In general, the measures we take with them to this end, should be adapted to their age, capacities, and particular turn of mind. We should begin with their perceptions, not too hastily reasoning with them before they are capable of laying propositions together, and inferring from them. Plain, simple ideas should in the first instance be held up to their view, so they will quickly come to know what we mean by ill-humour and good-nature, falsehood and truth, pride and humility, cowardice and courage, impudence and modesty, and the like: and our opinion respecting these they will quickly perceive, by our countenance and manner as well as language. When reason begins to expand, the true grounds of these virtues and opposite vices should be explained to them, the real excellence and use of the former, and the wretched deformity and evil of the latter: the notice God takes of these matters, and his displeasure at the one, and approbation of the other. And there are a thousand ways of impressing these ideas on their minds, such as by occasional hints, stories contrived to amuse their fancy and strike their passions, the harmony of poetic numbers, and particularly the historical relations of the Bible a. Here give me leave to recommend two lessons of great importance to be inculcated on young people, namely, Self-command and Punctuality to engage

ments.

But instructions will be of little use unless reduced to practice. A strict attention therefore is to be paid to their words and actions. Every conformity, and every aim to conform to what is right, should be rewarded. And every departure from what is right, if wilful and obstinate, should be punished.. Great prudence, however, is necessary to regulate this business of rewards and punishments, in regard of the kinds, degrees, and seasons of them. An open, ingenuous, manly temper should be cherished as much as possible, and rewards and punishments

a Xenophon tells us, "the Persian children went to school, and spent their time in learning the principles of justice, as children in other countries do to gain the knowledge of letters. Their governors devoted the greatest part of the day to the deciding causes among them, respecting theft, violence, and deceit; punishing those whom they found guilty in any of these matters, or who were convicted of unjust accusation. Ingratitude too, they punished, a crime, which though the principal occasion of animosity, is little taken notice of among men.” XENOPH. Cyro-pæd. lib. 1.

accommodated to it. Corporal penalties and indulgencés may on some particular occasions be necessary, but if they exceed, are ill-timed, and too often repeated, they will produce a contrary effect to what is intended; they will harden, not meliorate. Ye fathers, says the apostle to the Ephesians, provoke not your children to wrath a. "Be not severe, over-bearing, and tyrannical in your behaviour towards your children, lest you rouse their angry passions, and excite in them such resentments against you, as may occasion indecent expressions, and prejudice them against the religion you profess. But on the contrary, be mild and gentle in your treatment of them, and never have recourse to rigorous measures, until the necessity of the case require it. And even then, let your passsions first subside, before you proceed to the painful business of chastising them."

Great care also should be taken as to the company they keep, and the masters and tutors to whom their education is entrusted. To forbid their forming connections with persons of their own age, would be unnatural. But as bad habits are insensibly contracted by an intimacy with ill-bred and disorderly children, and the reverse is the case by frequent intercourses with those of good principles and manners; the former should be studiously avoided, and the latter industriously sought. The good character too of servants, with whom children must of necessity frequently converse, is of great importance to their morals. David's resolution not to suffer a liar or a deceitful person to dwell under his roof, was as prudent as it was pious. But this object, in regard of masters and tutors, is of essential consequence. Their professional qualifications, be they ever so considerable, will by no means balance the account against any defect here. How can that parent be supposed to have his children's interest at heart, who, with his eyes open, commits them to the care of those who are void of all principle and decency?

The kind of books, likewise, which children are permitted to read for their amusement, is a subject deserving our notice. The wretched trash of plays, novels, and romances with which the world is overrun, hath done infinite mischief to the morals of young people. It hath corrupted the principles, enflamed the imagination, and vitiated the taste of thousands. With a Eph. vi. 4.

books of this sort a prudent parent will not suffer the closets of his children to be disgraced. Nor yet, under the pretence of taking care of their morals, will he interdict the innocent pleasures of imagination. In the well-selected writings of

poets, historians, and natural philosophers, he will find a fund of entertainment for their leisure hours and to the acquaintance of these friends of taste and cheerfulness, as well as of intellectual and moral improvement, he will gladly introduce them.

I have only one thing more to recommend to parents, under this head, and that is, the exhibiting to their children, in their own temper and conduct, a fair and bright portrait of those virtues to which by their instructions they endeavour to attract their attention. The duties of morality, when beheld by the youthful eye through the pleasing mirror of their example, whom natural affection hath taught them to revere and love, will be apt to make a deep impression on the heart. And those must be very depraved children indeed, who whilst they · carry their parents' image in their countenances, can take pains to persuade the world, that they bear no affinity to them in their nobler part.

III. The duty of catechizing our children comes next to be considered.

Under the former head, our attention was wholly confined to those instructions which respect their moral conduct. But our views certainly ought to extend further-to Religion. There is, indeed, an intimate connection between religion and morality he who possesses the former cannot be destitute of the latter, for what is religion without morals? But it is possible a man may in the general be sober, honest, good-natured, and yet be a stranger to real piety. A variety of motives may operate to give a decent and respectable cast to a person's external deportment, who yet pays not an ingenuous, cordial regard to the authority of God.

Now religion is the most important concern in the whole world; it essentially affects our present comfort and usefulness, and our future and everlasting happiness. But religion is founded in knowledge; for as God is the grand object of it, there must be some idea of him and his will, previous to the ex

ercise of suitable affections towards him. This knowledge is communicated by the two mediums of his works and word. To these, therefore, the eye of the mind must be directed, in order to the heart's being duly impressed and influenced thereby. It is true indeed, there may be a speculative knowledge of God without any salutary effect resulting from it: yet it is as true, that those affections which constitute a religious character, cannot exist where there is no speculative knowledge of God. Since therefore there can be no religion without knowledge, and since we have the means of knowledge, it is our unquestionable duty to use those means ourselves, and to recommend the use of them to others. And upon this ground stands the obligation of parents to catechize their children.

But here it will be said, "There are other supposed revelations of the will of God besides the Bible, and they too who rereceive the Bible, are divided in their opinions concerning the sense of it. Is it then the duty of Mahometans, Jews, Romanists, and the various denominations of reformed Christians to catechize their children, agreeably to their own symbols or creeds?" Most certainly. How is it possible for me to possess a book, which I believe to be of divine authority, to affix what I apprehend to be the true idea to the contents of it, and to be persuaded that the knowledge thereof is of essential moment to my happiness here and hereafter: and not feel myself obliged to instruct my children, whom I love as my life, in these important matters? If it be said, "Then the most erroneous religions may be propagated in the world:" all the reply I have to make is, "Great is the truth, and it will prevail." Let it stand on its own proper ground, without the unnatural and foreign aid of worldly penalties on the one hand, or worldly emoluments on the other, and he who is attached to it upon right principles, will not be in pain about the event.

But there are three objections yet in the way of catechizing children, which must be removed, or the duty will be still neglected. They arise from three quarters, and those too of very different descriptions. Some object, "It prejudices free enquiry."-Others, "It is taking God's work out of his hand into our own.”—And the rest, "It hath been so long neglected we know not how to set about it."

It is acknowledged that the prejudices of education are very strong, and that sentiments imbibed from their parents in early life, children are too apt to take for granted, without thoroughly enquiring into them. But if this proves any thing to the purpose of the objector, it proves too much. It proves that they are to be taught nothing about which mankind are divided, and so are to be held in total ignorance of the first principles of all science, and of morality too as well as religion. Some points, indeed, in religion men are more divided about than others. But if a parent has made up his mind upon those points, and believes them to be of the last importance to his own happiness here and hereafter; how is it possible for him, as I said before, to feel the affection of a parent, and to conceal the knowledge of these matters from his children? It is a dictate of nature, that he should be explicit and earnest with them. Common sense, indeed, will teach him to begin with truths that are self-evident, and so to proceed by degrees to those which require further investigation, according as their capacities will admit. And it will be his unquestionable duty, to lay before them the grounds and reasons of every point in religion he holds up to their view, and to persuade them to attend diligently to the evidence, insisting that implicit faith will be of little avail, that their receiving this or that truth merely on his authority will have only a partial if not ill effect, and that to believe rightly is to believe on evidence-evidence that shall clearly appear to themselves to be of divine authority. And if children, thus instructed, will suffer prejudices in favour of their parents' religion to shut up every avenue to enquiry, and to preclude all further information and conviction, the fault is their own.

But there are others who tell us, that "the catechizing children is a fruitless business, if not a bold invasion on the province of the Holy Spirit." It is his office, say they, to enlighten the understanding, and renew the heart; and the work ought not to be taken out of his hand. But it is true of this objection, as well as of the former, that if it proves any thing it proves too much. For, by a parity of reason, that influence which pervades through the creation, and without which the labours of the husbandınan would be fruitless, might be urged as an argument to justify a total cessation from ploughing and sowing, and all the