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A Letter Writ by Mr. John Hicks, Oct. 5. the Day before his Death.
My Dear Nephew,
I Am yet in the Land of the Living, though in the Mouth of Death; I having been concern'd for you, next to my own Children before I die; I thought fit to write two or three Lines to you, as a Manifestation of my great Love to you: I earnest∣ly desire the Welfare of you here, and to Eternity hereafter, next to my own Wife and Children, you will want me when I am gone, but I hope the Lord will take care of you; make it your business to walk with him, to serve him faithfully; flee youth∣ful Lusts, and Remember your Creatour in the Days of your Youth; be deeply concern'd to have your Heart and Nature chang'd, and an interest in Christ secur'd unto you: Death comes sud∣denly, you know not when, where, nor how you shall die: Let time therefore be most precious to you; fill it up with Work and Duty; Live by Faith more than by Sense; and this will stand by you when you come to die: Seek the things which are above, and set your Affections upon them; have your Conver∣sation in Heaven, whilst you are upon Earth. When you see your Parents, give my dear Love to them and their Children; the Lord grant that we may meet in his Everlasting Kingdom: When you see any of your Cousins, give my dear Love to them, and be not asham'd of my Sufferings: I wrote last Saturday was a Seven-Night to my Brother George, but whether he is at London or Worcester, I know not; I wrote to him, to desire him to Pe∣tition the King, that some Favour and Mercy might be shewed me, if he thought fit: Things that are made to aggravate my Crime, I am clear from, as that I perswaded the Duke of M. to assume the Title of King at Taunton, when I was not there with him, nor in 13 days after he came into England, and that I rode too and fro in the West, to perswade People to go into his Army, when I was in the East, and came from thence to him