Life; conducts us fafe through the unfeen Dangers of our most dangerous Time; and then by gentle Degrees withdraws its Influ→ ence, as the Power of Self-government grows up. Where Want of this Care leaves young Perfons too foon in the worst of Hands, their own; it is dreadful to fee, into what irretrievable Miseries they plunge, in the very Beginning of their Courfe. And therefore, the more Liberty they are afterwards to enjoy; the more prudent, though not stricter, Restraint they should be under at first; and entered by flow Steps into the World at large, with all poffible Cautions given them of the Hazards they are going upon, and (God knows) have little. Reafon to be eager for,

But the moft ferious Part of Education is wanting ftill the Part which leads us, by the Efteem of moral Excellence, to honour and love that Being, in whom the Perfection. of it dwells; and extends our inward Sense of Duty, fuggefted first by the low and short-lived Relations between us and our Fellow-creatures, to the highest poffible and eternal Objec of it, the Creator and Ruler of this Univerfe. He, by whofe Pleasure we are, from whofe Favour all that we enjoy and hope for comes, according to whofe Determination our whole Existence shall be happy or miserable, is not furely one with whom we are unconcerned. And, however a base Nature may value itself on the impotent Affectation of flighting God;

i.

every

4

every worthy Mind will delight to exprefs that Veneration, and pay that Obedience, which are due to Him, who is the Lord of all: due by every strongest Claim, whether unaffifted Reafon discover the general Laws of his moral Kingdom; or infinite Wisdom, the best Judge of our Circumstances, condefcend to adapt to them further Obligations. It is indeed the Senfe of our living under His Government and Care, that makes our Condition of Being defireable. Religion, filling the Mind with that Object which it naturally feeks, a fovereign Protector, infinitely wife and good, effectually excludes all fuperftitious Terrors; and, far from depreffing the tendereft Spirit, exalts us into every Thought and every Hope, that is great and noble. Turbulence of Paffions, and Obftinacy of Self-will, these are the Things, that tear and weaken the Soul: Reverence of God, by awing them into Compofure, ftrengthens every inward Principle that ought to be ftrong; and if it prunes the Luxuriances, promotes by fo doing the Vigour of the Mind. Religion comprehends at once every Motive, both of Virtue and of private Intereft, that can either direct or fupport the Heart in every Part of Conduct; joins in perpetual Union our Duty and our Happiness; and makes the univerfal Scheme of Things confiftent, beautiful, and good,

Surely then, Principles of fuch a Tendency ought to have an early and diligent Cultivation

in

in every Breaft; but theirs efpecially, whose Rank or Profeffion will make it of the moft publick Confequence. They, who object against this Care, as inftilling Prejudices, fhould confider, that Virtue, Honour, Decency, are Prejudices juft of the fame Sort; and think what would follow, were Men to enter upon Life free from the Bias of any one good Quality. But in Truth, God himself, not Man, hath planted thefe juft Prepoffeffions in the Heart and all that Education does, is to favour their Growth. Religion, and the Evidences for it, may indeed be unfairly reprefented by its Teachers and what Part of Knowledge may not? But are only the Teachers of Religion capable of misrepresenting it? Hath not every vicious Man as ftrong a Motive to incline him against it, as even those maintained by it have, to incline them in its Favour? Hath not Fondness of Novelty, and Affectation of fuperior Senfe and Learning, as great Influence on some Perfons, as Credulity can have on others? Do we not everyDay see Men determine pofitively against Religion, who are known never once to have thought of it in earneft; and attack it by all the unfair Arts in the World, whilft they themselves are declaiming against fuch Arts? Do we not fee them even triumph in the Thought of its being falfe, though the everlafting Happiness of every good Man depends upon its Truth? And are these the worthy Spirits, to whofe Tutoring young Perfons are to be delivered over

in

in their native Ignorance, for Fear of Preju dices? Or is it not on all Accounts wife and fit, that the Mind, whilft untainted with evil Communication or Vice, fhould have the most important of all Truths confirmed to it by proper Arguments; and be formed to the right and happy Temper, of chearful Obedience to the greatest and best of Beings, the Father and God of our Lives *.

Since therefore Inftruction of Youth in Religion, Virtue, and Knowledge, appears attended with fo many Advantages; it follows,

II. That all Perfons concerned fhould endea→ vour, with united Care, in their feveral Stations, that these Advantages may be effectually obtained; especially in the Places dedicated to that Purpose.

The publick Care, in this Refpect, we must ever gratefully own, continued through a long Succeffion of our Princes; and flourishing ftill in its Height, under the Administration of a King, zealous for the Happiness of his People, and refolute to maintain all the Rights of all his Subjects. Next to whofe affured and experienced Protection we cannot but graciously acknowledge the gracious Munificence of his Royal Confort; therefore bountiful to Religion and Learning, because the most intimately knows their Value, and most affectionately esteems them.

Ecclus xxiii. 4

Secure

Secure then of the publick Favour to whatever is connected with the publick Good; we have only Their Attention to follicit who are perfonally interested: Parents, or whoever fupply their Place; the Conductors of Education; and, the young Perfons to be educated.

To you, who are Parents, Nature itself hath given a tender Concern for your Childrens Welfare, as your own; and reminds you juftly, that, as you have brought them into the Dangers of Life, your Business it is to provide, that they get well through them. Now the only Provifion commonly attended to, of Wealth and Honours, can never produce Happiness; unless the Mind, on which all depends, be taught to enjoy them properly. Fortune, without this, will but lead them to more abandoned Sallies of Extravagance; and Rank expose them to more publick Cenfure. Education then is the great Care, with which you are entrufted; fcarce more for their Sakes than your own. You may be negligent of your Son's Inftruction but it is on you, as well as himfelf, that his Ignorance and Contemptibleness will bring both Reproach and Inconvenience. You may be regardless of his Morals; but you may be the Perfon, who will at last the most feverely feel his Want of them. You may be indifferent about his Religion: but remember, Dutifulness to you is one great Precept of Religion and all the rest promote fuch Habits,

as