TO HIS CHILDREN. f I hope you will find fome things in them worthy of your imitation : the which I was the more willing to record, that I did not think I ever had the art of education of children; but might thereby do fomewhat toward the repairing of the lofs you by that means fuftained. It is my defire anél... will, that, while the Lord is pleafed to preferve them, andr'; that in the power of my offspring; any of them whofoever be allowed free accefs unto them : yet fo that the property thereof be veiled from time to time, in fuch an one of them, if any fuch there fhall be, as (hall addi& himfelf to the holy miniftry. And in cafe I be allowed, by him in whole hand is my life and breath, and all my ways, to make any con- tinuation of the purpofe of thefe manufcripts, the fame is to be reckoned as here included. I hope you will ufe no indecent freedoms with them confidering that, for ought you or I know, there is a juc tertii, a right of a third party, in the matter, whom alfo I have a view to, with an awful regard to the fovereign difpofal of holy Providence, to which I defire to fubmit all. Some few things which I faw meet to delete, I have fignified and figned on the margin. And now, my dear children, your lot is fallen in a finning time, beyond the days of my fathers : and I am miftaken, if it iffue not in a time proportionally trying, by " the Lord's coming out of his place to punifh the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity." I obteft and befeech yo i, as you regard your eternal welfare, " fave yourfelv .úa this untoward generation." See the abfolute ner Tay regeneration, the changeof your nature, by union I Jere~ Chriff the fecond Adam ; as it was corrupted by means of your relation to the firft Adam fallen. Labour for the experience of the power of religion in your own fouls, that you may have an argument for the reality of it, from your fpiritual fence and feeling : and cleave to the Lord, his way of holinefs, " (without which ye (hall not fee the Lord)," his work alfo, his interefts, and people, on all hazards ; being affured, that fuchonly will be found wife in the end. If your mother, undoubtedly a daughter of Abraham, (ball furvive me, let your lofs of a father move you to carry the more kindly and affe&ionately to her, fupporting her in her defolate condition. Let the fame likewife engage you the more to be peaceful, loving, and helpful, among vourfelves. 1.0
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