in your youth, that you may be kept from the evil of the world: for, in age, it will be harder to overcome the temptations of it.

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Wherefore, my dear children, efchew the appear'ance of evil, and love and cleave to that in your hearts, that fhews you evil from good, and tells you 'when you do amifs, and reproves you for it. It is the light of Chrift, that he has given you for your 'falvation. If you do this, and follow my counsel, God will blefs you in this world, and give you an < inheritance in that which fhall never have an end. For the light of Jefus is of a purifying nature; it seasons those who love it, and take heed to it; and 'never leaves fuch, till it has brought them to the city of God, that has foundations. Oh! that ye be feafoned with the gracious nature of it; hide it in your hearts, and flee, my dear children, from all youthful lufts; the vain fports, paftimes and pleasures of the world; redeeming the time, because the days are evil. You are now beginning to live-what would fome give for your time? I could have lived better, were I, as you, in the flower of youth.-Therefore, love and fear the Lord, keep close to meetings; and delight to wait on the Lord God of your father and mother, among his defpifed people, as we have done; and count it your 'honour to be members of that fociety, and heirs of ' that living fellowship, which is enjoyed among them -for the experience of which your father's foul bleffeth the Lord for ever.

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Next, be obedient to your dear mother; a woman whose virtue and good name is an honour to you; * for the hath been exceeded by none in her time for her plainnefs, integrity, industry, humanity, virtue, and good understanding: qualities not ufual among ⚫ women of her worldly condition and quality. There• fore honour and obey her, my dear children, as your mother, and your father's love and delight: nay, love her too, for fhe loved your father with a deep

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⚫ and upright love: chufing him before all her many fuitors: and though she be of a delicate conftitution ⚫ and noble spirit, yet fhe defcended to the utmost ten⚫derness and care for you; performing the painfullest acts of fervice to you in your infancy, as a mother ⚫ and a nurse too. I charge you before the Lord, honour and obey, love and cherish your dear mother.

Next, betake yourselves to fome honeft, induf• trious course of life; and that not of fordid covetoufnefs, but for example, and to avoid idleness. And if you change your condition and marry, chufe < with the knowledge and confent of your mother, if living, guardians, or thofe that have the charge of you. Mind neither beauty nor riches, but the fear of the Lord, and a sweet and amiable difpofition; fuch as you can love above all this world, and that may • make your habitations pleasant and defirable to you.

And being married, be tender, affectionate, and patient, and meek. Live in the fear of the Lord, and he will blefs you and your offspring. Be sure to live within compafs; borrow not, neither be beholden to any.-Ruin not yourselves by kindness to others, for that exceeds the due bounds of friendfhip: neither will a true friend expect it. Small matters I heed not.

Let your industry and parfimony go no farther than < for a fufficiency for life, and to make a provifion for your children, and that in moderation, if the Lord gives you any. I charge you help the poor and needy; let the Lord have a voluntary fhare of your income, for the good of the poor, both in our fociety and others: for we are all his creatures; remembering that "he that giveth to the poor, lend"eth to the Lord."

• Know well your in-comings, and your out-goings may be better regulated. Love not money, nor the world: use them only, and they will ferve you: but <if you love them you ferve them; which will debafe your spirits, as well as offend the Lord.

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Pity the diftreffed, and hold out a hand of help to them; it may be your cafe: and as you mete to others, God will mete to you again.

Be humble and gentle in your converfation ;-of few words, I charge you; but always pertinent when you speak: hearing out before you attempt to anfwer; and then fpeaking as if you would perfuade, not impose.

Affront none, neither revenge the affronts that are 'done to you; but forgive, and you shall be forgiven ' of your Heavenly Father.

In making friends confider well firft; and when you are fixed, be true; not wavering by reports, nor deferting in affliction: for that becomes not the good and virtuous.

Watch against änger, neither fpeak nor act in it; for, like drunkenness, it makes a man a beast, and 'throws people into defperate inconveniencies.

Avoid flatterers; for they are thieves in difguife; their praise is coftly, defigning to get by those they befpeak; they are the worst of creatures; they lye to flatter, and flatter to cheat:-and, which is worse, * if you believe them, you cheat yourselves most dangerously. But the virtuous, though poor, love, cherish, and prefer, Remember David, who asking the Lord "Who fhall abide in thy tabernacle; "who shall dwell upon thy holy hill?" anfwers, "He "that walketh uprightly, worketh righteousness, and "speaketh the truth in his heart; in whofe eyes the " vile person is contemned, but honoureth them who "fear the Lord."

Next, my children, be temperate in all things: in your diet, for that is phyfick by prevention; it keeps, nay, it makes people healthy, and their ge 'neration found. This is exclufive of the fpiritual advantage it brings. Be alfo plain in your apparel ; keep out that luft which reigns too much over fome; 'let your virtues be your ornaments; remembering ' life is more than food, and the body than raiment. 'Let your furniture be fimple and cheap. Avoid VOL. I.

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pride,

pride, avarice, and luxury. Read my No CROSS, No CROWN! There is inftruction. Make your converfation with the moft eminent for wifdom and piety; and fhun all wicked men, as you hope for the bleffing of God, and the comfort of your father's living and dying prayers. Be sure you fpeak no evil of any, no, not of the meaneft; much less of your fuperiors, as magiftrates, guardians, tutors, 'teachers, and elders in Chrift.

Be no bufy-bodies; meddle not with other folks matters, but when in confcience and duty prest: for it procures trouble, and is ill-manners, and very un-feemly to wife men.

In your families remember Abraham, Mofes, and Joshua, their integrity to the Lord; and do as you have them for your examples.

Let the fear and fervice of the living God be encouraged in your houses, and that plainness, fobriety, and moderation in all things, as becometh God's chofen people: and, as I advife you, my beloved children, do you counsel yours, if God fhould give you any. Yea, I counsel and command them, as my posterity, that they love and ferve the Lord God with an upright heart; that he may blefs yours, from generation to generation.

you and And as for you who are likely to be concerned in the government of Pennsylvania, and my parts of Eaft Jerfey, especially the firft, I do charge you, before the Lord God and his holy angels, that you be lowly, diligent, and tender; fearing God, loving the people, and hating covetoufness. Let juftice have its impartial courfe, and the law free paffage. Though to your lofs, protect no man against it: for you are not above the law, but the law above you. Live therefore the lives yourselves you would have 'the people live; and then you have right and boldnefs to punish the tranfgreffor.-Keep upon the fquare, for God fees you; therefore do your duty: and be fure you fee with your own eyes, and hear with your own ears.-Entertain no lurchers; cherish

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no informers for gain or revenge :-ufe no tricks, fly to no devices, to fupport or cover injuftice: but let your hearts be upright before the Lord, trusting in him above the contrivances of men, and none 'fhall be able to hurt or supplant.

Oh! the Lord is a ftrong God; and he can do whatsoever he pleases: and though men confider it not, it is the Lord that rules and over-rules in the 'kingdoms of men: and he builds up and pulls down. I, your father, am the man that can fay, he that trufts in the Lord, fhall not be confounded. But God, in due time, will make his enemies be at peace with him.

If you thus behave yourselves, and fo become a terror to evil-doers, and a praife to them that do 'well, God, my God, will be with you, in wisdom and a found mind: and make you bleffed inftruments in his hand, for the fettlements of fome of thofe defolate parts of the world;-which my foul 'defires above all worldly honours and riches; both 'for you that go, and you that ftay; you that govern, and you that are governed: that in the end you may 'be gathered with me to the reft of God.

Finally, my children, love one another with a true ' endeared love, and your dear relations on both fides: ' and take care to preferve tender affection in your 'children to each other: often marrying within themfelves, fo as it be without the bounds forbidden in 'God's law. That fo they may not, like the forgetting unnatural world, grow out of kindred, and as 'cold as ftrangers; but, as becomes a truly natural and christian stock, you and yours after you may live in the pure and fervent love of God towards one another, as becometh brethren in the fpiritual and 'natural relation.

So my God, that hath bleffed me with his abun'dant mercies, both of this and the other and better ' life, be with you all; guide you by his counfel, bless you, and bring you to his eternal glory; that you my fhine, my dear children, in the firmament of

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God's