And, therefore, since I cannot at this time deliver it to you in person, I shall do it by this letter; wherein I shall not be very large, but keep myself within the bounds proper for a letter, and to those things only at this time which may be most of present use and moment to you; and by your due observance of these directions, I shall have a good character, both of your dutifulness to God, your obedience to your father, and also of your discretion and prudence: for it is most certain, that as religion is the best means to advance and rectify human nature, so no man shall be either truly wise or truly happy without it and the love of it; no, not in this life, much less in that which is to come.

First, therefore, every morning and every evening upon your knees humbly commend yourselves to Almighty God in prayer, begging his mercy to pardon your sins, his grace to direct you, his providence to protect you; returning him humble thanks for all his dispensations towards you, yea, even for his very corrections and afflictions; entreating him to give you wisdom and grace to make a sober, 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 mean to bring your mind into a right frame, to procure you comfort and blessing, and to prevent thousands of inconveniences and mischiefs, to which you will be otherwise subjected.

Secondly. Every morning read seriously and reverently a portion of the Holy Scripture ; acquaint yourself with the history and doctrine

thereof it is a book full of light and wisdom, will make you wise to eternal life, and furnish you with directions and principles to guide and order your life safely and prudently.

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

Fourthly. Be strict and religious observers of the Lord's day; resort to your parish church twice that day, if your health will permit, and attend diligently and reverently to the public prayers and sermons. He cannot reasonably expect a blessing from God the rest of the week, that neglects his duty to God in the due consecration 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 occasion, 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 yourselves seriously for this service beforehand, and perform it with reverence and thankfulness: the neglect of this duty procures great inconvenience and strangeness; and commonly the neglect hereof ariseth from some conceited opinion that people inconsiderately take up, but most ordinarily from a sluggishness of mind and an unwillingness to fit and prepare the mind for it, or to leave some sinful or vain course that men are not willing to leave, and yet condemn themselves in the practice of it.

Sixthly. Beware of those that go about to

seduce you from that religion wherein you have been brought up hitherto, namely, the true Protestant religion. It is not unknown to any, that observe the state of things in the world, how many erroneous religions are scattered abroad in the world, and how industrious men of false persuasions are to make proselytes. There are Antinomians, Quakers, Anabaptists, and divers others that go about to mislead themselves and others: nay, although the laws of this kingdom, and especially the statute of 23 Eliz. cap. i. have inflicted the severest penalty upon those that go about to withdraw persons to the Romish religion from the religion established in England, as any man that reads that statue may find; yet there are scattered up and down the world divers factors and agents, that under several disguises and pretences endeavour the perverting of weak and easy persons. Take heed of all such persuaders. And that you may know and observe the better, you shall ever find these artifices practised by them :

1. They will use all flattering applications and insinuations to be master of your humour, and when they have gotten that advantage, they that seemed before to serve you will then command you.

2. They use all possible skill to raise in you jealousy and dislike towards those that may otherwise continue and keep you in the truth: as, to raise dislike in you against your minister; nay, rather than fail, to raise dissensions among relations; yea, to cast jealousies and surmises

quench it frequently with consideration, and let it not break out into passionate or unruly words or actions, but whatever you do, let it not gangrene into malice, envy, or spite.

Eighthly. Send your children early to learn their Catechism, 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 practice of it; that they may escape the danger of corruption by error or vice, being antecedently seasoned with better principles.

Ninthly. Receive the blessings 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 crosses patiently it is your duty; for afflictions come not from the dust. The great God of heaven and earth is he that sends these messengers to you, though possibly evil occurrences may be the immediate instruments of them. You owe to

Almighty God an infinite subjection and obedience, and to expostulate with him is rebellion. And, as it is your duty, so it is your wisdom and your prudence: impatience will not discharge your yoke, but it will make it gall the worse, and sit the harder.

Eleventhly. Learn not only patience under your afflictions, but also profitably to improve them to your soul's good; learn by them, how vain and unprofitable things the world and the pleasures thereof are, that a sharp or a lingering sickness renders utterly tasteless. Learn how