Christian letters full of spiritual instructions tending to the promoting of the power of…

MY continual solicitude for your State, will not suffer me to pass in quiet one week without Writing to you, unless I am extraordinarily hindered. Your sincerity, steadfastness, and proficiency in the grace of God, is the matter of my earnest desire, and that which I should account my self happy in. I have a longing desire to see the Faces of you all, and (besides mine expectation) shall (I trust) speedily have the opportunity to see you at the approaching Assizes, which I shall greatly rejoice in, notwithstanding our coming may be otherwise attended with many Inconveniences. In the mean time I send you a few Prison Counsels. As,

MY continual solicitude for your State, will not suffer me to pass in quiet one week without Writing to you, unless I am extraordinarily hindred. Your sincerity, stedfastness, and proficiency in the grace of God, is the matter of my earnest desire, and that which I should account my self happy in. I have a longing desire to see the Faces of you all, and (besides mine expectation) shall (I trust) speedily have the opportunity to see you at the approaching Assizes, which I shall greatly rejoyce in, notwithstanding our coming may be otherwise attended with many Inconveniencies. In the mean time I send you a few Prison Counsels. As,

1. To improve for Eternity, the Advantages of your present State. Though you are at many disadvantages with respect to the public Ordinances, yet you have many wondrous and most happy Privilege, which Spiritual Wisdom would make no small improvement of. Oh what a mercy have you that you may serve God while you will in your Families! That you may be as much as you will with God in secret Prayer, and holy Meditation, and Self-examination! I beseech you ⟨p. 78⟩consider what a Blessing you have above others, that have your Health, and a Competency of the Comforts of this life, and are free from those continual pains, or Heart-eating Cares, that others are disabled by, from looking after God and their Souls, as you may do. Oh consider what a blessed Seed-time you have for Eternity! Now be wise and improve your happy Season, your day of Grace. Prepare for Death, make all sure: Press on towards the Mark, lay up in store for your selves a good Foundation against the time to come. In the morning sow your Seed, and in the Evening withdraw not your Hand. Treasure up much in Heaven: What profit is it that you have more than others? more Liberty, more Comfort, more Health, more Wealth, than others? except you love God more, and serve him better than others. Now ply your Work, and dispatch your Business, so as that you may have nothing to trouble You upon your Death-Beds.