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As for your religion, let it be directed by those who are in God's church the proper teachers of it, rather than by your own fancy, or by men who are singular in their opinions, and delight to go in ways of their own finding out: you will certainly find soberness and truth in the one, and much unsteadiness and vanity in the other.

The king, I trust, will deal graciously with you, and restore to you those honours and that fortune, of which a distempered time has deprived you, together with the life of your father: which I rather advise may be by a new gift and creation from himself, than by any other means, in order that you may pay thanks to him, without having obligation to any other.

Be sure you avoid, as much as you can, inquiring after those who have been sharp in their judgments towards me; and I charge you never to suffer a thought of revenge to enter your heart. But be careful to inform yourself who were my friends in this prosecution; and apply yourself to make them your friends also: on them you may rely, and bestow much of your conversation.

God Almighty of his infinite goodness bless you, and your sisters; perfect you in every good work; and give you right understandings in all things! I am your most loving father,

THOMAS WENTWORTH.

You must not fail to behave yourself towards my lady Clare, your grandmother, with all duty and observance, for she loves you most tenderly; and she has been very kind to me. God reward her for it; and in this and all the rest, what I counsel you, the same I direct also to your sisters. And once more I do, from my very soul, beseech

our gracious God, to bless and govern you; to save you in the day of his visitation; and to unite us again in the communion of his blessed saints, where there is fullness of joy and bliss for ever.

Sir Matthew Hale to his Children.-On leading a religious life.

DEAR CHILDREN,

I intended to be at Alderly this Whitsuntide, desirous to renew those counsels which I have often given you, for the everlasting welfare of your souls, and the due ordering of your lives and conversation. Young people are apt, through their own indiscretion, or the ill advice of others, to think such counsels dry and empty, the morose and needless interpositions of old age. But I am persuaded they will find better acceptance from you and give me leave to tell you, they are of more importance, than external gifts and bounties; in which, nevertheless, I have not been wanting to you, according to my ability.

Therefore, since I can not at this time deliver my advice to you in person, I shall do it by letter; in which I shall confine myself to those things only that are of most present use and moment to you. By your due observance of my directions, I shall have a good opinion of your dutifulness to God, your obedience to your father, and also of your discretion and prudence; for it is certain, that as religion is the best means to advance and dignify human nature, so no man can be either truly wise or happy without it, and the love of it even in this life, much less in that which is to

come.

Every morning and evening, humbly commend yourselves to Almighty God, in prayer, implore

his mercy to pardon your sins, his grace to direct you, and his providence to protect you.

Every morning and evening, read seriously and reverently a portion of the Holy Scriptures; and acquaint yourselves with the history and the doctrine which it contains. It is a book full of light and wisdom; it will make you wise to eternal life; and it will furnish you with directions and principles to guide and order your conduct safely and prudently.

Be strict and religious observers of the Lord's day. Resort to your parish-church twice that day, if your health will permit; and attend diligently and reverently to the public prayers and sermons. They can not reasonably expect a blessing from God during the rest of the week, who neglect their duty in the due consecration of this day, to the special service of God, which the day requires.

Be very careful to moderate your passions, especially anger; it inflames the blood, disorders the brain, and, for the time, exterminates not only religion, but common reason.

Receive the blessings of God with much thankfulness to him; for he is the fountain of all the good which you do or can receive.

Bear all afflictions and crosses patiently. The great God of heaven and earth is he who sends them to you, though possibly evil occurrences may be the immediate instruments of them. You owe to Almighty God an infinite subjection and obedience. To expostulate with him is rebellion: and as it is your duty to submit, so it is your wisdom and prudence; impatience will not discharge your yoke, but will make it more galling, and hard to bear.

Learn not only to be patient under your afflic

tions, but also to improve them. Learn by them how vain and unprofitable the world, and its pleasures are, which a sharp or lingering sickness renders utterly tasteless. Learn how weak a thing human nature is, which is brought down to the gates of death, by a little disorder in the blood, in a nerve, in a vein, in an artery. And since you can have so little dependence on a temporal life, which is shaken and shattered by any small occurrence, accident, or distemper; learn to lay hold of eternal life, and of that covenant of peace and salvation, which Christ has brought for all who believe and obey the Gospel. And if you thus im prove affliction, you will be the gainers by it; and certainly there is not a more probable way to be delivered from it, (if the wise God see fit,) than thus to improve it. For affliction is a messenger, and it has a voice; and that is, to require mankind to be patient and humble, and to acknowledge Almighty God in all their ways. And if men listen, and conform, to the voice of affliction, it has done its errand; and it will either leave them, or at least give them singular comfort, even under the sharpest sufferings. And sorrow, which is but for a moment, being thus improved, will work for us an exceeding and eternal weight of glory.

I am now on the shady side of three-score years. I write to you what you have often heard me in substance speak. And possibly when I shall leave this world, you will want such a remembrancer as I have been to you.

The words, that I now, and at former times, have written to you, are words of truth and sober. ness; and they proceed from a heart full of love and tenderness to you all. If I should see you act amiss, and not reprove you; or if I should find

you want counsel and direction, and not give them to you; I should not discharge the trust of a father. And if you do not thankfully receive my admonitions, you will be defective in the duty which you owe to the Almighty, and to me. May the God of heaven give you wisdom, constancy, and fidelity, in the observance of all my counsels!

I am your ever loving father,

MATTHEW HALE.

The Earl of Chatham to his Nephew, Thomas Pitt, Esq (afterwards Lord Camelford,) at Cambridge.

MY DEAR NEPHEW,

Bath, Jan. 12, 1754.

YOUR letter from Cambridge affords me many very sensible pleasures. First, that you are at last in a proper place for study and improvement, instead of losing in London any more of that most precious thing, time. Secondly, that you seem pleased with the particular society you are placed in, and with the gentleman to whose care and in struction you are committed. And, above all, I applaud the sound, right sense, and the love of virtue, which appear through your whole letter.

You are already possessed of the true clue to guide you through the years of education in the maxim you lay down, namely, that the use of learning is, to render a man more wise and virtu ous; not merely to make him more learned. Go on, my dear boy, by this golden rule, and you cannot fail to become every thing that your heart prompts you to wish to be, and that mine most affectionately wishes for you. There is but one danger in your way, and that is, perhaps, natural enough to your age, the love of pleasure, or the

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