Dear Cousin,
THE welcome tidings of your safe arrival at Barbadoes is come to my ears; as also the news of your escape from a perilous sickness, for which I bless the Lord. I have considered, that God had bereft you of a careful father, and that your mother takes but little care for you; so that you have none nearer than myself to watch for your soul, and to charge and admonish you in the Lord.
But yet, be not discouraged by these things, but look to heaven, fly unto Jesus, put away every known sin, set upon the conscientious performance of every known duty; make Christ your choice, embrace him upon his own terms; deliver up yourself, body and soul to him: see that you have no reserves nor limitations in your choice of him; give him your very heart; cast away your worldly hopes and expectations, make religion your business.
These things do, and you shall be sure of a friend in heaven; and, if I may be any comfort to you, you shall not fail, while I live, to have one friend on earth to care for you. You are gone far from me, even to the uttermost parts of the earth: but I have sent these letters to call after you; yea, not only to call, but to cry in your ears. O what is like to become of your soul! Where is that immortal soul of yours like to be lodged for ever? Amongst devils or angels? Upon a bed of flames, or in the joys of paradise?
Go aside; retire from the noise of the world, and say to yourself, Oh my soul! Whither art thou going? Do not I know, that I must be converted or condemned? That I must be sanctified, or I can never be saved? Oh my soul! What seekest thou? What is my chief care? Is it for this world, or the world to come? Do I first seek the kingdom of heaven, and the righteousness thereof? Do I think heaven will drop into my mouth? That glory and immortality will be got with a wet finger, with cold prayers, and heartless wishes, while the world has my heart? Do I think to be crowned, and yet never fight? To gain the race and never run? To enter at the strait gate, and never strive? To overcome principalities and powers, and never wrestle? No, no; Oh my soul, either lay by the hopes of heaven for ever, or rouse up thyself, put forth thy strength after God and glory. Either lay by thy worldly hopes, or thy hopes of immortality; away with thy sins, or let Christ go for ever. Think not to have Christ and the world too, to serve God and mammon: if thou follow the world, thou must die: the Lord hath spoken it, and all the world can never reverse it. Thus reason the case with your own soul, and give not rest to thyself night nor day, till you are gotten off from the world, broken off from every known sin, and got safe into Christ.
Dear cousin, I charge you by the Lord, to observe these things. Pray over them, weep over them, read them again and again; do not pass them over as slight and ordinary things. Your soul is at stake; it is your salvation which is concerned in them; think not that I am in jest with you. I travel in birth with you, till Christ be formed in you. Why should you die? Oh repent and live, lay hold on eternal life, win Christ, and you win all. Oh be thankful to the Lord, that now you are fatherless and friendless, yet you have one remembrancer to warn you to flee from the wrath to come. God forbid that I should find you at last in the place of torments, for your not embracing these counsels. To conclude, I charge you as a minister, as a father, take heed of these three things:
1. Lest the gain of the world prove the loss of your soul:
2. Lest company draw you from God:
3. Lest a lofty or a worldly heart should thrust you out of the kingdom of heaven.
Oh labour whatever you do for an humble heart. Be little, be vile in your own eyes; seek not after great things; be poor in spirit: without this, heaven will be no place for you. Your lot is fallen in a place of great wickedness, where your soul is in much danger, where your temptations are many, and your helps for heaven but few: where good examples are rare, and many will entice [♦]you to sin and vanity. O! look about you, consider your danger, fear lest you should miscarry for ever. I can but warn you and pray for you: but though you have none to oversee you, remember the eye of God is upon you, to observe all your actions, and that he will surely bring all your practices into judgment. I commend you to the Lord, and remain,