prove their first notices as they grow up. They may be told that God will be angry with them when they do amiss; that he will torment them in hell-fire, where they shall feel excessive pain, and be more sensible of smart than they are now and they may be informed, that God will be kind to them and bless them, and give them all the good things their hearts can wish, provided they do well. Such advices as these will at first appear new and strange to them, and will put them upon asking many little childish questions about them; which should, however, be carefully and discreetly answered: and the answers will be well remembered by children as they grow in years, and may have a good effect upon them all their lives long.

It is observable, that many by the hearing of foolish stories of apparitions, while they were young, have received so deep and lasting impressions, as not to be able, when grown up to be men and women, to correct this early dread, or even to trust themselves alone in the dark. This is but a silly and superstitious fear, doing more hurt than good: and it would be a prudent and charitable part in parents or governors, to prevent as much as possible the frightening of children with any idle tales of that kind. But I would observe from it, how strongly those fears work afterwards, which have been implanted in young and tender minds. And therefore, instead of making children afraid where no fear is, let them be taught when, and whom to fear, namely, Almighty God. Let them be informed how dreadful his vengeance is towards those that offend him; how he drowned a whole world at once for sinning against him; how he rained down fire and brimstone out of heaven upon sinful Sodom; how he made the earth open and swallow up Corah and his company, for resisting God's high priest, and for being stubborn and rebellious; how he ordered a man to be stoned to death for breaking the holy Sabbath, caused Achan to be as severely punished for stealing; and struck Gehazi with leprosy, and Ananias and Sapphira with present death, for lying. Let but children have a list of these and the like examples of Divine vengeance lodged in their memories, by frequent inculcating, and by repeated inquiries how they retain or resent them, and it will be to them a standing lesson of religious awe and reverential fear of Almighty God, that they shall not dare to offend him in any known instance. Then, to give them a more present and constant sense of

what offences are, and what the contrary, let them have notice of them as often as they occur before their eyes, in bad and in good examples. If they happen, as they often will, to meet with any sad examples of drunkenness, swearing, cursing, and the like, let not such example pass without its just censure and condemnation, that children may be thereby taught what to avoid. And when they see the contrary examples of piety, modesty, sobriety, and the like, let them hear these things commended, that they may be thereby taught to go and do likewise. In such a method as this may the minds of children be formed up to virtue, and steeled against ill impressions; which is the principal end and aim of a religious education.

3. To do this the more effectually, it will be necessary to maintain a just authority over them, either correcting or encouraging them, as need may require. If they be first taught to submit to the reason of their governors while they are young, they will be the more easily and certainly conducted by their own reason, when grown up to be men and women. They should be taught the lesson of submission betimes, before ever their passions grow to a head, and become unmanageable. It may be sometimes proper to cross and disappoint them: never comply with a froward temper, nor humour a child even in trifles, if he appears too stubborn and self-willed. One that has been always indulged, though in slight matters, during his childhood, will expect the like indulgence afterwards in matters of much greater consequence. Let them therefore be trained up to submission and modesty; not to murmur or dispute, but to conform quietly and contentedly to rules and orders; to be patient under discipline, and to take it as a favour whenever their desires are gratified, or their inclinations indulged. By such a conduct they will be made gentle and tractable, dutiful and well-disposed; and they will love their parents or their governors the better for it. It is a mistake to imagine that excessive fondness is the way to oblige and gain them. It will rather produce pride and sturdiness for the present: which will at length shew itself in ill manners, contempt, and rudeness towards their best and kindest friends. The foundation of love must be laid in humility and submission: teach them first to stand in awe by seasonable correction; and it will be easy afterwards, a thousand ways, to attract their love and esteem also. "He that spareth his rod

"hateth his son," says Solomon: "but he that loveth him "chasteneth him betimes a." And again; "Chasten thy son while "there is hope, and let not thy soul spare for his crying b." In another place; "Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child; “but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him c."

But while I am advising a just and seasonable severity, I would not forget to throw in some proper cautions, to prevent any extreme on that hand. As first, let it not be used but when necessary, or when gentler means fail. If a soft rebuke will be as effectual as a sharp reproof, use it rather. The tempers of children are not all the same, but sometimes widely different; and so requiring a different kind of treatment. If any can be allured and enticed to their duty, it is sufficient, and there will be no need of threats, which, in such a case, will do harm. However, do their duty they must: and it does not become a parent or a governor to use much intreaty where he ought to command.

Another caution, in the matter of correction, is, that it be done, as much as possible, without anger, passion, or resentment; though always with authority. Passion is never a good guide, and least of all in matters which require cool and sober thought. Besides, it sets an ill example to a child, and often tends to alienate his love and affections. And there is no occasion at all for anger or resentment in the affair of correction. The only end it aims at is the good of the child: and it should be considered only as a bitter potion in the hand of a kind physician, who, though he gives his patient some uneasiness, is his friend in doing so, and has no resentment or anger against him.

Another caution in this matter is, to proportion, as near as may be, the penalty to the offence: not to be as severe for every childish neglect as for stubbornness and wilful disobedience, for swearing, or for lying, or other sins against God. Slight indiscretions and weaknesses, which have no ill meaning nor evil tendency, may be slightly passed over while offences of a more heinous nature are to be chastised with proportionable severity. Having intimated what course is proper in order to maintain a just anthority over children, I now proceed to another branch of a parent's or a governor's duty; namely,

4. To bring them to church, and to instruct them duly in their

a Prov. xiii. 24.

b Prov. xix. 18.

c Prov. xxii. 15.

catechism and their daily prayers. The design of bringing them so soon to church, even before they can well understand what is doing there, is to inure them to the constant practice of so necessary a duty. If they know little for the present as to what it means, they will however be sensible that it is their duty to attend and as they grow older, they will both understand what the thing is, and reap the benefit of it.

As to teaching them the Church Catechism, it is a duty so well known, and, I presume, so punctually observed, that it may suffice barely to have mentioned it. I suppose the same of bringing them to be confirmed. They are to be taught likewise to say their daily prayers, morning and evening. This is a thing very necessary to be strictly insisted on. Children will soon be apt to grow weary of it: and if they be neglected, they will either not perform it at all, or quickly lay it aside. They must be told, that it is not a task, imposed upon them merely as children, but what must carefully be observed and practised as long as they live. And this must be often inculcated, and earnestly pressed upon them: otherwise they will be much tempted, in the following stages of their lives, through cares, and business, and sundry distractions, to leave off the practice, to the great prejudice of their virtue, and with the manifest hazard of their souls.

5. Another duty of parents and governors, as such, is to pray and intercede with God for the children under their care. Means must be used, and prudent methods carefully observed: but it is God alone that can warrant the success of them. Paul has planted, and Apollos watered; but it is God that giveth the increase. A father may sow the principles of piety in his children, and a mother may improve and cherish them; a master or a mistress may add to both, and a minister may give a helping hand to all and yet without God's grace and blessing to improve and further it, it will come to nothing. It therefore highly concerns all that have the charge of children, to be often on their knees to implore God's favour and assistance upon their pious and painful endeavours. And they need not doubt, but if they do faithfully and truly perform their parts, God will do his.

6. One thing more I have reserved for the last place, as being most considerable; which is to set good examples before children, and to keep them as much as possible from the sight of

bad ones. It is indeed the bounden duty of all men to lead sober and exemplary lives; but of those especially who are to go in and out before children, and have the daily charge of them. Children are very prone to imitate what they hear and see. If you shew them nothing but what is good, they will assuredly take to nothing ill. A child that never heard an oath, will not invent one: and if he never sees an ill thing done, it is more than probable he will never do one. It is bad example commonly which first shews them the wrong way, and a certain depravity of nature, prone to follow, confirms them in it after. And let this suffice just briefly to have intimated the necessity and usefulness of setting good examples before children, and of guarding them, as much as may be, from the sight, or however from the influence of bad ones.

I have now run through the principal articles, such as have to me occurred, relating to the good education of children. If the rules I have laid down happen to fall short of what hath been already practised in many of our schools of charity, (which I am willing to hope hath often been the case,) then let what hath been said pass only for an imperfect recital of what have been done in times past, for the instruction, imitation, and encouragement of times to come. The very worthy trustees of these charities have thought it proper, upon the election of a new master or mistress, to renew and reinforce these kind of instructions in the strongest manner: and they have had some thoughts of erecting a superior school, for the training up of schoolmasters and schoolmistresses, on purpose to carry on and more effectually to secure the same good end. All which shews their judgment of what moment and importance it is, that the office of training up children be punctually executed: and it may well become our place and function, in our discourses from the pulpit, to endeavour to add some further strength and encouragement to so good and great designs. In order hereunto, I proceed now, secondly,

II. To remind us of some special reasons and motives, proper to enforce the duties laid down. And these are such as respect either the children themselves, or those who have the charge over them, or the public in general.

1. In regard to the children; the text itself intimates a very important reason, or motive; namely, that if they be trained while young, young, to what is good, they will not, when they come

up,