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To Samuel Phillips Junr. and
Elizabeth his Wife:

My dear Children,

Because I would discover my affection to-
wards you, and my concern for your wellfare
all the ways I am capable, Therefore
I shall do it now by Writing, (as well as
other ways, at other times, as there shall
be occasion and according to my ability).

And without any further Preface,
let me in the first place Exhort you
(as a Father his Children) to be very thank-
ful from day to day, to the most High,
[who?] is your Father in Heaven, for his ma-
[...], many undeserved favours towards
you, As, for your Education in a Land
of light, and the Continuance of your rea-
son and understanding, for your health &
strength in so good a measure; and that
it has pleased God in his all-governing pro-
vidence, to bring you (not withstanding ye.
Oppositions & Discouragements Cast in your
way) into so near a Relation to each other,
and that now you live together in Love,
and to mutual satisfaction: Also that you
have been so far withheld from sin, and
so disposed to tread in the paths of vertue, as
that you have, by ye grace of God, hitherto
[pre]served your reputation unsully'd:
Also that you are inclined to be diligent and
[pro]vident, each one, in the managment of
[yo]ur affairs; and that you are, I hope,
[in] such business as gives you a fair pros-
[p]ect of getting, by ye blessing of God, an
[ ? ] and a comfortable Livelihood in ye
[wo]rld, yea, of having eno' and something
[to] spare to ye poor & needy; -- But above
[all] if God has begun ye good work, a work
[of] grace in you (as I would hope he has)
[be] Thankfull, very Thankfull for that,
[and] for all ye Opportunities wch. you are
[ ?]ysd with in order to render you sted-
[fast][ and to promote your Growth in Grace.
'
I do not pretend to reckon up all the
[mer]cies of God towards you; if I would de-
[ ? ] and speak of ym, they are more than
[I have] numbered. But, in a word, maintain
[a] thankfull frame of spirit, not only at
[pres]ent, but even under all circumstances &
all conditions of Life. In all things
[unto?] the Apostle) Give Thanks, for thine is ye
[will] of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

[Secon]dly, Let me in Love and with Ten-
[d]erness Exhort you to Examine your
selves, whether Christ be in you of a truth
(i.e.) whether you have his spirit pre-
vailing in you, even, an unfeigned desire
to

to please God; and in order hereto, [??]
make it your constant care to follow ye
example and to observe ye laws of your
great Lord and Saviour, and this from a du-
tifull regard to his authority, and from a
principle of Love to him& to his ways: And

In a word, Is sin most base, odious, and
abominable in your eye Because it is directly
contrary to ye pure nature and ye holy Will of
God, and ye abominable thing wch. his soul
hates? And is Christ altogether lovely and ye
chief of ten thousands in your account, infi-
nitely more amiable than you are to one
another? And do you prefer his favour even
before Life it self, and make choice of him
as your Lord & your God, highly esteeming his
person as well as his portion; and desiring to be
instructed and governed as well as to be sa-
ved by him and resolving (by his help) to
submit to his providential & disposing, as
well as to his revealed & commanding will?

In such wise, I beseech you to examine
your selves; and look well to it that your heart
be right with God; be not deceived, God can't
be imposed upon : Surely it becomes us to be
jealous over our selves, so far as frequently
to search our own hearts, and try our ways
and to be importunate with God, in prayer,
That he would be pleasd to search & try us
and to discover, if there by any evil way in
us, and to turn us from it, and lead us inye
way Everlasting.

And as you would maintain a comforta-
ble Evidence of your own
sincerity, Be Exhorted Thirdly to exer-
cise your selves to have always a Conscience
void of Offence towards God & Man: -- Not
only wait seriously & devoutly at ye posts of
wisdom's doors (on all opportunities) for the
Blessing, and with a desire to find Christ, and
enjoy Communion with him in his Ordinances;

But moreover be Constant at your Fa-
mily and closet devotion, morning & evening
Consulting ye Oracles of God as well as spread-
ing your requests before him, and in your
joint worship singing his praises. And
I beseech you to Esteem the Time thus spent
to be time redeemed, and not time [ ? ]
wasted:

O let those words of [ ? ]
Saviour be often sounding in your E[ar] [ ? ]
seek first ye Kingdom of God and his [ ? ]-
ness, (the Text which my son preach[ ? ]
seek first, that is, first in ye m[orning]
and early in the evening too if pos[sible] [ ? ]
in the first of your days or in your [ ? ]
and first or principally, before and [above]
all things else, postponing and sub[ ? ]-
ing all your secular interests and con[ ? ]
to that of seeking and serving God, as b[eing]
ye one thing needfull, and which if you [ ? ]
regard and make a Business of your [ ? ]
humbly expect that God will feed & c[lothe]
you, and add all these things to you [ ? ]