THE
PARENTS PIOUS GIFT;
Or a
Choice PRESENT for CHILDREN.
Set forth in a
DIALOGUE between a Religious FATHER and an Extravagant Son.
Containing a Dispute about bad Company, or evil Communication, Pride, Drunkenness, riotous
Living, and all the Vanities of a vicious Course of Life: for which the young Man earnestly con-
tended, till by the Grace of GOD, and the Endeavours of his religous Father, he was brought from
the Danger of Death and Destruction to the Hope of Life and Immortality. Concluding with the
young Mans Christian Courage and Conquest over the Tempter, who came to disburb him in his
private Closet when in Tears and Repenting: It being an excellent Pattern for all young Persons to
set before them in these present sinfull Times.
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FATHER.
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TELL me sweet Son, what you intend to do?
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This vicious Course of Life will bring you to
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Destruction, if you venture to proceed.
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Therefore return, return, my Son, with Speed.
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SON.
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What need you thus concern yourself with me,
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Resolvd I am to take my Liberty;
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Why should I not since other Gallants do?
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The World methinks is pleasent to my view.
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FATHER.
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Those pleasant Joys but for a Moment last,
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And when that Golden Dream is gone and past,
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The sting of Conscience then brings up the Rear,
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Consider this, my Son, and stand in Fear.
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SON.
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What should I fear that has this World at will,
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Besides my Fellow boon Companions still
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Delight themselves in Mirth and Jovialty,
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Behold, they feast, dance, drink, and why not I?
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FATHER.
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If wilful Men will wilfully run on,
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And break through all the Laws of God and Man;
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It is no Christian Argument that you,
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For Frindships Sake should sin, and perish too.
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SON.
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Perhaps, I feast as other Gallants do,
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Perhaps with Wine I pass my Time away;
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With such Delights my Senses shall be coyd,
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Why were they sent if not to be enjoyd;
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FATHER.
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My Son, these Creatures are as Blessings sent,
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Purely for Mans refreshing Nourishment?
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But if in any wise they are abusd,
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How can you think the Sin can be excusd.
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Thy lawless Mirth disturbs my quiet Rest,
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My aged Heart lies bleeding in my Breast,
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To see the sad Destruction of my Son,
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Why will you thus to dismal Ruin run?
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Why will you not bad Company forsake?
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Why will you not my Christian Council take?
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Why will you sin and slight the Means of Grace;
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Return, return, whilst thou hast Time and Space.
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SON.
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Father, should I your lawfull Will obey.
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And quite forsake my Friends, what would they say;
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Not one of them but will me scoff Im sure,
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For serious Men they never could endure.
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Conscience begins to call me by Degrees,
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Then were I not in Danger to displease
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My jovial Friends, I would religious grow,
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But they would count me this and that I know.
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FATHER.
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My Son, let lewd Company say their worst,
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Be thou religious upright, true and just;
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Thou shalt be crownd with Glory for the same,
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While those that slight thee, may be crownd with Shame.
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Pass through the Vale of low Humility,
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And righteous Men shall thy Companions be;
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Whose Patience, like a Golden Shield, shall screen,
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Thy Soul, my Son, from Satans hatefull Spleen.
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Frequent the Church, and put away thy Sins,
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Keep close to God, who is the best of Friends:
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Hell be thy Hope, thy Strength, and Comfort then,
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If so, what needst thou fear the Sons of Men.
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But still you slight your God and hug your Pride,
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If without Grace thou canst be satisfyd;
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If to the House of Prayer you will not go,
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His love will turn to Wrath and endless Wo.
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SON.
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Father my Eyes are opened, and I see,
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Destruction ready to be poisd on me,
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With more than common Grief I am opprest,
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Where shall I fly to find a Place of Rest?
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If to my Wealth, alas! what Comforts there?
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If to my Pride, that cannot case my Care:
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If, lastly to my Tavern Friends I fly,
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They cant help me, theyve sinnd as well as I.
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No Hope I have, but in my God alone,
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Then on my bended Knees before his Throne,
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Of Grace and Mercy will I weep and cry:
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Hoping he will vouchsafe to cast an Eye,
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Of Pity on a Sinner in Distress;
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His Laws henceforth I never will transgress:
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But make them my continual Rule and Guide,
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That through his Grace I may be glorified.
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TEMPTER.
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I stand amazd to see you weeping here,
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Your zealous Father has been too severe;
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But mind him not, chear up thy Heart with Wine,
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Wheneer he dies, all that he has is thine.
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YOUTH.
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I neither stand in need of Wine nor Wealth,
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It is my precious Souls eternal Health,
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Which I am seeking; Temper dont intrude,
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Disturb me not in this my Solitude.
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TEMPTER.
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Disturb thee! no, I come, I come in Love,
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And would not have thee aim at Things above
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Thy Understanding; cast that Book aside,
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And with thy jovial Friends be satisfyd.
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Theres Joy and Mirth, fit for thy blooming Years.
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Heres nought but sobs, with bitter Sighs and Tears:
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Chear up my Darling, and thy Joys renew,
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Let others weep that has more Cause then you.
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YOUTH.
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Had ever Sinner greater Cause than I?
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Alas! there does weighty Burden lie
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Upon my wounded tender Conscience here,
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Undone I am, if God should prove severe.
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TEMPTER.
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What a Strange Feud and Passion art thou in?
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Theres many Thousands worse than thou has been
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For Wickedness, Ill make it well appear,
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Who neer so much as shed one single Tear.
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You never dipt your Hands in Infants Blood,
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You neer laid Cities in a recking Flood;
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These are the Sins which do for Vengeance call,
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But as for thine theyre few or none at all.
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Perhaps some Times at Cards, or Dice you play;
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And now and then upon the Sabbath day
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You take a Glass or Bottle with your Friends,
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What if you do, these are but slender Sins,
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YOUTH.
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How can you these deceitful words express,
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what is the dreadful Sin of Drunkenness,
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And the Profanation of the Sabbath-day,
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Of such a small Account with you, I pray?
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TEMPTER, I charge you in the blessed Name,
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Of our great God, to go from whence you came,
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Ive set my Hand unto this Plough this Day,
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And live or die Ill not be drawn away.
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SATAN.
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What do you slight my Love and Kindness then
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If so perhaps, Ill move the Sons of Men
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To persecute thee even unto Death.
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Youth.] I fear thee not, Lifes but a Blast of Breath.
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YOUTH.
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Let wicked Men and Devils do their worst,
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I have a God in whom I put my Trust;
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Who can and will defend me evermore,
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While on my Knees I do his Aid implore.
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When Satan found he could not make him yield,
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With Rage and Fury straight he quits the Field;
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while this Youth through Faith and Patience run,
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To finish the great work he had begun.
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Farewel, farewell false Friends, quoth he, adieu!
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I have no Pleasure or Delight in you;
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The Grace of God is more to me he cryd,
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Then all the Riches in the world beside.
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Blessed be God that ever I was reprovd,
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Blessed be my Father who in Kindness movd
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His stubborn Son through Force of Argument;
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For this has brought me early to repent.
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This is a GIFT for Parents far and near,
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Present it to their Sons and Daughters dear;
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That by this Youth they may a Pattern take,
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And for the Love of God their Sins forsake.
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