I INTENDED to have been at Alderly this Whitsun

tide, defirous to renew thofe counfels and advices which I have often given you, in order to your greatest concernment; namely, the everlasting good and welfare of your fouls hereafter, and the due ordering of your lives and converfations here.

And although young people are apt, through their own indiscretion, or the ill advice of others, to think these kind of entertainments but dry and empty matters, and the morofe and needlefs interpofitions of old men; yet give him leave to tell you, that very well knows what he fays, these things are of more importance and concernment to you, than external gifts and bounties (wherein) nevertheless I have not been wanting to you, according to my ability.

This was my intention in this journey; and though I have been disappointed therein, yet I thought good, by letters and meffages, to do fomething that might be done that way for your benefit, that I had otherwife intended to have done in perfon.

Affure

Affure yourselves, therefore, and believe it from one that knows what he fays, from one that can neither have any reafon or end to deceive you; that the beft gift I can give you is good counsel, and the best counfel I can give you is that which relates to your greatest import and concernment; namely, Religion.

And therefore fince I cannot at this time deliver it to you in perfon, I fhall do it by this letter, wherein I fhall not be very large, but keep myself within the bounds proper for a letter, and to thofe things only at this time which may be moft of prefent ufe and mo ment to you; and by your due obfervance of these directions, I fhall have a good character, both of your dutifulness to God, your obedience to your father, and alfo of your difcretion and prudence; for it is most certain, that as religion is the best means to advance and certify human nature, fo no man fhall be either truly wife or truly happy without it, and the love of it, no, not in this life, much lefs in that which is to

come.

Firft. Therefore every morning and every evening, upon your knees, humbly commend yourselves to Almighty God in prayer, begging his mercy to pardon your fins, his grace to direct you, his providence to protect you, returning him humble thanks for all his difpenfations towards you, yea, even for his very corrections and afflictions; intreating him to give you wifdom and grace, to make a fober, patient, humble, profitable use of them, and in his due time to deliver you from them, concluding your prayers with the Lord's Prayer. This will be a certain means to bring your mind into a right frame, to procure you comfort and blefling, and to prevent thoufands of inconveniencies and mischiefs to which you will be otherwife fubjected.

Secondly. Every morning read feriously and reve rently a portion of the Holy Scripture, and acquaint yourself with the history and doctrine thereof: it is

a book

a book full of light and wisdom, will make you wife to eternal life, and furnifh you with directions and principles to guide and order your life fafely and prudently.

Thirdly. Conclude every evening with reading fome part of the Scripture, and prayer in your family.

Fourthly. Be strict and religious obfervers of the Lord's-day; refort to your parish-church twice that day, if your health will permit, and attend diligently and reverently to the public prayers and fermons. He cannot reasonably expect a bleffing from God the rest of the week, that neglects his duty to God in the due confecration of this day, to the special service and duty to God which this day requires.

Fifthly. Receive the Sacrament at least three times. in the year, and oftener, as there is occafion, in your parish-church. The laws of the land require this, and the law of your Saviour requires it, and the law of duty and gratitude requires it of you. Prepare yourfelves feriously for this fervice before-hand, and perform it with reverence and thankfulness; the neglect of this duty procures great inconvenience and ftrangenefs; and commonly the neglect hereof arifeth from fome conceited opinion that people inconfiderately take up, but most ordinarily from a fluggishness of mind, and an unwillingness to fit and prepare the mind for it, or to leave fome finful or vain courfe that men are not willing to leave, and yet condemn themselves in the practice of it.

Sixthly. Beware of thofe that go about to feduce you from that religion wherein you have been brought up hitherto, namely, the true proteftant religion. It is not unknown to any that obferves the state of things in the world, how many erroneous religions are fcattered abroad in the world; and how industrious men of false perfuafions are to make profelytes. There are Antinomians, Quakers, Anabaptifts, and divers others that go about to mislead themselves and others; nay, although the laws of this kingdom and efpecially the

ftatute

statute of 23 Eliz. cap. 1. have inflicted the feverest penalty upon those that go about to withdraw perfons to the Romish religion, from the religion established in England, as any man that reads that statute may find; yet there are scattered up and down the world divers factors and agents, that under feveral difguifes and pretences endeavour the perverting of weak and eafy perfons. Take heed of all fuch perfuaders. And that you may know and obferve the better, you shall ever find these artifices practifed by them:

1. They will ufe all flattering applications and infinuations to be mafter of your humour; and when they have gotten that advantage, they that feemed be fore to ferve you will then command you.

2. They will ufe all poffible skill to raise in you jealoufy and diflike towards thofe that may otherwise continue, and keep you in the truth; as to raise diflike in you against your minifter; nay, rather than fail, to raise diffention among relations; yea, to caft jealoufies and furmifes among them, if it may be inftrumental to corrupt them.

3. They will endeavour to withdraw people from the public ministry of God's word, encourage men to flight and neglect it; and when they have once effected this, they have a fair opportunity to infufe their own corrupt principles.

4. They will engage you, by fome means or other, to them, either by fome real, but most ordinarily by some pretended kindness or familiarity, that, in a little time, you fhall not dare to displease them; you must do and fpeak what they will have you, because fome way or other you are entangled with them, or engaged to them; and then they become your governors, and you will not dare to contradict or difobey them.

These are some of thofe artifices whereby crafty and fubtle feducers gain profelytes, and bring men under captivity.

Seventhly. Be very careful to moderate your paf

fions, efpecially of choler and anger; it inflames the blood, disorders the brain, and, for the time, exterminates not only religion, but common reafon; it puts the mind into confufion, and throws wild-fire into the tongue, whereby men give others advantage against them; it renders a man incapable of doing his duty to God, and puts a man upon acts of violence, unrighteousness, and injuftice to men; therefore keep your paffions under difcipline, and under as ftrict a chain as you would keep an unruly curft mastiff. Look to it that you give it not too much line at first; but if it hath gotten any fire within you, quench it prefently with confideration, and let it not break out into paffionate or unruly words or actions; but, whatever you do, let it not gangrene into malice, envy, or Ipite.

Eighthly. Send your children early to learn their Catechifm, that they may take in the true principles of religion betimes, which may grow up with them, and habituate them both to the knowledge and prac tice of it; that they may efcape the danger of corruption by error or vice, being antecedently feafoned with, better principles.

Ninthly. Receive the bleffings of God with very much thankfulness to him; for he is the root and fountain of all the good you do, or can receive.

Tenthly. Bear all afflictions and croffes patiently, it is your duty, for afflictions come not from the duft. The great God of heaven and earth is he that fends thefe meffengers to you, though poffibly evil occurrences may be the immediate inftruments of them. You owe to Almighty God an infinite fubjection and obedience, and to expoftulate with him is rebellion; and as it is your duty, fo it is your wisdom and your prudence; impatience will not discharge your yoke, but it will make it gall the worfe, and fit the harder.

Eleventhly. Learn not only patience under your afflictions, but alfo profitably to improve them to your foul's good; learn by them how vain and unprofitable

things