tJj a proiJiJenijaf Caif, &c: 33j S E C T. 11. . Of a Providentiai ~ail to pei'{onal fafling ani.. ' HumifiatiQrl. · T. HE cafe of a church, the cafe of a neighbour; and one's own private cafe, may, each ofthelll. feparately_, and much more all of them conjunCl:lyJi found a providential call to perfomil fafling and hu– miliation. The prophet Daniel ~ept a perfonal fall: on the church's account, Dan. ix. 2, 3· David on his neighboues account, Pfat xxxv. 13. and on his own, 2 Sarri. xii. It>. - , Zi'on's children ihoatd reckon her iriterd\: theirs : ' arid as fedet perfonal fafiing for publick caufes, argues a truly ptiblick fpirit ; fo 'tis highly commendable. a_nd, being rightly managed; is very acceptable ill.- - the fight of Gbd, Dan. ix. 20; 2._t. _ The ' communion bf faints~' is an article of our l:reed, and a fuofi beneficial thing in the praCl:ice:: thereof. Confidered only in thefe two parts of it• hamely, a cotnthunion of burdens, Gal. vi. 2. and. a ' communion ofpniyers, Jame. v. t6. 'tis one ofthe befi cordials the travellers towa,rds lion have by the way. For one to love__ his neighbour as himftlf, where... of fecret fafiing on his account is a good evidence, i£ more than all burnt-offerings and facrifices, Mark )tii. 33· And whether it do good to his neighbour or -not, it ·will not fail, if righ~ly managed, to tettirtt ' ' with a plentiful reward into his own bofom, accord– . ~ng to the Pfolmifl's expreffion, PfaJ. xxxv~ 14. ·' Howbeit, 'tis hardly be expeaed, that orie will oe: I brought to the practice of this duty on the accourtt o( others, till once he has been engaged therein upon hi~ own account. But furely; if profeifors .of religion w~re more exercWed abo~t their own fpiritrial cafe;. dlls duty of perfonal fafii"ng anq humiliation would Y no~
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