The duty ought to be early engaged in. The first impressions and principles ought to be of the right kind.

1. Parents ought to be careful about doing themselves, or countenancing in children, that which is wrong, even in the early stages of life. Parents, it is to be feared, often do that which is not strictly just themselves; which leads children to think, that it is just, and emboldens them in doing the same. Parents may encourage their children in making encroachments and trespasses on their neighbor's property: They may, when any lost thing is found, instead of seeking an owner, rather secrete it, and be guilty of misrepresenta tions in deal. Children watch every such step of their parents, and will be apt to imitate them. We have need, therefore, to see to it that we do right ourselves, if we mean to train up children in right ways. We must be strictly just, sober, chaste, established in the truth, attend religious worship, liberal, and always ready to impart to charitable purposes. Example will, in this way, have a most powerful influence.

2. Parents are to attend to all rational methods of restraint. I allow that if government and restraint can be maintained without the rod, it is highly expedient. It would be happy, if children would hearken to counsel, or commands, so as to refrain from improper conduct. Some children indeed, do so in such a degree, as to render the rod unnecessary; which has led some to con clude, that it is never necessary in any case But this is undoubtedly a mistake. The Scripture fully confirms the necessity of it.. Solomon observes, "he that spareth his rod, hateth his son.". When it is necessary, we are in no wise to neglect it. At the same time, great wisdom is to be used respecting age, circumstances, &c. Many find the task

of government more difficult, from not beginning early. It is necessary to establish authority early over children, and if the parent loses or neglects to maintain his authority, all as to government is lost.

3. We ought early and carefully to watch againts vicious habits, and labour to cultivate good

ones.

Vicious propensities begin to appear in infancy. Some are prone to the indulgence of passion; some to falshood; some to injustice and fraud; some to bad language; and others to obstinacy and disobedience. But we ought to begin early to counteract this vicious propensity of our nature, which will unavoidably manifest itself in children, if not restrained in season.

There is, no doubt, naturally an original difference in men, yet the distinctions which we see, are owing greatly to education. The mind is, no doubt, capable of being greatly improved, and there are natural principles capable of being highly cultivated. There are natural ties of affection in children toward parents, and in parents toward children: So also, with respect to other relations. All these are capable of being improved.

There is also, a humane compassionate principle, implanted for important ends, which may be improved to purposes of liberality and charity. The taste of children for natural beauty, may be so managed as to be converted into a love of propriety of conduct. There is also in children, a natural kind of modesty and deference to superiors, which ought to be cultivated.

But it is not sufficient that we cultivate natural principles, it is necessary that great pains be taken to lead children to reverence God and his institutions; that we labor to beget in them an awe of him, so that they shall fear to offend him.

It

would be well for parents carly to instil into the minds of children, a reverence for truth, strict in tegrity, chastity and temperance: They should be early taught to possess tender feelings towards their fellow creatures, and to perform acts of tenderness to the distressed."

It is the duty of parents to inculcate on their children liberality to the needy, and to enable them, even when young, to do something towards promoting the interests of society, or any public design. It is a mean, dishonest spirit, to desire to enjoy the privileges of society, at the expense of others, or that men should in any way, serve them, and they be unwilling to reward them for it. Parents ought, in training up children, to expose a mean, niggardly spirit.

Children should also be taught to abhor fraud and injustice, and to regard the property of others as sacred. The means of enforcing and impres sing these things on the minds of children, will be various, according to age and disposition. With some, it will have great influence to expose the evil tendency of vice, and display before them, the benefits attending virtue. When children are of proper age, amusing books should be put into their hands, which point out minutely the unhappy consequences of different vices and the happy fruits of the opposite virtues; which leads me to ob

serve,

4. That it is of great importance, as it respects a plan of family education, that children be instructed in the first principles of science. This will enlarge their minds and prepare them for the enjoyment of other helps. If children are not taught to read, they cannot profit by the useful books which may be put into their hands. Learn ing children to read, gives great advantage in their education in the principles of virtue and religion

It is almost unnecessary for me to add, that uns less children are taught to write, they must, of course, be forever incapable of being very useful in society.

It is a great unhappiness that in many families there should be such neglect in giving children a common education. Some may, in a degree, be hindered through poverty.It may be a question, whether there ought not to be more attention paid to the establishment of schools, which may afford relief in this respect to poor families? It is a public evil, that the children of such poor families should be strolling about the streets, idling away their time, and learning vice.

5. In the education of children it is important, early to instil into their minds religious sentiments. We ought to begin, almost as soon as children can speak, to teach them the existence of God, his greatness, omnipresence, and government, the law of God with its moral precepts, promises and threatnings, the fall and present state of man, and the great doctrines of the gospel in general: It is a duty not merely to tell children that these things are so, but, as their minds are capable of it, to show them the reasons of them, and hold up the evidence of revealed religion, so as to beget in their minds a full establishment of the great truths of religion.-Those who are thus well instructed, will not be easily shaken in their religious belief, and carried about with every wind of doctrine.

I am sensible that there are many, who are opposed to the idea, that children, should be instructed in religion. But, in my view, it is to but little purpose, that we attempt to restrain and regulate children, without the aid of christianity.

Instilling into their tender minds a belief of the existence of a God, a Holy Being, who has a view

P

of all our conduct; of a future state, and the way of life through Christ, will have the effect to produce a powerful restraint. This agrees with what we find in Scripture. God told Abraham what he was about to do to Sodom, to enable him, with better advantage, to train up his family.-Independently of those effects, is it of no consequence to children, to be acquainted with religion, as being themselves candidates for future and immortal happiness? Let parents then early inculcate on children, religious and moral duties, as sanctioned by the authority of the great God: Let them teach them a regard to religious institutions, the Sabbath and seasons of worship, training them up punctually to attend public worship and gospel ininstruction. As many who are heads of families, are not wholly competent to establish all the great doctrines of religion; so it is important to improve able and faithful gospel instructions and to see that children attend upon them.

It will one day appear a serious affair, that so many children are neglected at home, and not taken to places of instruction! How will those answer for it who let their families stay at home on the Sabbath, seldom, if ever, attending any relig ious instruction! How many are there, who, perhaps, never hear a sermon, or prayer, and through their whole lives have little or nothing said to them on the subject of religion!

6. In order more effectually to accomplish the before described ends, early establish authority over them, and impress on them, sentiments of subordination. It is much easier at first to instil just sentiments in this respect, and form children to right conduct, than afterwards to eradicate bad sentiments, and altar bad conduct. To subject the minds of children to authority, and establish proper subordination is not difficult at first. Their