Leave of her to catechife them: So the gave her free Confent: Then she began with the youngeft, whose Names was James.

Prudence. And the faid, Come, James, James cate canft thou tell me who made thee? chifed. James. God the Father, God the Son,

and God the Holy Ghost.

Prud. Good Boy. And canft thou tell who faved thee?

James. God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghoft.

Prad. Good Boy ftill. But how doth God the Father fave thee?

James. By his Grace.

Prud. How doth God the Son fave thee? James. By his Illumination, by his Renovation, and by his Prefervation.

Then faid Prudence to Chriftiana, You are to be commended for thus bringing up your Children. I fuppofe I need not afk the Reft thefe Queftions, fince the youngest of them can anfwer them fo well. I will therefore now apply myself to the next youngest.

Prud. Then the faid, Come Jofeph (for Jofeph catehis Name was Joseph) will you let me ca- chifed. techise you!

Jofeph. With all my Heart.

Prud. What is Man?

Jofeph. A reafonable Creature, made so by God, as my Brother said.

Prud. What is fuppofed by this Word Saved?

Jofeph. That Man, by Sin, has brought himself into a State of Captivity and Mifery.

I

Prud.

Şamuel cate

chifed.

Prud. What is fuppofed by his being faved by the Trinity?

Jofeph. That Sin is fo great and mighty a Tyrant, that none can pull us out of it's Clutches, but God; and that God is fo good and loving to Man, as to pull him indeed out of this miferable State.

Prud. What is God's Defign in saving poor Men?

Jofeph. The Glorifying of his Name, of his Grace, and Juftice, &c. and the everlasting Happiness of his Creature.

Prud. Who are they that must be saved? Jofeph. Those that accept of his Salvation.

Prud. Good Boy, Jofeph, thy Mother hath taught thee well, and thou haft hearkened to what she has faid unto thee.

Then faid Prudence to Samuel, who was the eldest Son but one:

Prud. Come, Samuel, are you willing that I fhould catechife you?.

Samuel. Yes, forfooth, if you please.
Prud. What is Heaven?

Sam. A Place and State moft Blessed, because God dwelleth there.

Prud. What is Hell?

Sam. A Place and State moft Woful, because it is the Dwelling-place of Sin, the Devil and Death.

Prud. Why wouldeft thou go to Heaven ?

! Sam. That I may fee God, and serve him without Weariness; that I may fee Christ, and love him everlastingly; that I may have that Fulness of the Holy Spi

rit in me, that I can by no Means here enjoy.

Prud. A very good Boy alfo, and one that has learned well.

Then the addreffed herself to the eldeft, Matthew whofe Name was Matthew; and fhe faid catechifed. to him, Come, Matthew, fhall I also cate

chise you?

Matt. With a very good Will.

Prud. I afk then if there was ever any Thing that had a Being antecedent to or before God?

Matt. No, for God is Eternal; nor is there any Thing, excepting Himself, that had a Being until the Beginning of the first Day. For in fix Days the Lord made Heaven and Earth, the Sea, and all that in them is.

Prud. What do you think of the Bible?

Matt. It is the Holy Word of God. Prud. Is there nothing written therein but what you understand?

Matt. Yes, a great deal.

Prud. What do you do when you meet with Places therein that you do not understand.

t

Matt. I think God is wifer than I. I pray also that he will please to let me know all therein that he knows will be for my good.

Prud. How believe you as touching the Refurrection of the Dead?.

Matt. I believe they shall rife, the fame that was buried; the fame in Nature, though not in Corruption. And I believe this upon a double Account. First, Because

God

Prudence's

God hath promifed it. Secondly, becaufe
he is able to perform it.

Then faid Prudence to the Boys, You
must still hearken to your Mother, for
The can learn you more.
You must alfo

diligently give ear to what good Talk you fhall hear from others; for your Sakes do Conclufion upon they speak good Things. Obferve alfo, the catechifing and that with Carefulnefs, what the Heaof the Boys. vens and the Earth do teach you; but efpecially be much in the Meditation of that Book that was the Caufe of your Father's becoming a Pilgrim. 1, for my Part, my Children, will teach you what I can while you are here, and shall be glad. if you will ask me Queftions that tend to Godly Edifying,

Now by that thefe Pilgrims had been at this Place a Week, Mercy had a Vifiter Mercy has a that pretended fome good Will unto her, Saveet-beart. and his Name was Mr. Brifk, a Man of fome Breeding, and that pretended to Religion, but a Man that fuck very close to the World. So he came once or twice, or more, to Mercy, and offered Love unto her. Now Mercy was of a fair Countenance, and therefore the more alluring.

Mercy's tem-
Bet.

Her Mind alfo was, To be always bufying of herfelf in doing, for when the had nothing to do for herfelf, the would be making of Hofe and Garments for others, and would bestow them upon them that had Need. And Mr. Brisk not knowing where, or how he difpofed of what the made, feemed to be greatly taken, for that he found her never idle. I will warrant

her

her a good Housewife, quoth he to himfelf.

{

the

and Mercy eng for quires of the Maids con

cerning Mr.

Mercy then revealed the Bufinefs, to Maidens that were of the. Houfe, enquired of them concerning him, they did know him better than fhe. So they told her, That he was a very bufy Brifk. young Man, and one that pretended to Re ligion; but was, as they feared, a Stranger to the Power of that which is good. Nay then, faid Mercy, I will look no more on him; for I purpose never to have a Clog to my Soul..

Prudence then replied, That there needed no great Matter of Difcouragement to be given to him, for continuing fo as she had begun to do for the Poor, would quickly cool his Courage..

So the next Time he comes, he finds her at her old Work, a making of Things

for the Poor. Then faid he, What al-Talk betwixt ways at it? Yes, faid fhe, either for my- Mercy and felf or for others: And what canft thou Mr. Briik. earn a Day, quoth he? I do thefe Things faid fhe, That I may be rich in good Works, laying a good Foundation against the Time to come, that I may lay hold of Eternal Life, 1 Tim. 6. 17, 18, 19. Why, Prithee, what doft thou with them? faid he.. Cloath the Naked, faid fhe. With that his Coun tenance feil. So he her again.

forbore to come at He forfakes. And when he was afked her, and why.....

the Reason why, he faid, That Mercy was a pretty Lafs, but troubled with ill. Conditions.

When