f California 
 
 Regional 
 
 facility 
 
 Fruits of a Father s Love 
 
 By 
 William Perm
 
 FRUITS 
 
 Father s Love : 
 
 BEING THE 
 
 ADVICE 
 
 O F 
 
 WILLIAM PENH 
 
 TO his C H I L D R E N, 
 
 Relating to thei> 
 
 Civil and Religious CONDUCT. 
 
 The FOURTH EDITION. 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 Printed and Sold by LUKE H i N D E, at the 
 
 BIBLE in George -yard, Lombard-ftreet y 1765. 
 
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 FRUITS 
 
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 Father s Love : 
 
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 5 Being the ADVICE of WILLIAM 
 PENN to his CHILDREN. 
 
 CHAP. I. 
 
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 My DEAR CHILDREN, 
 
 . i. l^TOT knowing how long it may pleafe 
 _l^\i God to continue me amongft you, 
 I am willing to embrace this Opportunity of 
 leaving you my Advice and Counfel> with refpect 
 to your Chriftian and Civil Capacity and Duty 
 in this World : And I both befeech you and 
 charge you, by the Relation you have to me, 
 and the Affection I have always (hewn to you, 
 and indeed receiv d from you, that you lay up 
 the fame in your Hearts, as well as your Heads, 
 with a wife and religious Care. 
 
 A 2 . 2. 

 
 4 FRUITS of a FATHER S LOVE : 
 
 - . 2. I will- begin with that which is the 
 Beginning of all true Wiidom and Happinefs, t 
 tr.e holy Fear of Qti d. 
 
 r- * i 
 
 . BL 
 
 Children, Fear God ; that is to fay, Have 
 an holy Awe upon your Minds to avoid that 
 which is evil, and a Uriel: Care to embrace and 
 do that which is good. The-Meafure and 
 Standard of which Knowledge "and Duty, is 
 the Light of Chnil in your Conferences, by 
 which, as in John iii. .20, 21, you may clearly 
 fee i-f your Deeds, ay, and your Words and 
 Thoughts too, are wYought in God or not; 
 (for they are the Deeds of the Mind, and for 
 Mfhich you muft be judged) I fay, with this- 
 divine Light of Chrift in your Conferences, you 
 may bring your Thonghts, Words, and Works 
 to Jiidgrutiit in. . youriclves, and have a right, 
 true, found and unerring Senfe of your Duty 
 towards God and Man. And as you come to 
 obey this bleffed Light in its holy Convictions, 
 it will lead you out of the World s dark and 
 degenerate Ways and V/orks, and bring you 
 unto Chrift s Way and Life, and to be of the 
 Number of his true felf-denying Followers, to 
 take up your Crofs for his Sake, that bore his 
 for yours ; and to become the Children of the 
 Light, putting it on, as your holy Armour ; 
 by which you. may fee and refift the fiery Darts 
 of Satan s Temptations, ancj overcome him in ail 
 his Aii iuUs. 
 
 3-
 
 FRUITS of a FATHER S LOVE : &c 5 
 
 . ^. I would a little explain this Principle 
 to you. It is call d Light, John i. 9. iii. 19, 
 20, 21. and viii. 12. Ephef. v. 8, 13, 14. 
 I Thef. v. 5. i Epiftle of John i. 5, 6, 7. Rev. 
 xxi. 23, becaufe it gives Man a Sight of his 
 Sin. AncJ tis alfo called the quickening Spirit ; 
 for fo he is called ; and the Lord from Heaven, 
 i Cor, xv. 45, 57. who is call d and calls him- 
 the Light of the World* John viii. 12. And 
 why is he called the Spirit ? Becaufe he gives 
 anMan fpiritual Life. And, Johnxv}. 8. Chrift 
 promiied to fend his Spirit to convince the World 
 of their Sins : Wherefore, that which con 
 vinces you and all People of their Sins, is the 
 Spirit of Chrift ; This is highly prized, Rom. 
 viii. as you may read in that great and fweet 
 Chapter, for the Children of God are led by it. 
 oo This reveals the Things of God, that appertain 
 Ho Man s Salvation and Happinefs, as i Cor. ii. 
 >ip, 11, 12. It is the Earneft God gives his 
 ^People, 2 Cor. v. 5. It is the great End and 
 ^Benefit, and Bleffing, of the Coming of Chrift, 
 viz. The mining forth of this Light, and 
 pouring forth of this Spirit. Yea, Chrift is not 
 received by them that refift his Light and 
 Spirit in their Hearts ; nor can they have the 
 Benefit of his Birth, Life, Death, RefurrecYion, 
 Intercefiion, 6JV. who rebel againil the Light. 
 God fent his Son to blefs us, in turning of us 
 from the Evil of our Ways: Therefore have a 
 2c care of Evil, for that turns you away from 
 God i and wherein you have done Evil, do fo 
 
 no 
 
 306"
 
 6 FRUITS of a FATHER S LOVE : 
 
 no more : Bat be ye turned, my dear Children, 
 from that Evil in Thought, as well as in Word 
 or Deed, or that will turn you from God your 
 Creator, and Chrift whom he has given you 
 for your Redeemer ; who redeems and faves 
 his People Jrom their Sins, Tit. ii. 14. not in 
 their Sins ; read Atts ii. and Heb. viii. And the 
 Cbriftian Difpenfation will appear to be that of 
 the Spirit, which Sin quencheth, hardens the 
 Heart againft, and bolts the Door upon. This 
 holy divine Principle is called Grace too, I Tim. 
 ii. ii, 12, there you will fee the Nature and 
 Office of it, and its blefled Effects upon thofe 
 that v\eie taught of it in the primitive Days. 
 And why Grace ? Becaufe it is God s Love, 
 and not our Defert, his Good-will, his kind- 
 nefs. Pie fo loved the World, that he gave his 
 cnly begotten Son into the World, that whofoever 
 believeth in him flwuld not perifh> but have ever- 
 lafting Life, John iii. 6. And it is this holy 
 Son, that in John i. 14, 16, is declared to be 
 full of Grace and TrutL, and that of his Grace 
 we receive Grace for Grace ; that is, we receive 
 of him, the Fulnefs, what Meafure of Grace 
 we need. And the Lord told Paul in his great 
 Trials, when ready to ftagger about the Suffi 
 ciency of the Grace he had received to deliver 
 him, My Grace is /ufficient for thee, 2 Cor. xii. 
 9, O Children^ love the Grace, hearken to this 
 Grace, it will teach you, it will fan&ify you, 
 it will lead you to the Reft and Kingdom of 
 God j as it taught the Saints of old, jirft t what 
 
 to
 
 FRUITS of a FATHER S LOVE : 
 
 to deny, viz. To deny Ungodlinefs and worldly 
 Luffs -, and then what to do, viz. To live 
 foberly, righteoujly, and godly in this prejent 
 World, Tit. ii. 1 1, 12. And he that is full of 
 Grace, is full of Light, and he that is full of 
 Light is the quickning Spirit, that gives a 
 Manifeftation of his Spirit to every one to profit 
 <with t i Cor. xii. 7. And he that is the quick 
 ning Spirit is the Truth. I am the Way, the 
 Truth and the Life, faid he to his poor Fol 
 lowers, John xiv. 6. And if the Truth make 
 you free, faid he to the Jews, then are you free 
 indeed, John viii. 32, 36. And this Truth 
 fheds abroad itfelf in Man, and begets Truth 
 in the inward Parts, and makes falfe, rebellious, 
 hypocritical Man, a true Man to God again. 
 Truth in the inward Parts is of great Price 
 with the Lord. And why called TRUTH ? 
 Becaufe it tells Man the Truth of hi fpiritual 
 State , it fhews him his State, deals plainly 
 with him, and fets his Sins in Order before 
 him. So that, my dear Children, the Light, 
 Spirit , Grace, and Truth, are not divers Prin 
 ciples, but divers Words or Denominations 
 given to one eternal Power and heavenly Prin 
 ciple in you, though not of you, but of God, 
 according to the Manifeftation or Operation 
 thereof in the Servants of God of old Time : 
 Light, to difcover and give Discerning : Spirit, 
 to quicken and enliven : Grace, to wit, the 
 Love of God : Truth, becaufe it tells Man the 
 Truth of his Condition, and redeems him from 
 
 the
 
 8 FRUITS of a FATHER S LOVE : 
 
 the Errors of his Ways ; that as Darknef?, 
 Death, Sin, and Error, are the fame, fo Light 
 Spirit y Grace and Truth, are the lame. 
 
 . 4. This is that which is come by Chrift ; 
 and a Meaftire of this Light, Spirit, Grace, 
 and Truth, is given to every Man and Woman 
 to fee their Way to go by. This is that which 
 diftinguimes FRIENDS from all other Societies, 
 as they are found walking in the fame, which 
 leads out of vain Honours, Complements, Lufts 
 and Pleafures of the World. 
 
 O, my dear Children, this is the Pearl of 
 Price ; part with all for it, but never part with 
 it for all the World. This is the gofpel Leaven, 
 to leaven you ; that is, fancTify and feafon you 
 in Body, Soul and Spirit, to God your heavenly 
 Father s Ufe and Service, and your own lading 
 Comfort. Yea, this is the divine and incor 
 ruptible Seed of the Kingdom, of which, all 
 truly regenerate Men and Women, Chriftians 
 of ChriiVs making, are born. Receive it into 
 your Hearts, give it Room there, let it take 
 deep Root in you, and you will be fruitful 
 linto God, in every good Word and Work. 
 As you take heed to it, and the holy Enlight- 
 enings and Motions of it, you will have i 
 perfect Difcerning of the Spirit of this World, 
 in all its Appearances in yourfclves and others ; 
 the Motions, Temptations and Workings of 
 it, as to Pride, Vanity, Covetoafnefs, Revenge, 
 
 Uncleannefs,
 
 FkuiTS of a FATHER S LOVE : &d $ 
 
 TJncleannefs, Hypocrify, and every evil Way j 
 you will fee the World in all its Shapes and 
 Features, and you will be able to judge the 
 World by it, and the Spirit of the World in 
 all its Appearances : You will fee, as I have 
 done, that there is much to deny, much to 
 fufTer, and much to do : And you will fee, 
 that there is no Power or Virtue but in the 
 Light, Spirit, Grace and Truth of Chrifl, to 
 carry you through the World to God s Glory 
 and your everlafling Peace. Yea, you will fee 
 what Religion is from above, and what is from 
 below ; what is of God s working, and of 
 Man s making and forcing ; alfo, what Mini- 
 flry is of his Spirit and giving, and what of 
 Man s ftudying, framing, and impoling. You 
 will, I fay, difcern the Rife, Nature, Tokens, 
 and Fruits of the true from the falfe Miniftry, 
 and what Worlhip is fpiritual, and what car 
 nal j and what Honour is of God, and what 
 that Honour is, which is from below of Men, 
 yea, fallen Men, that the Jews and the World 
 fo generally love, and which is fpoken againft 
 in John v. 44. you will fee the vain and evil 
 Communication, that corrupts good Manners ; 
 the Snares of much Company and Bufinefs, 
 and efpecially the Danger of the Friendship of 
 this prefent evil World. And you will alfo 
 fee, that the Teftimony the eternal God hath 
 brought our poor Friends unto, as to Religion, 
 Worfoip, Truth - fpeaking, Mini/try, PIamne/s t 
 Simplicity^ and Moderation in Apparel^ Furni- 
 
 B ture,
 
 jo FRUITS of a FATHER S LOVE : &c. 
 
 ture t Food) Salutation ; as you may read in 
 their Writings, from the very Beginning, is a 
 true and heavenly Teftimony of his Mind, 
 Will, Work and Difpenfation in this laft Age 
 of the World to Mankind, being the Revival 
 of true Primitive Chriftianity. : Where, your 
 moft tender Father prays, that you may be 
 kept, and charges you to watch, that you may 
 be preferved in the Faith and Practice of that 
 bleffed Teftimony ; and count it no fmali 
 Mercy from God, nor Honour to you, that 
 you come of Parents that counted nothing too 
 dear or near to part with, nor too great to do 
 or fuffer, that they might approve themfelves 
 to God, and teflify their Love to his moft 
 precious Truth in the inward Parts, in their 
 Generation. And I do alfo charge you, my 
 dear Children, to retain in your Remembrance 
 thofe worthy Ancients in the Work of Chrift, 
 who remained alive to your Day and Memory, 
 and yet remain to your Knowledge; moie 
 efpecially that Man of God and Prince in 
 Ifraet, the firft-born and begotten of our Day 
 and Age of Truth, and the firft and the great 
 early Inftrument of God amongft us, GEORGE 
 Fox. And what you have heard, feen and 
 obferved, of thofe heavenly Worthies, their 
 koly Wifdom, Zeal^ Love, Labours and Sitff er- 
 ings, and particular Tendernefs to you, treafure 
 up for your Children after you, and tell them 
 what you have heard, feen and known, of 
 the Servants and Work of God, and Progrefs 
 
 thereof,
 
 FRUITS of a FATHER S LOVE : &c. 1 1 
 
 thereof, as an holy, exemplary, and edifying 
 Tradition unto them. And be fure, that vou 
 forfeke not the alTembling yourfelves with 
 God s People, as the Manner of fbme was, 
 Hcb. x. 25. and is at this Day, efpecially 
 among young People, the Children of fome 
 Friends, whom the Love of this prefent evil 
 World hath hurt and cooled in their Love to 
 God and his Truth. Bat do you keep clofe to 
 Meetings, both of Worihip, and Bunnefsof 
 the Church, when of an Age and Capacity 
 proper for it ; and that not out of Novelty, 
 Formality, or to be feen of Men, but in pure 
 Fear, Love and Confcience to God your Cre 
 ator, as the publick, juft and avowed Ttfti- 
 mony of your Duty and Homage to him. In 
 which be exemplary, both by timely coming, 
 and a reverent and ferious Deportment during 
 the AfTernbly j in which be not weary, or 
 think the Time long till it be over, as fome 
 did of the Sabbaths of old Time ; but let your 
 Eye be to him you come to wait upon and 
 ferve, and do what you do as to him, and he 
 will be your Refreshment and Reward ; for 
 you fhall return with the Seals and Pledges of 
 his Love, Mercy and Bleffings. 
 
 . 5. Above all things, my dear Children, 
 as to your Communion and Fellowmip with 
 Friends, be careful to keep the Unity of the 
 Faith in the Bond of Peace. Have a Care of 
 Reflectors, Detra&ors, Backbiters, that under- 
 
 B 2 value
 
 12 FRUITS of a FATHER S LOVE : &c. 
 
 value and undermine Brethren behind their 
 Backs, or flight the good and wholfome Order 
 of Truth, for the preferving Things quiet, 
 fweet and honourable in the Church. Have a 
 Care of Novelties, and airy changeable People, 
 the conceited, cenforious and pufc up ; who at 
 lad have always {hewn themfelves to be Clouds 
 without Rain, and Wells without Water, that 
 will rather difturb and break the Peace and 
 Fellowship of the Church, where they dwell, 
 than not have their Wills and Ways take place. 
 J charge you, in the Fear of the living God, 
 that you carefully beware of all fuch ; mark 
 them, as the Apoftle fays, Rom. xvi. 17, and 
 have no Fellowship with them ; but to advile, 
 exhort, intreat, and finally reprove them, Ephejl 
 v. 1 1. For God is and will be with his People, 
 in this holy Difpenfation we are now under, 
 and which is now amongft us, unto the End 
 of Days : It {hall grow and increafe in Gifts, 
 Graces, Power and Luftie, for it is the laft 
 and unchangeable One : And blefTed are your 
 Eyes, if they fee it, and your Ears, if they 
 hear it, and your Hearts, if they undeiftand 
 it ; which I pray that you may, to God s 
 Glory and your eternal Comfort, 
 
 . 6. Having thus exprefTed myfelf to you, 
 my dear Children, as to the Things of God, 
 his Truth and Kingdom, I refer you to his 
 Light, Grace, Spirit and Truth within you, 
 and the holy Scriptures of Tiuth without you, 
 
 which
 
 FRUITS of a FATHER S LOVE : &c 13 
 
 which from my youth I loved to read, and 
 were ever blefled to me j and which I charge 
 you to read daily j the Old Teftament for 
 Hiftory chiefly, the Pfalms for Meditation 
 and Devotion, the. Prophets for Comfort and 
 Hope, but efpecially the New Teflament for 
 Doctrine, Faith and Worfhip : For they were 
 given forth by holy Men of God in divers 
 Ages, as they were moved of the holy Spirit ; 
 and are the declared and revealed Mind and 
 Will of the holy God to Mankind under divers 
 Difpenfations, and they are certainly able to 
 make the Man of God perfect, through Faith, 
 unto Salvation ; being fuch a true and clear 
 Teflimony to the Salvation that is of God, 
 through Chrift the fecond Adam, the Light of 
 the World, the quickning Spirit, who is full of 
 Grace and Truth, whofe Light, Grace, Spi 
 rit and Truth^ bear Witnefs to them in every 
 fenfible Soul, as they frequently, plainly and 
 folemnly bear Teftimony to the Light, Spirit^ 
 Grace and Truth, both in himfelf and in 
 and to his People, to their Sanctification, Juf- 
 tification, Redemption and Confolation, and 
 in all Men to their Visitation, Reproof and 
 Conviction in their evil Ways, I fay, having 
 thus expreiled myfelf in general, I refer you, 
 my dear Children, to the Light and Spirit of 
 JESUS, that is within you, and to the Scrip 
 tures of Truth without you, and fuch other 
 Tedimonies to the one fame eternal Truth, as 
 have been borne in our Day 5 and fhall now 
 
 defcend
 
 14 FRUITS of # FATHER S LOVE : 
 
 defcend to Particulars, that you may c 
 directly apply what I have faid in general, both 
 as to your religious and civil Direction in your 
 Pilgrimage upon Earth. 
 
 CHAP. II. 
 
 . I. TWILL begin here alfo with the 
 JL Beginning of Time, the Morning* 
 So foon as you wake, retire your Mind into a 
 pure Silence from all Thoughts and Ideas of 
 worldly Things, and in that Frame wait upon 
 God, to feel his good Pre fence to lift up your 
 Hearts to him, and commit your whole felf 
 into his blcffed Care and Protection. Then 
 rife, if well, immediately ; being dreft, read a 
 Chapter or more in the Scriptures, and after 
 wards difpofe yourfelves for the Bufinefs of the 
 Day ; ever remembring that God is prefent, 
 the Overfeer of all your Thoughts, Words 
 and Actions ; and demean yourfelves, my dear 
 Children^ accordingly ; and do not you dare to 
 do that in his holy ?ll-{teing Preience, which 
 you would be amamed a Man, yea, a Child, 
 fhould fee you do. And as you have Intervals 
 from your lawful Occaiions, delight to ftep 
 home, within yourfelves I mean, and com 
 mune with your own Hearts, and be ftiil ; 
 and (as Nebuchadnezzar faid on another Occa- 
 fion ) One like the Son of God you Jhali find and 
 
 enjoy
 
 FRUITS of a FATHER S LOVE : Gfo 15 
 
 you and in you ; a Treafure the 
 World knows not of, but is the Aim, End 
 and Diadem of the Children of God. This 
 will bear you up againft all Temptations, and 
 carry you fweetly and evenly through your 
 Day s Bufinefs, fupporting you under Difap- 
 pointments, and moderating your Satisfaction 
 in Succefs and Profperity. The Evening come, 
 read again the holy Scripture, and have your 
 Times of Retirement, before you clofe your 
 Eyes, as in the Morning ; that fo the Lord 
 may be the Alpha and Omega of every Day 
 of your Lives. And if God olefs you with 
 Families, remember good Joflmas Refolution f 
 Jcfi. xxiv. 1 5, But as for me and my Houfe> we 
 will ferve the Lord. 
 
 . 2. Fear God ; mew it in Deiire, Refrain 
 ing and Doing : Keep the inward Watch, 
 keep a clear Soul and a light Heart. Mind an 
 inward Senfe upon doing any thing ; when 
 you read the Scripture, remark the notableft 
 Places, as your Spirits are moil toucht and 
 affecled, in a common - place Book, with that 
 Senfe or Opening which you receive ; for they 
 come not by Study or in the Will of Man, 
 no more than the Scripture did ; and they may 
 be loft by Carelefnefs, and over - growing 
 Thoughts and BufinefTes of this Life ; fo in 
 purfuing any other good or profitable Book ; 
 yet rather meditate than read mach. For the 
 Spirit of a Man knows the Things of a Man, 
 
 and
 
 16 FRUITS of a FATHER S LOVE : 
 
 and with that Spirit, by Obfervation of the 
 Tempers and Adtions of Men you fee in the 
 World, and looking into your own Spirits, 
 and meditating thereupon, you will have a deep 
 and ftrong Judgment of Men and Things. For 
 from what may be, what mould be, and what 
 is moft probable or likely to be, you can hardly 
 mifs in your Judgment of human Affairs ; and 
 you have a better Spirit than your own, in referve 
 for a Time of Need, to pafs the final Judgment 
 in important Matters. 
 
 .3. In Converfatton, mark well what 
 others fay or do, and hide your own Mind, at 
 leafl till lad ; and then; open it as fparingly as 
 the Matter will let you. A juft Obfervance 
 and Reflection upon Men and Things, give 
 Wifdom i thofe are the great Books of Learning 
 feldom read. The laborious Bee draws Honey 
 from every Flower. Be always on your Watch, 
 but chiefly in Company ; then be fure to have 
 your Wits about you, and your Armour on ; 
 fpeak laft and little, but to the Point. Interrupt 
 none, anticipate none, read Prov. x. 8, 13. Be 
 quick to hear, flow to fpeak y Prov. xvii. 27. It 
 gives Time to under/land^ and ripens an Anfwer. 
 Afkct not Words, but Matter, and chiefly to 
 be pertinent and plain : Trued Eloquence is 
 plained, and brief Speaking, I mean Brevity 
 and Clearnefs to make yourielves caiily under- 
 ftood by every Body, and in as few Words as 
 the Matter will admit of, is the bell. 
 
 4-
 
 FRUITS of a FATHER S LOVE : &c ij 
 
 , 4. Prefer the Aged> the Virtuous, and 
 the Knowing ; and chufe thofe that excel, for 
 your Company and Friendfhip, but defpife not 
 others. 
 
 . . Return no Anfwer to Anger, unlefs 
 with much Meeknefs, \vhich often turns it 
 away : But rarely make Replies, lefs Rejoin 
 ders ; for that adds Fuel to the Fire. It is a 
 wrong Time to vindicate yourfelves, the true 
 Ear being then never open to hear it. Men 
 are not themfelves, and know not well what 
 Spirits they are of: Silence to Paffion, Preju 
 dice and Mockery, is the bed: Anfwer, and 
 often conquers what R&fiftance inflames. 
 
 . 6. Learn and teach your Children fair 
 Writing^ and the moft ufeful Parts qf Mathe- 
 maticks, and fome Bufinejs when young, what 
 ever elle they are taught. 
 
 . 7 Caft up your Incomes and live on half; 
 if you can, one-third ; referving the reft for 
 Cafualties, Charities, Portions. 
 
 . 8. Be plain in Clothes, Furniture and 
 Food, but clean, and then the Coarfer the 
 better ; the reft is Folly and a Snare. There 
 fore, next to Sin, avoid Daintinefs and Choice- 
 nefs about your Perfon and Houfes. For if it 
 be not an Evil in itlelf, it is a Temptation to 
 
 C it
 
 V8 FRUITS of a FATHER S LOVE : 
 
 itj and maybe accounted a Neft for Sin to 
 brood in. 
 
 . 9. Avoid Differences ; what are not 
 avoidable refer, and keep Awards ftridtly, and 
 without Grudgings, read Prov. xviii. 17, 18. 
 xxv. 8. Mat. v. 38, to 41. i Cor. i. 10. 
 to 13. it is good Counfel. 
 
 . 10. Befure draw your Affairs into as nar 
 row a Compafs as you can, and in Method and 
 Proportion, Time and other Requifits proper 
 
 for them. 
 
 \ 
 
 . ii. Have very few Acquaintance , and 
 fewer Intimates^ but of the belt in their kind. 
 
 . 12 Keep your own Secrets, and do not 
 covet others ; but if trufted, never reveal them, 
 unlefs mifchievous to fomebody j nor then, 
 before Warning to the Party todefiftand repent. 
 Prov. xi. 13. ii. 23. xxv. 9, 10. 
 
 . 13. Truft no Man with the main Chance, 
 and avoid to be trufted. 
 
 . 14. Make few Refolutions, but keep them 
 flridly. 
 
 . 1 5. Prefer Elders and Strangers on all 
 Occafions ; be rather lad than firft in Conve- 
 niency and Refpect 5 but firft in all Virtues. 
 
 . 1 6.
 
 FRUITS of a FATHER S LOVE : &c. 19 
 
 . 1 6. Have a Care of trufting to after 
 Games, for then there is but one Throw for 
 all j and Precipicies are ill Places to build 
 upon. Wifdom gains Time, is before hand, 
 and teaches to chufe feafonably and perti 
 nently ; therefore ever ftrike while the Iron is 
 hot. But if you lofe an Opportunity, it differs, 
 in this, from a Relapfe : Lefs Caution and 
 more Refolution and Induftry muft recover it. 
 
 . 17. Above all, remember your Creator : 
 Remember yourfelves and your Families, when 
 you have them, in the youthful Time and 
 fore Part of your Life ; for good Methods and 
 Habits obtain d then, will make you eafy and 
 happy the reft of your Days. Every Eftate 
 has its Snare : Youth and Middle Age, Pleafure 
 and Ambition ; Old Age, Avarice ; remember 
 I tell you, that Man is a Slave where either 
 prevails. Beware of the pernicious Lufts of 
 the Eye, and the Flefti, and the Pride of Life, 
 i yobnii. 15, 16, 17. which are not of the 
 Father, but of the World. Get higher ^nd 
 nobler Objects for your immortal Part. O my 
 dear Children, and be not tied to Things 
 without you ; for then you can never have the 
 true and free Enjoyment of yourfelves to better 
 Things ; no more than a Slave in Algiers has 
 of his Houfe or Family in London. Be fiee, 
 live at home, in yourfelves I mean, where lie 
 greater Treafures hid than in the Indies. The 
 Pomp, Honour, and Luxury of the World are 
 C 2 the
 
 20 FRUITS of a FATHER S LOVE : &c. 
 
 the Cheats, and the Unthinking and Inconfi- 
 derate are taken by them. But the retir d 
 Man is upon higher Ground, he fees and is 
 aware of the Trick, contemns the Folly, and 
 bemoans the deluded. This very Confidera- 
 tion, doubtlefs, produced thofe two Paffions in 
 the two greatefl Gentiles of their Time, Demo- 
 critits and Heraclitus, the one laughing, the 
 other weeping, for the Madnefs of the World, 
 to fee fo excellent and reafonable a Creature - 
 as Man, fo meanly trifling, and flavimly 
 employed, 
 
 f. 1 8. Chufe God s Trades before Mens 5 
 Adam was a Gardener, Cain a Plowman, and 
 Abel a Grafier or Shepherd : Theie began with 
 the World, and have lead of Snare, and moft 
 of Ufe. When Cain became Murderer -, as a 
 *Cowley,* witty Man faid, he turned a Builder of Cities, 
 on an ^ quitted his Hujbandry : Mechanicks, as 
 l- Handicrafts, are alfo commendable, but they 
 turs are but a fecond Brood, and younger Brothers. 
 If Grace employ you not, let Nature and ufeful 
 Arts, but avoid Curioiity there alfo, for it 
 devours much Time to no Profit. I have feen 
 a Cieling of a Room, that coft half as much as 
 the Houfe ; a Folly and Sin too. 
 
 . 19. Have but few Books, but let them 
 be well chofen and well read, , whether of 
 religious or civil Subjects. Shun fantaftick 
 Opinions : Meafure both Religion and Learn 
 ing
 
 FRUITS of a FATHER S LOVE : &c 21 
 
 ing by Practice ; reduce a;l to that, for that 
 brings a real Benefit to you, the reft is a Thief 
 and a Snare. And indeed, reading many Books 
 is but a taking off the Mind too much from 
 Meditation. Reading your/elves and Nature, 
 in the Dealings and Conduct of Men, is the 
 trued human Wifdom. The Spirit of a Man 
 knows the Things of Man, and more true 
 Knowledge comes by Meditation and juftRe- 
 fledion than by reading ; for much reading 
 is an Oppreffion of the Mind, and extinguifhes 
 the natural Candle ; which is the Reafon of fo 
 many fenfelefs Scholars in the World. 
 
 . 20. Do not that which you blame in 
 another. Do not that to another^ which you 
 would not another mould do to you. But 
 above all, do not that in God s Sight, you 
 would not Man mould fee you do. 
 
 . 2 i. And that you may order all Things 
 profitably, divide your Day ; fuch a Share of 
 Time for your Retirement and Worjkip of God : 
 Such a Proportion for your Bufmefs ; in which, 
 remember to ply that firft which is firft to be 
 done ; fo much Time for yourfelves, be it for 
 Study, Walking, Vifit, &c. In this be firft, and 
 let your Friends know it, and you will cut off 
 many Irnpertinencies and Interruptions, and 
 fave a Treafure of Time to yourfelves, which 
 People moft unaccountably lavim away. And 
 to be more exact, ( for much lies in this ) keep 
 
 amort
 
 22 FRUITS of a FATHER S LOVE : &c. 
 
 a fhort Journal of your Time, though a Day 
 require but a line ; many Advantages flow 
 from it. 
 
 . 22. Keep clofe to the Meetings of God s 
 People y wait diligently at them, to feel the 
 heavenly Life in your Hearts. Look for that 
 more than Words in Miniftry, and you will 
 profit moft. Above all, look to the Lord, 
 but defpiie not Inftruments, Man or Woman, 
 young or old, rich or poor, learned or 
 unlearned. 
 
 . 23. Avoid difcontented Perfons, unlefsto 
 inform or reprove them. Abhor Detraction, 
 the Sin of fallen Angels, and the word of fallea 
 Men. 
 
 . 24. Excufe Faults in others, own them 
 in ycurfelves, and forgive them againft your- 
 felves, as you would have your heavenly Father 
 and Judge forgive you. Read Prov. xvii. 9. 
 and Mat. vi. 14, 15. Chrift returns and dwells 
 upon that Paflage of his Prayer, above all the 
 reft, Forgfaenefs, the bardeft LeiTon to Man, 
 that of all other Creatures moft needs it. 
 
 . 25. Be natural ; love one another ; and 
 remember, that to be void of natural Affection, 
 is a Mark of Apoftacy fet by the Apoflle, 
 2 Tim. iii. 3. Let not Time, I charge you, 
 wear out Nature j it may Kindred, according 
 
 to
 
 FRUITS of a FATHER S LOVE : &c. 23 
 
 to Cuftom, but it is an ill one, therefore follow 
 it not. It is a great Fault in Families at this 
 Day : Have a Care of it, and mun that unna 
 tural Carelefnefs. Live as near as you can, 
 vifit often, correfpond oftner, and communi 
 cate with kind Hearts to one another, in pro 
 portion to what the Lord gives you j and don t 
 be clofe, nor hoard up from one another, as if 
 you had no Right or Claim in one another, 
 and did not defcend of one moft tender Father 
 and Mother. 
 
 . 26. What I write is to yours, as well as 
 you j if God gives you Children. And in cafe 
 a Prodigal mould ever appear among them, 
 make not his Folly an Excufe to be ftrange or 
 clofe, and fo to expofe fuch an one to more 
 Evil; but mew Bowels, as* "John did to the 
 young Man that fell into ill Company, whom 
 with Love he reclaimed, after his Example 
 that fends his Sun and Rain upon ail. 
 
 . 27. Love Silence, even in the Mind ; 
 for Thoughts are to that, as Words to the 
 Body, troublefome ; much fpeaking, as. much 
 thinking, fpends, and in many Thoughts, as 
 well as Words, there is Sin. True Silence is 
 the Reft of the Mind, and is to the Spirit, 
 what Sleep is to the Body, Nourishment and 
 Refreshment. It is a great Virtue ; it covers 
 Folly, keeps Secrets, avoids Difputes, and pre 
 vents
 
 24 FRUITS of a FATHER S LOVE : &V. 
 
 vents Sin. See Job. xiii. 5. Prov. x, 19. xii. 
 13. xiii. 3. xviii. 6, 7. xvii. 28. 
 
 . 28. The Wifdom of Nations lies in their 
 Proverbs, which are brief and pithy ; colled: 
 and learn them, they are notable Meafures and 
 Directions for human Life ; you have much 
 in little ; they fave Time and fpeaking ; and 
 upon Occafion, may be the fulleft and fafeft 
 Anfwers. 
 
 .29. Never meddle with other Folks Bujlnefs^ 
 and lefs with the Publick, unlefs called to the 
 one by the Parties concern d, ( in which move 
 cautioufly and uprightly ) and requir d to the 
 other by the Lord in a Teftimony for his 
 Name and Truth ; remembring that old, but 
 moft true and excellent Proverb, Bene qui 
 latuit, bene vixit, He lives happily that lives 
 hiddenly or privately, for he lives quietly. It 
 is a Treafure to them that have it : Study it, 
 get it, keep it j too many mifs it that might 
 have it : The World knows not the Value of 
 it. It doubles Man s Life, by giving him twice 
 the Time to himfelf, that a large Acquaintance 
 or much Bufmefs will allow him. 
 
 . 30. Have a Care of Refentment, or taking 
 Things amifs y a natural, ready and moft dan 
 gerous Paflion j but be apter to remit than re 
 lent, it is more Cbrijlian and wife. For as 
 
 Softnefs
 
 FRUITS tf a FATHERS LOVE : tc ? 
 
 */ *J 
 
 Softnefs often conquers, where rough Oppofi- 
 tion fortifies, fo Refentment, feldom knowing 
 any Bounds, makes many times greater Faults 
 than it finds ; for fome People have out-refent- 
 ed their Wrong fo far, that they made them- 
 felves faultier by it> by which they cancel the 
 Debt through a boundlefs Paffion, overthrow 
 their Intereft and Advantage, and become 
 Debtor to the Offender. 
 
 . 31. Rejoice not at the Calamity of any, 
 though they be your Enemies, Prov. xvii. 5* 
 xxiv. 17, 
 
 . 32. Envy none ; it is God that maketh 
 rich and poorj great and fmall, high and low. 
 Pfal. xxxvii. i. Prov. iii. 31. xxiii. 17. xxiv* 
 j, i Chron. xxii. 1 1, 12. Pfal, cvii. 40, 41. 
 
 .33, Be intr eat able. Never aggravate. 
 Never revile or give ill Names : It is unman 
 nerly as well as unchriftian. Remember Mat. 
 v. 22. who it was faid, He that calls his Brother 
 Fool, is in Danger of Hell Fire. 
 
 . 34. Be not morofe or conceited; one is 
 rude, the other troublefome and naufeous. 
 
 . 35, Avoid Queftions and Strife j it {hews 
 a bufy and contentious Difpofition. 
 
 D . 36.
 
 26 FRUITS of a FATHER S LOVE : 
 
 . 36. Add no Credit to a Report upon 
 Conjecture, nor report to the Hurt of any. Sec 
 Exod. xxiii. i. PJal. xv. 3. 
 
 . 37. Beware of Jealoufy, except it be 
 godly, for it devours Love and Friendfhip j it 
 breaks Fellowship, and deftroys the Peace of 
 the Mind. It is a groundlefs and evil Surmife. 
 
 . 38. Be not too credulous ; read Prov. xiv. 
 15. Caution is a Medium, I recommend it. 
 
 . 39. Speak not of Religion, neither ufc 
 the Name of God in a familiar manner. 
 
 . 40. Meddle not with Government -, never 
 fpeak of it ; let others fay or do as they pleafe. 
 But read Aich Books of Law as relate to the 
 Office of a Juftice, a Coroner, Sheriff and 
 Con/table ; alfo the Doctor and Student ; fome 
 Book of CUrk/kip, and a Treatife of Wills, to 
 enable you about your own private Buiinefs 
 only, or a poor Neighbour s. For it is a 
 Charge I leave with you and yours, Meddle not 
 with the Publick y neither Buftne/s nor Money , 
 but underftand how to avoid it, and defend 
 yourfelves, upon Occafion againft it. For much 
 Knowledge brings Sorrow, and much Doings 
 more. Therefore know God, know yourfelves ; 
 love home, know your own Bufinefs and mind 
 it, and you have more Time and Peace than 
 your Neighbours. 
 
 41.
 
 FRUITS of a FATHER S LOVE : &c. 27 
 
 .41. If you incline to marry , then marry 
 your Inclination rather than your Intereft : I 
 mean what you love, rather than what is rich. 
 But love for Virtue, Temper, Education, and 
 Perfon, before Wealth or Quality, and befure 
 you are belov d again. In all which be not 
 hafty, but ferious j lay it before the Lord, 
 proceed in his Fear, and be you well advifed. 
 And when married, according to the Way of 
 God s People, ufed amongft Friends, out of 
 whom only chufe, ftrictly keep Covenant ; 
 avoid Occaiion of Mif-underflanding, allow for 
 WeaknefTes, and Variety of Conflitution and 
 Difpofition, and take Care of mewing the leaft 
 Difguft or Mifunderftanding to others, efpe- 
 cially your Children. Never lie down with 
 any Difpleafure in your Minds, but avoid Oc- 
 cafion of Difpute and Offence ; overlook and 
 cover Failings. Seek the Lord for one another; 
 wait upon him together, Morning and Even 
 ing, in his holy Fear, which will renew and 
 confirm your Love and Covenant : Give way 
 to nothing that would in the leaft violate it : 
 Ufe all means of true Endearment, that you 
 may recommend and pleaie one another ; 
 remembring your Relation and Union is the 
 Figure of Chrift s to his Church ; therefore, 
 let the Authority of Love only bear Sway your 
 whole Life. 
 
 , 42. If God give you Children, love them 
 With Wifdom, con-eft them with Affection : 
 
 D 2 Never
 
 #8 FRUITS of a FATHER S LOVE : 
 
 Never flrike in Paflion, and fuit the Correction 
 to their Age as well as Fault. Convince them 
 of their Error before you chaftife them, and 
 try them ; if they {hew Remorfe before Seve 
 rity, never ufe that but in cafe of Obflinacy 
 or Impenitency. Punifh them more by their 
 Understandings than the Rod, and (hew them 
 the Folly, Shame and Undutifulnefs of their 
 Faults, rather with a grieved than an angry 
 Countenance, and you will fooner affect their 
 Natures, and with a nobler Senfe, than a fer- 
 vile and rude Chaftifement can produce. I 
 know the Methods of fome are fevere Correc 
 tions for Faults, and artificial Praifes when 
 they do well, and fornetimes Rewards : But 
 this Coarfe awakens Paffions worfe than their 
 Faults ; for one begets bafe Fear, if not 
 Hatred ; the other Pride and vain Glory, both 
 which fhould be avoided in a religious Educa 
 tion of Youth ; for they equally vary from it, 
 and deprave Nature. There (hould be the 
 greateft Care imaginable, what Impreffions are 
 given to Children : That Method which earlieft 
 awakens their Underftandings to Love, Duty, 
 Sobriety, juft and honourable Things, is to be 
 preferred. Education is the Stamp Parents give 
 their Children ; they pafs for that they breed 
 them, or lefs Value perhaps, all their Days. 
 The World is in nothing more wanting and re- 
 provable, both in Precept and Example ; they 
 do with their Children as with their Souls, put 
 out at Livery for (b much a Year. Th^y 
 
 will
 
 FRUITS of a FATHER S LOVE-: Gfa 29 
 
 will truft their Eftates or Shops with none but 
 themfelves, but for their Souls and Pofterity 
 they have lefs Solicitude. But do you breed 
 your Children yourfelves ; I mean as to their 
 Morals, and be their Bimops and Teachers in 
 the Principles of Converfation : As they are 
 inftrudted fo they are likely to be qualified, 
 and your Pofterity by their Precepts and Ex 
 amples which they receive from yours. And 
 were Mankind herein more cautious, they 
 would better difcharge their Duty to God and 
 Pofterity ; and their Children would owe them 
 more for their Education than for their Inhe 
 ritances. Be not unequal in your Love to your 
 Children, at leaft in the Appearances of it : 
 It is both unjuftand indifcreet : It leftens Love 
 to Parents, and provokes Envy among Chil 
 dren. Let them wear the fame Clothes, eat of 
 the fame Dim, have the fame Allowance as to 
 Time and Expence. Breed them to fome Em 
 ployment, and give all equal but the Eldeft : 
 And to the Eldeft a double Portion is very 
 well. Teach them alfo Frugality, and they 
 will not want S,ubftance for their Pofterity. A 
 little Beginning, with Induftry and Thrift, will 
 make an Eftate ; but there is great Difference 
 between faving and fordid. Be not fcanty any 
 more than fuperfluousj but rather make bold 
 with yourfelves, than be ftraight to others 5 
 therefore let your Charity temper your Fru 
 gality and theirs. 
 
 What
 
 30 FRUITS of a FATHER S LOVE : &c. 
 
 What I have writ to you, I have writ to 
 your Children, and theirs. 
 
 . 43. Servants you will have, but remem 
 ber, the fewer the better, and thofe rather 
 aged than young j you mud make them fuch, 
 or difpofe of them often. Change is not good, 
 therefore chufe well, and the rather becaufe of 
 your Children ; for Children, thmking they 
 can take more Liberty with Servants than with 
 their Parents, often chufe the Servants Com-* 
 pany, and if they are idle, wanton, ill Ex 
 amples, Children are in great danger of being 
 perverted. Let them therefore be Friends, and 
 Inch as are well recommended : Let them 
 know their Bufmefs as well as their Wages ; 
 and as they do the one, pay them honeftly the 
 other. Though Servants, yet remember they 
 are Brethren in Chrift, and that you alfo are 
 but Stewards, and mud account to God. 
 Wherefore let your Moderation appear unto 
 them, and that will provoke them to Diligence 
 for Love rather than Fear, which is the truefl 
 and befl Motive to Service. In fhort, as you 
 find them, fo keep, ufe and reward them, ov 
 difmifs them, 
 
 . 44. Diftrufl is of the Nature of Jealoufy, 
 and muft be warily entertain d upon good 
 Grounds, or it is injurious to others, and in- 
 flead of fafe, troublefome to you. If you truft 
 lictle, you will have but little Caufe to difhuft. 
 
 Yet
 
 FRUITS of a FATHER S LOVE : G?r. 31 
 
 Yet I have often been whifper d in myfelf of 
 Perfons and Things at firft Sight and Motion, 
 that hardly ever failed to be true ; though by 
 negledting the Senfe, or fuffering myfelf to be 
 argued or importuned from it, I have more 
 than once failed of my Expectation. Have 
 therefore a mod tender and nice Regard to 
 thofe firfl fudden and unpremeditated Senfa- 
 tions. 
 
 . 45. For your Conduft in your Bufinefs, 
 and in the whole Courfe of your Life, though 
 what I have laid to you, and recommended 
 you to, might be fufficient ; yet I will be more 
 particular as to thofc good and gracious Quali 
 fications, I pray God Almighty to feafon and 
 accomplish you with, to his Glory and your 
 temporal and eternal Felicity. 
 
 CHAP. III. 
 
 . i. T> E humble : It becomes a Creature, & 
 Jj depending and borrowed Being, that 
 lives not of itfelf, but breaths in another s Air, 
 with another s Breath, and is accountable for 
 every Moment of Time, and can call nothing 
 its own, but is abfolutely a Tenant at Will of 
 the great Lord of Heaven and Earth. And of 
 this excellent Quality you cannot be wanting, if 
 you dwell in the holy Fear of the Omniprefent 
 
 and
 
 22 FRUITS of a FATHER S LOVE : &c. 
 
 and All-feeing God ; for that will fliew you your 
 Vilenefs and his Excellency, your Meannefs 
 and his Majefty, and withal, the Senfe of his 
 Love to fuch poor Worms, in the Teftimonies 
 he gives of his daily Care, Mercy and Good- 
 nefs ; that you cannot but be abafed, laid low 
 and humble : I fay, the Fear and Love of God 
 begets Humility, and Humility fits you for 
 God and Men. You cannot ftep well amifs, 
 if this Virtue dwell but richly in you ; for 
 then God will teach you. The Humble he 
 teacheth his Ways, and they are all pleafant 
 and peaceable to his Children : Yea, he givetb 
 Grace to the Humble, but rejlfleth the Proud, 
 James iv, 6. I Pet. v. 5. He regardeth the 
 Proud of ar off. Pfal. cxxxviii. 6. They mall 
 not come near him, nor will he hear them in 
 the Day of their Diftrefs, read Prcv. xi. 2. xv. 
 33. xvi. 18, 19. Humility feeks not the laft 
 Word, nor firft Place ; me offends none, but 
 prefers others, and thinks lowly of herfelf j is 
 not rough or felf-conceited, high, loud, or 
 domineering j blefled are they that enjoy her. 
 Learn of me, faid Chrift, for I am meek and 
 lowly in Heart. He wafht his Difciples Feet, 
 John xiii. indeed himfelf was the greateft 
 Pattern of it. Humility goes before Honour, 
 Prov xviii. 12. There is nothing mines more 
 clearly through Cbrtftiahiiy than Humility ; 
 of this the holy Author of it is the greateft 
 Inftance. He was humble in his Incarnation ; 
 for he that thought it no Robbery to be equal 
 
 with
 
 of a FATHER S LOVE * &c. 11 
 
 / tj ij 
 
 with God, humbled himfelf to become a Man ; 
 and many Ways made himfelf of no Reputa 
 tion. As jir/i, in his Birth or Defcent, it was 
 not of the Princes of Judab, but a Virgin of 
 low Degree, the efpouied of a Carpenter \ and 
 fo (he acknowledges in her heavenly Anthem, 
 or Ejaculation, Luke i. 47, 48, 52. fpeaking of 
 the great Honour God had done her : And my 
 Spirit bath rejoiced in Gvd my Saviour, for be 
 hath regarded the hiv Eft ate of his Hand- 
 maiden ; he has put down the Mighty from 
 their Seats, and exalted them of low Degree. 
 Secondly, he was humble in his Life : He 
 kept no Court but in Deferts and Mountains, 
 and in folitary Places ; neither was he ferv d in 
 State, his Attendants being of the mechanick 
 Size. By the Miracles he wrought, we may 
 underftand the Food he eat, viz. Barley-bread 
 and Fitli ; and it is not to be thought there 
 was any Curiofity in dreffing them. And we 
 have Reafon to believe his Apparel was as 
 moderate as his Table. Thirdly he was humble 
 in his Sufferings and Death : He took all 
 Affronts patiently, and in our Nature triumph 
 ed over Revenge : He was defpifed, fpit upon, 
 buffeted, whipt,, and finally crucified between 
 Thieves, as the greatefl Malefactor j yet he 
 never reviled them, but anfwered all in Silence 
 and SubmifTion, pitying, loving, and dying for 
 thofe by whom he was ignominioufly put to 
 Death. O Mirrour of Humility ! Let your Eyes 
 be continually upon it, that you may fee your- 
 
 E ielves
 
 34 FRUITS of a FATHER S LOVE : 
 
 felves by it. Indeed his whole Life was one con 
 tinued great Act of Self-denial : And becaufe 
 he needed it not for himfelf, he muft needs do 
 it for us ; thereby leaving us an Example that 
 we fhould follow his Steps, i Pet. ii. 21. And 
 as he was, we fhould be, in this World, ac 
 cording to the beloved Difciple, i John ii. 6. 
 So what he did for us, was not to excufe but 
 excite our Humility. For as he is like God, 
 we muft be like him ; and that the Froward, 
 the Contentious, the Revengeful, the Striker, 
 the Dueller, &c. cannot be faid to be of that 
 Number, is very evident. And the more to 
 illuftrate this Virtue, I would have you confider 
 the Folly and Danger of Pride its Oppofit : 
 For this it was that threw the Angels out of 
 Heaven, Man out of Paradife, deftroyed Cities 
 and Nations, was one of the Sins of Sodom t 
 EzeL xvi, 49. the Deftrudtion of Affyria and 
 Ifrael, Ifa. iii. 16. and the Reafon given by 
 God for his great Vengeance upon Moab and 
 Ammon, Zeph. ii, 9, 10. Befides Pride is the 
 Vaineft PafTion that can rule in Man, becaufe 
 he has nothing of his own to be proud of, and 
 to be proud of another s, (hews want of Wit 
 and Honefly too. He did not only not make 
 himfelf, but is born the nakedeft and mofl 
 helplefs ofalmoft all Creatures. Nor can he 
 add to his Days, or Stature, or fo much as 
 make one Hair of his Head white or black. 
 He is fo abfolutely in the Power of another, 
 that, as I have often faid, he is at beft but a 
 
 Tenant
 
 FRUITS of a FATHER S LOVE : &c\ 35 
 
 Tenant at Will of the great Lord of all, hold 
 ing Life, Health, Subftance, and every Thing 
 at his fovereign Difpofal ; and the more Man 
 enjoys, the lefs Reafon he has to be proud, 
 becaufe he is the more endebted and engaged 
 to Thankfulnefs and Humility. 
 
 Wherefore avoid Pride as you would avoid 
 the Devil ; remembring you muft die, and 
 confecpently thofe Things muft die with you 
 that could be any Temptation to Pride ; and 
 that there is a Judgment follows, at which you 
 muft give an Account, both for what you have 
 enjoy d and done. 
 
 . 2. From Humility fprings Meeknefs. Of 
 all the rare Qualities of Wifdom, Learning, 
 Valour, &c. with which Mofes was endued, he 
 was denominated by his Meeknefs : This gave 
 the reft a Luftre they muft otherwife have 
 wanted. The Difference is not great between 
 thefe excellent Graces ; yet the Scripture ob- 
 ferves fome. God will teach the humble his 
 Way, and guide the meek in Judgment. It 
 feems to be Humility perfectly digefted, and 
 from a Virtue become a Nature. A meek Man 
 is one that is not eafily provoked, yet ealily 
 grieved ; not peevifli or tefty, but foft, gentle, 
 and inoffenfive. O blefled will you be, my 
 dear Children, if this Grace adorn you! There 
 are divers great and precious Promifes to the 
 meek in Scriptuce. That God will clothe the 
 
 2 meek
 
 36 FRUITS of a FATHER S LOVE : 
 
 meek with Salvation-, m&-b faffed arc they, for* 
 they fo all inherit the Earth, Pfal. xxxvii. i j, 
 Mat. v. 5. Chrifl: preffes it in his own Example, 
 Learn of me, for I am meek, &c, Mat. xi. 29. 
 And requires his to k come as little Children, in 
 order to Salvation, Mat xviii. 3. and a meek 
 and quiet Spirit is of great Price with the Lord, 
 i Pet. iii. 4. It is a Fruit of the Spirit, GaL 
 
 v. 22, 22. exhorted to, EbheL iv. 2. Col. iii 12, 
 _ ( -j j / 
 
 Tit. iii. 2. and many Places more to the 
 lame Effect. 
 
 , 3. Patience is an Effect of a meek Spirit, 
 and flows from it : It is a bearing and fuffering 
 pifpofition ; not cholerick or foon mov d tq 
 Wrath, or vindictive ; but ready to hear and 
 endure too, rather than be fwift and hafly in 
 Judgment or Adion. Joh is as much famed 
 for this, as was Mcfes for the other Virtue: 
 Without it there is no running the Chrijlian 
 Race, or obtaining the heavenly Crown j with 
 out it there can be no Experience of the Work 
 pf God, Rom, v. 3, 4, 5. For Patience worketb, 
 faith the Apoflle, Experience ; nor Hope of an 
 eternal Recompenfe, for Experience worketh 
 that Hope. Therefore, fays James, Let Patience 
 have its perfect Work, James i. 4. It is made 
 the Saints, Excellency j here is the Patience of 
 the Saints, Rev. xiii. IQ. It is joined with the 
 Kingdom of Chrift Rev. i. 9. read Luke xxi. 
 19. In Patience poffefs your Souls, Rom. xii. 12. 
 #v, 4. 2 Cor. vi* 4. j Thef. v. 14, Be patient 
 
 towards
 
 FRUITS of a FATHER S LOVE : &c. 37 
 
 towards all Men, Tit. ii. 2. Heb.vi. 12. x. 36. 
 which {hews the Excellency and Neceflity of 
 Patience, as that does the true Dignity of a 
 Man. It is wife, and will give you great Ad 
 vantage over thofe you converfe with on all 
 Accounts. For Paffion blinds Men s Eyes, and 
 betrays Men s Weaknefs j Patience fees the 
 Advantage and improves it. Patience enquires, 
 deliberates, and brings to a mature Judgment; 
 through your Civil as well as Chriftian Courfe, 
 you cannot act wifely and fafely without 
 it ; therefore 1 recommend this bleiied Virtue 
 to you. 
 
 . 4. Shew Mercy, whenever it is in your 
 Power ; that is, forgive, pity and help, for fo 
 jt fignif}es. Mercy is one of the Attributes of 
 God, Gen. xix. 19. Exod. xx. 6. P/al. Ixxxvi, 
 15. Jer. iii. 12. It is exalted in Scripture 
 above all his Works, and is a noble Part of his 
 Image in Man. God hath recommended it, 
 Hof. xii. 6. Keep Mercy and Judgment , and 
 wait on the Lord. God hath fliewn it to Man, 
 and made it his Duty, Mic. vi. 8. He hath 
 Jhewed tbee y O Man, what is good : And what 
 doth the Lord require of thee, but to do juftly, 
 and to love Mercy y and to walk humbly, or, to 
 humble thyfelf to walk with thy God : A (hart 
 but ample Exprefllon of God s Love, and 
 Man s Duty ; happy are you if you mind it. 
 In which you fee Mercy is one of the nobleft 
 Virtues. Chrift has a Bleffing for them that 
 have it, Bkffed are the merciful, (Mat. v.) for 
 
 they
 
 38 FRUITS of a FATHER S LOVE : 
 
 they /hall find Mercy ; a ftrong Motive indeed. 
 In Luke vi, 35, 36, he commands it. Be you 
 merciful, as pur Father is merciful. He bid 
 the Jews, that were fo over-righteous, but fo 
 very unmerciful, learn what this meaneth: / 
 will have Mercy and not Sacrifice^ Mat. ix. 13: 
 He hit them in the Eye. And in his Parable 
 of the Lord and his Servants, he mews what 
 will be the End of the unmerciful Steward, 
 Mat. xviii. 34, 35, that having been forgiven 
 much by his Ma fter, would not forgive a little 
 to his Feliow-fervant. Mercy is a great Pact 
 of God s Law, Exod. xxiii. 4, 5. It is a mate 
 rial Part of God s true Faft, Ifa. Iviii. 6, 7. It 
 is a main Part of God s Covenant, Jer. xxxi. 34. 
 Hcb. viii. 12. And the Reafon and Rule of 
 the laft Judgment ; Mat. xxv, 3 I 5 to the End : 
 Pray read it. It is a Part of the unde filed Reli 
 gion, James i. 27. iii. 17. Read Prov. xiv. 
 21, 22. But the merciful Man^s Mercy reaches 
 farther, even to his Beaft ; then furely to Man, 
 his Fellow Creature, he (halt not want it. 
 Wherefore, I charge you, opprefs nobody, Man 
 nor Beaft. Take no Advantage upon the Un 
 happy, pity the Afflicted, make the Cafe your 
 own, and that of their Wives and poor inno 
 cent Children the Condition of yours, and you 
 cannot want Sympathy, Bowels, Forgivenefs, 
 nor a Difpofition to help and fbccour them to 
 your Ability. Remember, it is the Way for 
 you to be forgiven and help d in time of 
 Trial. Read the Lord s Prayer, Luke xi. Re 
 member
 
 FRUITS of a FATHER S LOVE : Gfr. 39 
 
 member the Nature and Goodnefs of Jofepb 
 to his Brethren.; follow the Example of the 
 good Samaritan^ and let Edoms Unkindnefs to 
 Jacob s Stock, Obad. x. 16. And the l&rfWi 
 to Ifrael, Zach. i. 21. ii. 8, 9. be a Warning 
 to you. Read alfo, Prov. xxv. 21, 22. 
 xii. 19, 20. 
 
 . . Charity is a near Neighbour to 
 It is generally taken to confift in this, Not to be 
 cenforiouS) and to relieve the Poor. For the firft, 
 remember you muft be judged, Mat. vii. i. 
 And for the laft, remember you are but Stew 
 ards. Judge not y therefore, kft you be judged. 
 Be clear yourfelves before you fling the Stone. 
 Get the Beam out of your own Eye ; it is 
 humbling Doctrine, but fafe. Judge, therefore, 
 at your own Peril : See it be righteous Judg 
 ment, as you will anfwer it to the great Judge. 
 This Part of Charity alfo excludes Whifperings , 
 Backbiting, Tale-bearing, Evil-furmifing, moll 
 pernicious Follies and Evils, of which beware. 
 Read i Cor. xiii. For the other Part of Charity ^ 
 relieving the Poor, it is a Debt you owe to 
 God : You have all you have or may enjoy, 
 with the Rent-charge upon it. The Saying is, 
 that he who gives to the Poor, lends to the Lord .* 
 But it may be faid, not improperly, the Lord 
 lends to us to give to the Poor : They are at 
 leaft Partners by Providence with you, and 
 have a Right you muft not defraud them of. 
 You have this Privilege indeed,, when, what, 
 
 and
 
 40 FRUITS of a FATHER S LOVE : &c. 
 
 and to whom ; and yet, if you heed your Guide, 
 and obferve the Object, you will have a Rule 
 for that too. 
 
 I recommend little Children, Widows, Infirm 
 and aged Per fons, chiefly to you ; fpare fome- 
 thing out of your own Belly, rather than let 
 theirs go pinch d. Avoid that great Sin of 
 needlefs Expence on your Perfons and on your 
 Houfes, while the Poor are hungry and naked. 
 My Bowels have often been moved, to fee 
 very aged and infirm People, but efpecially, 
 poor helplefs Children, lie all Night, in bitter 
 Weather, at the Thremolds of Doors in the 
 open Streets, for want of better Lodging. I 
 have made this Reflection, If you were Jo ex- 
 fosd, how hard would it be to endure ? The 
 Difference, between our Condition and theirs, 
 has drawn from me humble Thanks to God, 
 and great Companion and fome Supply to thofc 
 poor Creatures. Once more, be good to the 
 Poor : What do I fay ? Be juft to them, and 
 you will be good to yourfelves : Think it your 
 Duty, and do it religioufly. Let the moving 
 PafTage, Mat. xxv. 35. to the End, live in your 
 Minds : / was an hungry, and thirfty, and 
 naked, Jick, and in Prifon, and you adminiflred 
 unto me ; and the Bleffing that followed : Alfo 
 what he faid to another Sort, I was an hungry ^ 
 and thirfty, and naked, and fick, and in Prifon, 
 and you adminiflred not unto me ; for a dreadful 
 Sentence follows to the Hard-hearted World. 
 
 Woe
 
 FRUITS of a FATHER S LoVE : Gfr. 41 
 
 Woe be to them that take the Poor s P ledge > 
 Ezek. xviii. 12, 13. or eat up the Poor s Right* 
 
 devour not their Part ! lefs, lay it out in 
 Vanity, or lay it up in Bags, for it will curfe 
 the reft. Hear what the Pfalmift fays, Pfal. 
 xli. Bleffed is he that con fide reth the Poor, the 
 Lord will deliver kim in Time of Trouble : The 
 Lord ii ill preferue and keep him alive , and he 
 
 flail be blcfjed upon the Earth : And thou wilt 
 not deliver him into the Will of his Enemies. 
 The Lord will (Irengtben him upon the Bed of 
 languishing: Thou wilt make alibis Bed in his 
 Sicknejs. This is the Reward of being faithful 
 Stewards and Treafurers for the Poor of the 
 Earth. Have a Care of Excufes^ they are, 
 
 1 know, ready at hand : But read Prov. iii. 
 27, 28. Witb-bold not good from them to whom 
 it is due y when it is in the Power of thine 
 Hand to do it. Say not unto thy Neighbour, 
 go and come again, and To-morrow I will give, 
 when thou had it by thee t Alfo bear in mind 
 Chrift s Doctrine, Mat. v. 42. Give to him 
 that ajketh tbee^ and from him that would 
 borrow of thce, turn not thou away. But above 
 all, remember the poor Woman that gave her 
 Mite-, which Chrift preferred above all, be- 
 caufe (lie gave all, but it was to God s Trea- 
 fury, Mark xii. 42, 43, 44, 
 
 . 6. Liberality or Bounty is a noble Quality 
 in Man, entertained of few, yet praifed of all 
 but the Covetous diflike it, becaufe it reproaches 
 
 F their
 
 42 FRUITS of a FATHER S LOVE: 
 
 their Sordidnefs. In this (he differs from Cha~ 
 rity, that (he has fotnetimcs other Objects, 
 and exceeds in proportion. For (he will caft 
 her Eye on thole that do not abfolutely want, 
 as well as thole that do ; and always outdoes 
 Neceflities and Services. She finds out Virtue 
 in a low Degree, and exalts it. She cafes their 
 Burden that labour hard to live : Many kind 
 and generous Spells fuch find at her hand, that 
 don t quite want, whom (he thinks worthy. 
 The Decay* d are fure to hear of her. She takes 
 one Child, and puts out another, to lighten 
 the Loads of overcharg d Parents, more to the 
 fatherlefs. She (hews the Value of Services in 
 her Rewards, and is never Debtor to Kind- 
 neffes j but will be Creditor on all Accounts. 
 Where another gives Sixpence, the liberal 
 Man gives his Shilling j and returns double 
 the Tokens he receives. But Liberality keeps 
 temper too j (he is not extravagant any more 
 than {he is fordid ; for me hates Niggard s 
 Feafts as much as Niggard s Fafts ; and as (he 
 is free, and not ftarch t, fo me is plentiful, but 
 not fuperfluous and extravagant. You will hear 
 of her in all Hiftories, efpecially in Scripture, 
 the wifeft as well as beft of Books : Her 
 Excellency and her Reward are there. She is 
 commanded and commended, Deut. xv. 3,4, 
 7, 8, and Pfal. xxxvii. 21, 26. The Righteous 
 jhewetb Mercy and giveth, and the good Man is 
 merciful and ever lendeth. He ftiews Favour 
 and lendeth, and difperfeth abroad^ Pfal. cxii. 5
 
 FRUITS of a FATHER S LOVE : fc. 43 
 
 9. There is that fcatteretb, and yet increafetb ; 
 and there is that with-holdeth more than is meet, 
 but it tendetb to Poverty j the liberal Soul Jball 
 be fat, Prov. xi 24, 25. The bountiful Eye 
 (ball be ble/ed, Prov. xxii 9. The Churl 
 and liberal Man are defcribed, and a Promife to 
 the latter, that his Liberality (hall uphold him, 
 Ifa. xxxii. 78. Chrift makes it a Part of his 
 Religion, and the way to be the Children 
 of the Higheft, ( readL* vi. 34, 35. ) to lend 
 and not receive again, and this to Enemies as 
 well as Friends ; yea, to the unthankful and 
 to the evil ; no Exception made, no Excufe 
 admitted. The Apoftle Paul, 2 Cor. ix. 5, jo. 
 enjoins it, threatens the Strait-handed, and 
 promifes the Open-hearted a liberal Reward. 
 
 Wherefoever therefore, my faar Children, 
 Liberality is required of you, God enabling of 
 you, fow not fparingly nor grudgingly, but 
 with a cheerful Mind, and you (hall not go 
 without your Reward ; though that ought not 
 to be your Motive. But avoid Oftentation, for 
 that is ufing Virtue to Vanity, which will run 
 you to Profufenefs, and that to Want ; which 
 begets Greedinefs, and that Avarice, the con 
 trary Extream. As Men may go Weftward 
 till they come Eaft, and travel till they and 
 thofe they left behind them, fland Antipodes, 
 Up and down. 
 
 F2 . 7 .
 
 44 FRUITS of <? FATHER S LOVE : &c, 
 
 . 7. Juftice or Right eoufnefs, is another 
 Attribute of God, Dtf. xxxii. 4. PfaLix.j 
 8, v. 8. .D<z#. ix. 7. of large Extent in the 
 JLifeand Duty of Man. Be jufl therefore, in 
 all Things, to all; to God as your Creator ; 
 render to him that which is his, your Hearts ; 
 for that Acknowledgment he has referved to 
 himfelf, by which only you are intituled to 
 the Comforts of this and a better Life. And 
 if he has your Hearts, you have him for your 
 Trealure, ana with him all Things requifite 
 to your Felicity. Render a ifo to Ctefar that 
 which is his, lawful Subj.tion- t not for Fear 
 only, but Con fcienccr fake. To Parents, a. filial 
 Love and Obedience. To one another, natural 
 direction. To all People, in doing as you would 
 be done by. Hurt no Man s Name or Peifon. 
 Covet no Man s Property in any fort. Confider 
 well of Davids Tender nefs to Saul, when he 
 fought his Life, to excite your Duty ; and 
 St/ja& s unjufl Covetoufnefs and Murder of 
 ffiabtiht to provoke your Abhorrence of In- 
 juftice. David, though anointed King, took 
 no Advantages ; he believ d, and therefore did 
 not make hade, but left it to God to conclude 
 Sflufs Reign, for he would not haflen it. A 
 right Method and a good End, my dear Chil 
 dren, God has fhevvu it you, and requires it 
 olyou, 
 
 Remember the lenth Commandment, twas 
 God that gave it, and will j^dge you by it. 
 
 It
 
 FRUITS 0/V FATHER S LOVE : Gfo 45 
 
 It comprehends Re/litution as well as Acquifition, 
 and efpecially the poor Man s Wages, Lev. xix. 
 .13. Deut. xxiv. 14, 15, Jer. xxii. 13. Amos 
 v. ii. Mai. iii. 5. Samuel is a great and good 
 Example of Righteoufnefs, i Sam. xii. 3. He 
 challenged the whole Houfe of IJrael, Whom 
 he had opprejjed or defrauded ? The like did the 
 Apoftle to the Corinthians^ 2 Cor. vii. 2. He 
 exhorted the Chriftians to be careful that they 
 did not defraud, I Thef. iv. 6, for this Reafon, 
 that God was the Avenger of the injured. But 
 as bad as it was, there muft be no going to 
 Law among/! Chriftians, i Cor. vi. 7. To your 
 utmoft Power, therefore, owe no one any 
 Thing but Love, and that in Prudence as well 
 as Righteoufnefs j for Juftice gives you Repu 
 tation, and adds a Bleffing to your Subftance; 
 it is the bed Security you can have for it. 
 
 I will clofe this Head, with a few Scriptures 
 to each Branch. To your Superiors ; Submit 
 to every Ordinance of Man y for the Lord s Sake, 
 i Pet. ii. 13. Obey thofe that have Rule over 
 ycu, Heb. xiii. 17. Speak not evil of Dignities^ 
 Jude viii. 2 Pet. ii. iq. My Son y jear thou the 
 Lord and the Ki?2g y and meddle not with them 
 that are given to change , Prov. xxiv. 2 i. 
 
 To your Parents ; Honour your Father and 
 
 your Mother , that the Days may be long in the 
 
 Land, which the Lord your GodjhaHgive you. 
 
 Exod. xx. 12. Children, obey your Parents, it 
 
 is
 
 46 FRUITS of a FATHER S LOVE : 
 
 is the firft Command with Promife, Ephef. vi. r. 
 2. Great Judgments follow thofe that difobey 
 this Law, and defraud their Parents of their 
 Due : Whofo robbeth his Father or his Mother^ 
 and faith it h no Tranfgre/Jion, the fame is the 
 Companion of a Deftroyer t Prov. xxviii. 24. Or 
 fucfi would deftroy their Parents if they could. 
 It is charged by the Prophet Ezekiel upon 
 yeru/alem> as a Mark of her wicked State : 
 In thee have thy Princes /et lightly by Father 
 and Mother , opprejfed Str -anger s y and vexed 
 Fatherlefs and Widows^ Ezek. xxii. 6, 7. 
 
 To thy Neighbour; hear what God s Ser 
 vants taught : To do Juftice and Judgment, is 
 more acceptable to the Lord than Sacrifice, Prov. 
 xx i. 3. Divers Weights and Me a fur es are alike 
 Abomination unto the. Lord^ Levit. xix. 36. 
 Deut. xxv. 13, to 1 6, inclufive. Prov. xi. I. xx. 
 10, 23. Read Prcv. xxii. 16, 22, 23. xxiii. 
 10, n. Perufe the fixth of Mica h ; alfo Zecb. 
 viii. 16, 17. And efpecially the fifteenth Pfalm, 
 as a {hort but full Meafure of Life, to give 
 Acceptance with God. 
 
 I have faid but little to you of diftributing 
 yufiice, or being jujl in Power or Government ; 
 for I fhould defire you may never be con 
 cerned therein, unlefs it were upon your own 
 Principles, and then the lefs the better, unlefs 
 God require it from you. But if it ever be 
 your Lot, know no Man after the Flefi ; know 
 
 neither
 
 FRUITS of a FATHER S LOVE : fa 47 
 
 neither Rich nor Poor, Great nor Small, nor 
 Kindred, nor Stranger, but the Cauje, accord 
 ing to your Underftanding and Conscience, 
 and that upon deliberate Enquiry and Informa 
 tion. Read Exod. xxiii. from I, to 10. Dent. i. 
 16. 17. xvi. 19, 20. xxiv. 17. 2 Sam xxiii. 3. 
 Jer. xxii. 3, 4. Prov. xxiv. 23. Lam. iii. 35. 
 36. H0/. xii. 6. A mot viii. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. .Zfp/k 
 ii. 3. iii. i, 3. Zfc. vii. 9, 10. Jer. v. 4, 5, 6. 
 viii. 6, 7. Which (hew both God s Command* 
 and Complaints, and Man s >#/y in Authority ; 
 which, as I laid before, wave induftriouily at 
 all times, for Privacy is freed from the Cla 
 mour, Danger, Incumbrance and Temptation, 
 that attends Stations in Government : Never 
 meddle with it, but for God s Sake, 
 
 . 8. Integrity is a great and commendable 
 Virtue. A Man of Integrity, is a true Man, 
 a bold Man, and a fteady Man ; he is to be 
 trufted and relied upon. No Bribes can cor 
 rupt him, no Fear daunt him j his Word is 
 flow in coming, but fare. He mines brightefl 
 in the Fire, and his Friend hears of him 
 moft when he moft needs him. His Courage 
 grows with Danger, and conquers Oppofhion 
 by Conftancy. As he cannot be flatter d or 
 frighted into that he diflikes, fo he hates Flat 
 tery and Temporizing in others. He runs with 
 Truth, and not with the Times j with Right, 
 and not with Might. His Rule is ftrait j foon 
 j cen, but jddom Jolhivd : It has done great 
 
 Things,
 
 48 FRUITS of a FATHER S LOVE i 
 
 Things. It was Integrity prefer d AbeTs Offer-* 
 ing, tranflated Enoch, faved Noah, raifed Abra 
 ham to be God s Friend, and Father of a great 
 Nation, refcued Lot out of Sodom, blefTed and 
 cncreafed Jacob, kept and exalted Jofeph, up 
 held and reftor d Job, honour d Samuel before 
 Jfrael, crowned David over all Difficulties, 
 and gave Solomon Peace and Glory, while he 
 kept it ; it was this pr^ferv d Mordecai and his 
 People, and fignally defended Daniel among 
 the Lyons, and the Children in the Flames, 
 that it drew from the greateft King upon 
 Earth, and an Heathen too, a moft pathetical 
 Confeffion to the Power and Wifdom of the 
 God that faved them > and which they ferved* 
 Thus is the Scripture fulfilled, The Integrity of 
 the Upright ffi all guide them, Prov. xi. 3. O my 
 dear Children, fear, love and obey this great, 
 holy, and unchangeable God, and you fhall be 
 happily guided, and preferved through your 
 Pilgrimage to eternal Glory. 
 
 . 9. Gratitude or Thank fulnefs, is another 
 Virtue of great Luftre, and fo efteemed with 
 God and all good Men : It is an owning of 
 Benefits receiv d, to their Honour and Service 
 that confer them. It is indeed a noble fort of 
 Juftice, and might, in a Senfe, be refer d as a 
 Branch to that Head ; with this Difference, 
 though, that lince Benefits exceed Juftice, the 
 Tye is greater to be grateful, than to be juft ; 
 and confequently there is fomething bafer and 
 
 more
 
 FRUITS of a FATHER S LOVE : t$c. $9 
 
 more reproachful in Ingratitude than Injuftice". 
 So that, though you are n ot obliged by legal 
 Bonds or Judgments, to Reftitution with due 
 Intereft, your Virtue^ Honour and Humanity, 
 are naturally Pledges for your Thankfulnefs ; 
 and by how much the lefs you are undjer 
 external Ties, efteem your inward Ties fo 
 much the ftronger. Thofe that can break them, 
 would know no bounds : For, make it a Rule 
 to you, the Ungrateful would be unjufl too, but 
 for Pear of the Law. Always own therefore 
 the Benefits you receive, and then to chufe, 
 when they may moilhonouror ferve thofe that 
 conferred them. Some have lived to need the 
 Favours they have done ; and mould they be 
 put to ajk, where they ought to be invited % 
 No matter if they have nothing to (hew for ir, 
 they mew enough when they mew themfelves 
 to thofe they have obliged : And fuch fee 
 enough to induce their Gratitude, when they 
 fee their Benefactors in Sldver/ity ; the lefs 
 Law, the more Grace and the ftronger Tye. 
 It is an Evangelical Virtue, and works, as 
 Faith does, only by Love : In this it exactly 
 refembles a Cbriflian State j we are not under 
 the Law, but under Grace, and it s by Grace, 
 and not by Merit, that we are faved. But are 
 our Obligations the lefs to God, that he heaps 
 his Favours fo undefervedly upon us ? Surely 
 no. It is the like here ; that which we re 
 ceive is not owed or compelled, but freely given \ 
 fo no Tye, but Choice, a voluntary Goodnefs 
 
 G without
 
 jo FRUITS of a FATHER S LOVE : 
 
 without Bargain or Condition ; but, has this 
 therefore no Security ? Yes certainly, the 
 greateft j a Judgment-Writ^ and acknowledged 
 in the Mind ; he is his to the Altar with a good 
 Confcience : But how long ? As long as he 
 lives. The Characters of Gratitude, like thofe 
 of Friendfhip, are only defaced by Death, elfe 
 indelible. A Friend lovetb at all Times, fays 
 Solomon, Prov. xvii. 17. xxvii. 10. And thine 
 own Friend, and thy Father s Friend, forfake 
 not. It is Injuftice which makes Gratitude a 
 Precept. There are three Sorts of Men that 
 can hardly be grateful ; the fearful Man, for 
 in Danger he loies his Heart, with which he 
 fhould help his Friend : The proud Man, for 
 he takes that Virtue for a Reproach : He that 
 unwillingly remembers he owes any Thing to 
 God, will not readily remember he is beholden 
 to Man. Hiftory lays it to the Charge of fome, 
 of this Sort of great Men, that uneafy to fee 
 the Authors of their Greatnefs, have not been 
 quiet till they have accomplifhed the ruin of 
 thofe that raifed them. Laftly, the covetous 
 Man is as ill at it as the other two ; his Gold 
 has fpoiled his Memory, and won t let him 
 dare be grateful, though perhaps he owes the 
 belt Part, at leaft the Beginning of it, to 
 another s Favour. As there is nothing more 
 unworthy in a Man, fo nothing in Man fo 
 frequently reproached in Scripture. How often 
 does God put the Jews in mind for their For- 
 getfulnefs and Unthankfulnefs for the Mercies 
 
 and
 
 FRUITS of a FATHER S LOVE : &c. 51 
 
 ind Favours they received from him, read 
 Deut. xxxiL 15. Jefurun waxed fat, and 
 kick d againft God, grew unmindful, forgot 
 and forfook his Rock, that had done mighty 
 Things tor him. Thus Mojes, Deut. xxxi. 16, 
 17. Mfo Judges x. ii, 12, 13. And i Sam. 
 viii. 8. David likewife in his Ixxviii, cv, cvi. 
 Pfalms, gives an Hiftory of God s Love to 
 I/raet, and their I igratitude. So Ifa. xvii. j, 
 to ii. Likewife *J r ii. 31, 32. v. 7, to 20. 
 xv. 6. xvi. 10, ii, 12, 20, 21. xviii. 15. Hof. 
 viii. 9. It is a Mark of Apoftacy from Chnf- 
 tianity, by the Apoftle, 2 jjjfc iii. 2. 
 
 . 10. Diligence is another Virtue ufeful 
 and laudable among Men : It is a difcreet 
 and underftanding Application of one s felf to 
 Bufinefs j and avoids the Extreams of Idlenefs 
 and Drudgery. It gives great Advantages to 
 Men : It lofes no Time, it conquers Difficul 
 ties, recovers Difappointments, gives Difpatch, 
 fupplies want of Parts ; and is that to them, 
 which a Pond is to a Spring } though it has no 
 Water of itfelf, it will keep what it gets, and 
 is never dry. Though that has the Heels, this 
 has the Wind ; and often wins the Prize. 
 Nor does it only concern Handicrafts and 
 bodily Affairs ; the Mind is alfo engaged, and 
 grows fcul, rufty and diftemper d without it. 
 It belongs to you, throughout your whole 
 Man ; be no more lantering in your Minds 
 than in your Bodies. And if you would have 
 
 G the
 
 2, FRUITS of a FATHER S LOVE . 
 
 the full Benefit of this Virtue, don t baulk it 
 by a confufed Mind. Shun Diver/ion* ; think 
 only of the prefent Bufinefs, till that be done. 
 Be bufy to purpofe ; for a bufy Man, and a 
 Man of Bufinefs, are two different Things. 
 Lay your Matters right, and Diligence fuo 
 ceeds them, elfe Pains is loft. How laborious 
 are fome to no purpofe ? Confider your End 
 well, fuit your Means to it, and then diligently 
 employ them, and you arrive where you would 
 be, with God s Bleffing. Solomon praifes Dili 
 gence very highly : Firft, it is the Way to 
 Wealth ; The diligent Hand makes rich, Prov. 
 x. 4 . The Soul of the Diligent jhall be made fat , 
 Chap. xiii. 4. There is a Promife to it, and 
 one of another Sort to the Sluggard, Chap, xxiii. 
 21. Secondly, it prefers Men, Ver 29. See/I 
 thou a Man diligent in his Bujinefs, he Jhall 
 ftand before Kings. Z-biirdfy, it preferves an 
 Eftate : Be thou diligent to know the State of 
 thy Flocks, and look well to thy Herd ; for Riches 
 are not for ever, Chap, xxvii. 23,24. There 
 is no living upon the Principal, you muft be 
 diligent to preferve what you have, whether it 
 be Acquifition or Inheritance ; elfe it will 
 confume. In {liort, the wife Man advifes, 
 What lower thy Hand finds to do, do it with thy 
 Might, Eccl. ix. 10. As it mends a temporal 
 State, no fpiritual one can be got or kept 
 without it. Mofes earneftly prcffes it upon the 
 J/raeIites y Deut. iv. 9, and vi. 7. The Apoftle 
 l y aul commends it in the Corintbiazs, and ^itus 
 
 to
 
 FRUITS of a FATHER S LOVE : Gfr. 5-3 
 
 to them for that Reafon, 2 Cor. viii. 7.22. So 
 he does Timothy to the Philippians on the fame 
 Account, and urges them to work out their 
 Salvation, Phil. ii. 12, 20, 21. Peter alfo ex 
 horts the Churches to that purpofe : Wherefore 
 the rather. Brethren, fays he, give Diligence to 
 make your Calling and Election fare , for if you 
 do theft Things, you Jh all never fail, 2 Pet. i. 10. 
 and in Chap. iii. 13, 14. Wherefore, Beloved, 
 feeing you look for facb Things ; ( the End of 
 the World and laft Judgment ) be diligent that 
 you may be found of him in Peace, without Spot 
 and blamekjs, Thus Diligence is an approved 
 Virtue : But remember, that is a reasonable 
 Purfuit or Execution of honeft Purpofes, and 
 not an over-charging or oppreflive Profecution 
 to Mind or Body, of moft lawful Enterprizes. 
 Abufe it not therefore to Ambition or Avarice. 
 Let Neceffity, Charity, and Conveniency go 
 vern it, and it will be well employ d, and you 
 may expedt profperous Returns. 
 
 . ii. Frugality is a Virtue too, and not of 
 little Ufe in Life, the better Way to be rich, 
 for it has lefs Toil and Temptation. It is pro 
 verbial, a Penny Jaifdis a Penny got : It has a 
 fignificant Moral ; for this Way of getting is 
 more in your own Power, and lefs (ubjec~t to 
 Hazard, as well as Snares, free of Envy, void 
 of Suits, and is before-hand with Calamities. 
 For many get that cannot keej), and for want 
 of Frugality fpend what they get, and fo come 
 
 to
 
 54 FRUITS of a FATHER S LOVE : 
 
 to want what they have jfpent. But have a 
 care of^the Extream : Want not with Abun 
 dance, for that is Avarice, even to Sordidnejs ; 
 it is fit you confider Children, Age and Cafual- 
 ties, but never pretend thofe Things to palliate 
 and gratify Covetoulhefs. As I would have 
 you liberal but not prodigal ; and diligent but 
 not drudging ; fo I would have you frugal but 
 not fordid. If you can lay up one Half of 
 yo-;r Income for thofe Ufes, in which let 
 Charity have at leaft the fecond Confideration ; 
 but not Juda$ $ y for that was in the wrong 
 Place, 
 
 , I . Temperance I muft earneftly recom* 
 mend to you, throughout the whole Courfe of 
 your Life : It is numbered amongft the Fruits 
 cf the Spirit > Gal. xxii. 23, and is a great and 
 requifite Virtue. Properly and ftrictly fpeak^ 
 ing, it refers to Diet ; but, in general, may be 
 conflder d as having Relation to all the Affec 
 tions and Practices of Men. I will therefore 
 begin with it in regard to Food, the Senfe in 
 which it is cuftomarily taken. Eat to live, and 
 not live to eat, for that s below a Beaft. Avoid 
 Curioficies and \Provocations ; let your chiefeft 
 Sauce be a good Stomach, which Temperance 
 will help to get you. You cannot be too 
 plain in your Diet, fo you are clean ; nor too 
 fparing, fo you have enough for Nature. For 
 that which keeps the Body low, makes the 
 Spirit clear, as Silence makes it ftrong. It 
 
 conduces
 
 FRUITS of a FATHER S LOVE : Gfr. $$ 
 
 conduces to good Digeftion, that to good Reft, 
 and that to a firm Conftitution. Much lets 
 feaft any, except the Poor ; as Chrift taught, 
 Luke xiv. 12, 13. For Entertainments arc 
 rarely without Sin ; but receive Strangers rea 
 dily. As in Diet fo in- Apparel, obferve, I 
 charge you, an exemplary Plainnefs. Chufe 
 your Cloathes for their Ufefulnefs, not the 
 Fafhion, and for Covering and not Finery, 
 or to pleafe a vain Mind in yourfelves or 
 others : They are fallen Souls that think 
 Clothes can give Beauty to Man. The Life is 
 more than Raiment , Mat. vi. 25. Man cannot 
 mend God s Work, who can give neither Life 
 nor Parts. They (hew little Efteem for the 
 Wifdom and Power of their Creator, that 
 under-rate his Workmanfhip (I was going to 
 fay, bis Image) to a Taylor s Invention : Grofe 
 Folly and Profanity ! But do you, my dear 
 Children, call to mind who they were of old, 
 that ye/us (aid, took fo much Care about what 
 they mould eat, drink, and put on. Were 
 they not Gentiles, Heathens, a People without 
 God in the World ? read Mat. vi. and when 
 you have done that, perufe thofe excellent Paf- 
 fages of the Apoftles Paul and Peter, i Tim. 
 ii, 9, 10, and i Pet. iii. 3, 5. where, if you 
 find the Exhortation to Women only, conclude 
 it was effeminate, and a Sharne then for Men 
 to ufe fuch Arts and Cod upon their Perfons. 
 Follow you the Example of thole primitive 
 Chriftiam, and not voluptuous Gentiles, that 
 
 perverted
 
 56 FRUITS of a FATHER S LOVE : &c. 
 
 perverted the very Order of Things : For they 
 fet Luft above Nature, and the Means above 
 the End, and preferred Vanity to Conveniency ; 
 a wanton Excefs that has no Senfe of God s 
 Mercies, and therefore cannot make a right 
 Ufe of them, and lefs yield the Returns they 
 deferve. In fhort, thefe Intemperances are great 
 Enemies to Health and to Pofterity ; for they 
 difeafe the Body, rob Children, and difappoint 
 Charity, and are of evil Example ; very catch 
 ing, as well as pernicious Evils. Nor do they 
 end there : They are iucceeded by other Vices, 
 which made the Apoftle put them together in 
 his Epiftle to the Galat ians, Chap. v. 20, 2 i. 
 The evil Fruits of this Part of Intemperance, 
 are fo many and great, that upon a ferious Re- 
 fkclion, I believe there is not a Country, 
 Town, or Family^ almofl, that does not labour 
 under the Mifchief of it. I recommend to your 
 Perufal the fir ft Part of No Crofs no Crown, 
 and of the Addrefs to Proteftants, in which I 
 am more Particular in my Cenfure of it : As 
 are the Authorities I bring in Favour of Mode 
 ration. But the Virtue of Temperance does not 
 only regard eating, drinking, and dpperel.\ but 
 Furniture, Attendance, Expence, Gain, Parfimo- 
 ny, Bujinefs, Diver/ion, Company, Speech, Sleep 
 ing, thatchings ; and every Paffion of the Mind, 
 Love, Anger, Pleafure, Joy, Sorrow, Refent- 
 ment, are all concern d in it : Therefore bound 
 your Defires, learn your Wills Subjection, take 
 Chrift for your Example, as well as Guide. It 
 
 was
 
 FRUITS of a FATHER S LOVE : Gfc. 57 
 
 \vas he that led and taught a Life of Faith in 
 Providence, and told his Difciples the Danger 
 of the Cares and Pleafures of this World ; they 
 choaked the Seed of the Kingdom, ftifled and 
 extinguifhed Virtue in the Soul, and rendered 
 Man barren of good Fruit. His Sermon upon 
 the Mount is one continued divine Authority 
 in favour of an univerfal Temperance. The 
 Apoftle, well aware of the Neceffity of this 
 Virtue, gave the Corinthians a feafonable Cau 
 tion. Know ye not, lays he, that they which 
 run in a Race, run all, but one receiveth the 
 Prize ? So run t that ye may obtain. And every 
 Man that ftriveth for Ma/iery, (or feeketh 
 Victory) is Temperate in all Things : (he acts 
 difcreetly, and with a right Judgment.) Now, 
 they do it to obtain a corruptible Crown, but wa 
 an incorruptible. I therefore fo run as not un 
 certainly j fo fight I, not as one that beateth the 
 Air : But I keep under my Body, and bring it 
 Into Subjection j left that by any Means, when I 
 have preached to others, I my/elf foould become 
 a Caftaway, i Cor. ix. 25, 27. In another 
 Chapter he preffes the Temperance almoft to 
 Indifference : But this I fay. Brethren^ the Timt 
 is Jhort : It remaineth then, that both they that 
 have Wives, be as though they bad none ; and 
 thoj e that weep, as though they wept not ; and 
 they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not ; 
 and they that u/e this World, as not abufing it. 
 And all this is not without Reafon : He gives 
 a ver y gd one for it. For, faith he, the 
 
 li Faftion
 
 5$ FRUITS of a FATHER S LOVE : 
 
 Fafoion of the World paffeth away : But / 
 would have you without Carefulness, i Cor. vii. 
 29, 32. It was for this Caufe he.prefs d it fo 
 hard upon Titus to warn the Elders of that 
 time to be fiber, grave, temperate. Tit. ii. 2. 
 not eager, violent, obllinate, tenacious, or 
 inordinate in any fort. He makes it an indif- 
 peniible Duty in Paftors of Churches, that 
 they be not Self -willed, foon angry, given to 
 Wine or Jilt by Lucre, but Lovers of Hcfpitality, 
 of good Men, fober, juft, holy, temperate, Tit. i, 
 7, 8. And why fo ? Becaufe againft thefe ex 
 cellent Viitues there is no Law, Gal. v. 23. 
 
 I will (hut- up this Mead (being touch d upon 
 in divers Places of this ADVICE) with this 
 one moft comprehenfive Paffage of the Apoftle, 
 Philip iv. -<j. Let your Moderation be known 
 -unto all Men, for the Lord is at hand. As if 
 he had laid, Take heed -, look to your Ways\ 
 bave a care what ye do -, for the Lord is near 
 you, even at the- Door : Pie fees you, he marks 
 your Steps, tells your Wanderings, and he will 
 judge you. Let this excellent, this home and 
 cloie Sentence live in your Minds : Let it ever 
 dwell upon your Spirits, my beloved Children, 
 and influence all your Actions, ay, your Af 
 fections and Thoughts. It is a noble Meafure, 
 fufficient to regulate the whole ; they that 
 have it are eafy as well as fafe. No Extream 
 prevails ; the World is kept at Arm s End ; 
 fuch have Power over their own Spirits, 
 
 which
 
 FRUITS of a FATHER S LOVE : 
 
 which gives them the truefl Enjoyment of 
 themfelves and what they have : A Dominion 
 greater than that of Empires. O may this 
 Virtue be yours ! You have Grace from God 
 for that End, and it is fufEcient : Employ it, 
 and you cannot mifs of Temperance, nor 
 therein of the trueft Happinefs in all your 
 Conduit. 
 
 .13. I have cholen to fpeak in the Lan 
 guage of the Scripture ; which is that of the 
 Holy Ghoft, the Spirit of Truth and Wifdom, 
 that wanted no Art or Direction of Man to 
 fpeak by, and exprefs itfelf fitly to Man s Un- 
 derftanding. But yet that bleffed Principle, 
 the eternal Word I begun with to you, and 
 which is that Light, Spirit, Grace and Truth, 
 I have exhorted you to in all its holy Appear 
 ances or Manifestations in yourfelves, by which 
 all Things were at firft made, and Men en- 
 lightned to Salvation, is Pytbagorafs great 
 Light and Salt of Ages ; Anaxagorass divine 
 Mind; Socrates s good Spirit j lim&m * unbe- 
 gotten Principle, and Author of all Light : 
 Hierons God in Man ; Plato* eternal, inef 
 fable and perfeft Principle of Truth ; Zeno s 
 Maker and Father of ail ; and Plotin s Root 
 of the Soul : Who, as they thus ftiled the 
 Eternal Word^ fo the Appearance of it in 
 Man, wanted not very fignificant Words. A 
 domeflick God, or God within, fays Hieron, 
 Pythagoras, Epiffeius and Seneca; Genius, 
 
 Angel
 
 60 FRUITS of a FATHER S I.OVE ; 
 
 Angel or Guide, fay Socrates and 
 the Light and Spirit of God, fays Plato ; the 
 divine Principle in Man, fays Plotin ; the di 
 vine Power and Reafon, the infallible immortal 
 Law in the Minds of Men, fays Phi to j and 
 the Law and living Rule of the MinH, the 
 interior Guide of the Soul, and everlafting 
 Foundation of Virtue, fays Plutarch. Of which 
 you may read more in the firft Part of the 
 Chriftian Quaker, and in the Confutation of 
 Atheifm> by Dr. Cudworth. Thefe were fome 
 of thofe virtuous Gentiles, commended by the 
 Apoftle, Rom. ii. 13, 14, 15, that though they 
 had not the Law given to them, as the yews 
 had, with thofe inftrumental Helps and Ad 
 vantages, yet, doing by Nature the Things 
 contained in the Law, they became a Law 
 unto themfelves. 
 
 FINIS.
 
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