Never therefore consider yourselves as persons that are to be _seen_, _admired_, and _courted_ by men; but as _poor sinners_, that are to save yourselves from the vanities and follies of a miserable world. Learn to live for your own sakes, and the service of God; and let nothing in the world be of any value with you, but that which you can turn into a service to God, and a means of your future happiness.
16. Whether married therefore, or unmarried, consider yourselves as mothers and sisters, as friends and relations to all that want your assistance; and never allow yourselves to be idle, whilst others are in want of any thing that your hands can make for them.
This useful, charitable, humble employment of yourselves, is what I recommend to you with great earnestness; and besides the good you will thereby do to other people, your own heart will be improved by it.
For next to _reading_, _meditation_, and _prayer_, there is nothing that so secures our hearts from foolish passions, as some _useful_, _humble_ employment of ourselves.
Never therefore consider your labour as an _amusement_, that is to get rid of your time, and so may be as trifling as you please; but consider it as something that is to be serviceable to yourselves and others, that is to serve some sober ends of life, to save and redeem your time, and make it turn to your account, when the works of all people shall be tried by fire.
If there is any good to be done by your labour, if you can possibly employ yourselves usefully to other people, how silly is it, how contrary to the wisdom of religion, to make that a _mere amusement_, which might as easily be made an exercise of the _greatest charity_?
What would you think of the wisdom of him, that should employ his time in distilling of waters, and making liquors which no body could use, merely to amuse himself with the variety of their colour, when, with less labour and expence, he might satisfy the wants of those who have nothing to drink?
Yet he would be as wisely employed, as those that are amusing themselves with such tedious works as they neither need, nor hardly know how to use when they are finished; when, with less labour and expence, they might be doing as much good, as he that is _cloathing_ the naked, or _visiting_ the sick.
Be glad therefore to know the wants of the poorest people, and let your hands be employed in making such things for them, as their necessities require. By thus making your labour a gift and service to the poor, your ordinary work will be changed into a holy service, and made as acceptable to God as your devotions.
This will make you true disciples of your meek Lord and Master, who _came into the world not to be ministered unto, but to minister_; and tho’ he was Lord of all, and among the creatures of his own making, yet was among them _as one that serveth_.
17. Christianity has then had its effect upon your hearts, when it has removed pride from you, and made you delight in humbling yourselves beneath the lowest of all your fellow creatures.
Live therefore, my children, as you have begun your lives, in humble labour for the good of others; not in ceremonious visits and vain acquaintances. Contract no foolish friendships, or vain fondnesses for particular persons; but love them most, that most turn your love towards God, and your compassion towards all the world.
But above all, avoid the conversation of _fine-bred fops_ and _beaux_, and hate nothing more than the idle discourse, the flattery and compliments of that sort of men; for they are the _shame_ of their own _sex_, and ought to be the _abhorrence_ of yours.
When you go abroad, let humility, modesty, and a decent carriage, be all the _state_ you take upon you; and let tenderness, compassion, and good-nature, be all the _fine breeding_ you shew in any place.
If evil _speaking_, _scandal_, or _backbiting_, be the conversation where you happen to be, be as much grieved as if you was amongst cursing and swearing, and retire as soon as you can.
Tho’ you intend to marry, yet let the time never come, till you find a man that has those perfections which you have been labouring 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.
18. Love _poverty_, and reverence _poor people_; as for many reasons, so particularly for this, because our blessed Saviour was one of the number.
Visit and converse with them frequently; you will often find _simplicity_, _innocence_, _patience_, _fortitude_, and great piety amongst them.