Your bodies are not only poor and perishing like your cloaths, but they are as infected cloaths, that fill you with ill distempers, which oppress the soul with sickly appetites, and vain envyings.
Hence all of us are like two beings, that have as it were two hearts within us: with the one, we see, taste, and admire reason, purity, and holiness; with the other we incline to pride, vanity, and sensual delights.
This internal war we always feel within us more or less; and if you would know the one thing necessary to you and all the world, it is this, to preserve, strengthen, and perfect all that is rational, holy, and divine in our nature, and by the assistance of the blessed Spirit of God, to mortify and subdue all that vanity, pride, and sensuality, which springs from the corruption of our state.
Whilst you live thus, you live like yourselves, and what is more, like christians; but whenever you are more intent upon adorning your persons, than upon perfecting your souls, you are much more beside yourselves, than he, that had rather have a laced coat, than an healthful body.
Never consider yourselves, therefore, as persons that are to be seen, admired, and courted by men; but as poor sinners, that are to be washed in the blood of the Lamb of God, and accepted through his all-sufficient righteousness, received by faith, and to be saved from the follies of a miserable world, and made meet for heaven by the powerful operations of his blessed Spirit.
These considerations have made me think it my duty to teach you nothing that was dangerous for you to learn. I have kept you from every thing that might betray you into weakness and folly, or make you think any thing fine, but a fine mind; any thing happy, but an interest in the favour of God, through Jesus Christ; or any thing desirable, but his love shed abroad in the heart, and to do all the good you possibly can to your fellow-creatures.
Instead of the vain, immodest entertainment of plays and operas, I have taught you to delight in pious reading and religious conversation. What music, dancing, and diversions are to the people of the world, that holy meditation, fervent prayers, and other acts of devotion, have been to you. Instead of forced shapes, patched faces, and affected motions, I have taught you to conceal your bodies with modest garments, and to let the world have nothing to view of you, but the plainness and sincerity, the humility and unaffectedness of all your behaviour.
You know, my children, that a single state frees from worldly cares and troubles, and gives a woman an opportunity of caring only how she may please the Lord; but as I look upon you all to be so many great blessings of a married state; so I leave it to your choice, either to do as I have done, or to continue in a virgin state. Only let me remind you, if you intend to marry, let the time never come till you find a man that has those graces, which you are aspiring after yourselves; who is likely to be a friend to all your virtues, and with whom it is better to live, than to want the benefit of his example.
Avoid therefore the conversation of what the world calls fine-bred fops, and beaux; for they are the shame of their own sex, and ought to be the abhorrence of yours.
If evil speaking, scandal, or backbiting, be the conversation where you happen to be, keep your hearts to yourselves; and if you have no opportunity to reprove or turn the stream of such conversation into a proper channel, retire as soon as you can.