putation; and to a self-denying, frugal, and diligent endeavour to ward off want and distress from their old age: as pious Joseph maintained his father and family, just as many years in his old age as Jacob had maintained him in his youth. In this case, it will be peculiarly proper to bear with their infirmities, and conceal them from others; to submit to inconveniences and restraints in compliance with their wishes, and in order to soothe their sorrows; to consult them in every undertaking as long as they live; to pay a deference to their opinion, even when it is in a measure unreasonable, if it do not interfere with other duties; and never to grieve them by a contrary behaviour, without a very satisfactory reason, and with the most evident reluctance.

On the other hand, it sometimes happens that pious children have parents whom they cannot but consider as strangers to the power of godliness. In this case it must be the leading desire of their hearts to win them over to the doctrine and grace of Christ; but, in order to accomplish this purpose, it is peculiarly needful to watch against a hasty zeal and a violent spirit. They should expect to be opposed in their religious pursuits; to be assailed by arguments and authority, and perhaps by reproaches and menaces; to be restrained by various methods from attending divine ordinances; and to be allured into such companies and diversions as are inconsistent with their profession. They ought therefore to beg of God to give them the meekness of wisdom, as well as a steadfast mind; that they may not refuse obedience in frivolous or doubtful matters, or in a

1

harsh and disobliging manner; but only where evident duty requires it, and with calm and mild declarations of the grounds on which they proceed. Thus it will appear that a scriptural conscientiousness (and not caprice, self-will, or self-conceit) compels them to act in this manner: and, in proportion as this is done, redoubled diligence and self-denial should be used to oblige their parents in all other things. In general children are not required to preach to their parents: at least every word should be spoken with 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 which they can use, consists in an uniform conscientious conduct, in 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 most conclusive arguments, and most zealous dis

course.

These brief hints concerning the duties of children may properly introduce those of parents, who are appointed both by reason and revelation to be the guardians of their offspring, in respect to their present and future welfare. Attention to the duties of this important relation must indeed commence, not only 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, health, understanding, or morals of their children: as far as may be, they will personally attend to every thing relating to them; and be very careful not to intrust them to those whose care and attention are merely the result of interested motives. 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 and 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 expectation: but more may frequently be done than many parents so

much as attempt to do; and the general education of both sexes, at present, seems calculated for 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 filling up the stations 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 spirit by correction; that they may be early habituated to obedience and submission: which will be of the greatest advantage to them during their whole lives, both in secular and religious matters. And 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 capable of using their reason or liberty, spring 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.1 Chastisement then should be inflicted at an early period, dispassionately, and in moderation; yet sufficient to attain eventually the end proposed by it, namely, 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

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

of undue severity, or induce the parent to desist before the child has completely submitted.

The frequency, severity, and passion, with which children are often corrected, and the base effects occasioned by these abuses, prejudice numbers against the use of any correction. But the folly of arguing from the abuse of any thing against the use of it is universally allowed; and, if children were early taught, by a firm and prudent exercise of coercion, to know that a parent would be obeyed whenever he gave a decided command, it would not be necessary often to repeat correction; and much less severity, all circumstances considered, would be requisite in education than is generally used. For, when children become rational creatures, that authority which correction has established may be maintained byarguments, reproofs, commendations, and expostulations: whereas too many leave their indulged children without chastisement, till age and habit have confirmed them in stubborn selfwill; and then, by an unseasonable severity, they complete their ruin. Exasperated by their ingratitude, they find fault with their very attempts to please, and, by harsh language and unkind treatment, drive them into bad company and destructive courses; to which case the apostle seems especially to refer, when he says, "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