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to their parents; at least every word should be spoken in modesty, tenderness, and unassuming gentleness; and they should rather aim to induce them to hear sermons, to read books, or to converse with pious and prudent Christians, than themselves to give instructions, or engage in arguments with them, except in very particular circumstances. For parents will seldom become docile scholars to their own children, especially if they teach in magisterial and reproving language. The most conclusive argument they can use consists in an uniform, conscientious conduct, an obliging attention, silent submission to undeserved rebukes, diligence in business, fidelity to every trust reposed in them, and a disinterested regard to the temporal advantage of the whole family. When a young person uniformly acts in this manner, he will have opportunities of speaking or writing a few words with weight and propriety; which, being joined with persevering prayer, may at length be crowned with the desired success; whilst a contrary conduct will close a parent's ear against the choicest arguments and most zealous discourse. But however that may be, in this way he will adorn the gospel, and will be sure of meeting with the gracious acceptance and blessing of his heavenly Father.

ESSAY XXI.

The subject continued.

HAVING given some brief hints on the conduct, to which the principles of the gospel will influence the true believer in the filial relation; we must subjoin a few ob

servations on the reciprocal duties of parents, whom reason and revelation unite in appointing to be the guar dians of their offspring, in respect of their present and future welfare. Their attention therefore must not only commence from the time when they actually become parents; but many things should previously be arranged, with reference to the probability of this important event;

important, because every human being, that is brought into existence, must be completely happy or miserable to all eternity! From the very first, wise and conscientious parents will do nothing, for the sake of ease, indulgence, or any other selfish purpose, which may endanger the life, limbs, senses, constitution, understanding, or morals of their children; they will personally attend to every thing relating to them as far as they can ; and will be very careful not to entrust them with such persons, as are merely influenced by worldly interest in what they do for them. They will perceive the importance of inuring them early to action, application, and observation; and of storing their minds, as they become capable of it, with information on every subject, which can conduce to render them useful members of the community. They will endeavour to accustom them to such things as are of beneficial tendency, to preserve them from habits of indolence or self-indulgence, and to prevent their forming improper connexions. Many difficulties indeed must be encountered in adhering to such a plan of education; and the success will not always answer the expectations excited by it; but more may frequently be done than many parents so much as attempt; and the general education of both sexes, at present, seems calculated to answer any purpose, rather than that of regulating the judgments and improving the minds of the rising generation; of preserving their principles and morals from contamination; and of qualifying them for usefully filling up the station in life, for which they are designed.

The word of God directs parents to rule their children, during their tender years, by compulsion; and to repress their self-will and rebellious spirits by correcti that they may be early habituated to obedience

mission, to authority, which will be of the greatest advantage to them during their whole lives, both in secular and religious matters. For the more any man studies human nature, and repeats the actual experiment, the fuller will be his conviction, that all attempts to educate children without correction, and to treat them as rational and independent agents, before they are able to use their reason or liberty, arise from forgetfulness of their innate depravity, and oppose the wisdom of man to that of God; and let modern manners evince with what success this has been attended.* Chastisement then should be inflicted at an early period, dispassionately, and in moderation; yet sufficient eventually to attain the end proposed by it, viz. to establish the parent's authority over the tender mind of the child. It is therefore improper in general to contest a trivial matter; for this must either give the correction the appearance of undue severity, or induce the parent to desist before the child has completely submitted. The frequency, severity, and passion, with which children have been corrected, and the bad effects occasioned by these abuses, have prejudiced numbers against the use of any correction. But to argue from the abuse of any thing against the use of it, is universally allowed to be bad logic; and if children were early taught in this manner to know that the parent would be obeyed, when he gave a decided command; correction need not be often repeated, and much less severity, all circumstances considered, would be requi site in education, than is generally used. For when children become rational creatures, that authority, which correction has established, may be maintained by arguments, reproofs, commendations, and expostulations; whereas too many leave their indulged children without chastisement, till age and habit have confirmed them in stubborn self-will; and then, by an unseasonable sever

ity, complete their ruin. For, being exasperated by their ingratitude, they find fault with their very attempts to please; and, by harsh language and usage,

* Prov. xiii. 24. xix. 18. xxii. 15. xxiii. 13, 14. xxix. 17. Heb. xii. 5-11.

drive them into bad company and destructive courses; to which case the apostle seems especially to have referred, when he said, "Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged."* On the

contrary, parents ought to use every method to render their children, as they grow up, easy and happy in their company, and confident of a favourable reception in every attempt to please them; for this tends exceedingly to keep them out of temptation, to improve their minds, and to render the parental authority of wisdom and love respectable and amiable in their eyes; and if they can allure their children to choose them for companions, counsellors, and friends, in all their undertakings, a most important point indeed will be carried.

It is also incumbent on parents, to bring up their children in that manner, and, (if they can do it consistently with other duties,) to make that moderate provision for them, which may at all events enable them to live comfortably in society, without being a burden to others, or to themselves. The Christian is not indeed allowed to seek great things for his family, or to be desirous of advancing them much above his own rank in life; yet he will judge it best, if the Lord will, that they should not be depressed very much below it, at least by his fault; for that condition, in which men have been. brought up, is generally the safest for them.

But the principles of the gospel will especially influence those, who are actuated by them, to desire the blessings of salvation for their beloved offspring. This will induce them to recommend them to God in fervent constant prayer, from the time that they receive their being; and to instil instruction into their minds as soon as they become capable of receiving it. They will early begin to store their memories with wholesome words; to lead their attention to the simpler parts of the holy scripture; to impress them with a sense of their relation to God and to an eternal state, especially by means of family worship; to bring them under the public and private instruction of faithful ministers; to watch for

* Eph. vi. 4. Col. iii. 21.

*

opportunities of speaking seriously to them, and of inquiring what they have learned; and to encourage them in proposing questions on religious subjects, by answering such as they can with propriety. They will also endeavour to keep them from all places and companies, and to remove out of their way all books, pictures, or other things, by which their principles may be corrupted, their imaginations polluted, or their passions inflamed; even as they would lay poison out of their reach. They will more decidedly reprove vice or impiety, than any childish neglect or waywardness; and avoid all that converse or behaviour in their presence, which might counteract the tendency of such instructions, or sanction the pride, avarice, sensuality, love of grandeur, envy, or malignity of their nature.

It is peculiarly encumbent on religious parents to convince their children, as they approach to maturity; not only that they act in all other things conscientiously; but also, that they are more attentive to their comfort and interest, and more ready to forgive their faults, than irreligious parents would be; though they cannot tolerate their vices, or concur in exceptionable plans of advancing or enriching them; because the scripture holds forth such alarming examples to warn men, not to gratify their children by dishonouring God or injuring their neighbours. It behoves parents however to remem ber the time, when they were young; and not to thwart the inclinations of their children, when grown up, without substantial reasons, lest they should throw snares in their way. They should rather endeavour to manifest a disposition to concur in every thing con ducive to their satisfaction, if it can be done consistently; that by thus encouraging their confidence in them, they may have the salutary influence of experienced counsellors, when the direct exercise of authority would endanger opposition. In particular, they cer tainly should rather aim to guide, caution, and advise

* Exod. xii. 26-28. Deut. vi. 6-9. Psal. lxxviii. 6-8.
1 Sam. ii. 22-36.

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