of the word, and ·celebration of the facraments, do, in their own nature, require fo– ciety ; and therefore are not to be ·ufed by a fingle perfon alone in his clofet. But it is not fo·in this cafeo . One may keep a fafi alone, as well as be may pray,. read the fcriptures, and fing pfalms alone. Now whatever ordinances God bath appointed, and bath not tied to focieties .or aifemblies, nor to any certain fet of men, they are the duty of every one in parti– cular, who is capable to perform them. 2. The ground, upon which ~he duty of falling and humiliation is. ,bound to focieties, .is a publick capacity, takes place in the ea fe of particular perfons,. namely, That extraordinary duties are called for on extraordinary etnergents and occafions. If then a church or congregation is called to fafHng and humi– liation, on .fuch occafions in their cafe; is not a par– ticular perfon called to the fame, on fu~h occafions in his cafe? lf abounding fin, or judgments, threarned
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