to be old, depart from it. Which is not to be so strictly understood, as if the general rule admitted of no exception. There have been, and there will be again, instances to the contrary: but such instances, we hope, are, in comparison, rare and uncommon. Those who have been well educated from the first, will, for the most part, hold on in the same pious course. It seems to fare with our minds as it does with our bodies, to a great degree of resemblance. They are supple and pliable in their first and early years, easily bowed and turned this way or that but they grow fixed and stiffened as they ripen in age, then preserving the same shape, figure, and frame, into which they had been first moulded. The very disposition and turn of the mind depends much upon it: and perhaps a great deal of what we are used to call natural temper, is little more than that particular frame of heart which was first infused in our education. It is a great advantage to religion to have been timely planted in the tender soil, and to have taken the first possession: and education, though not the only, is yet the principal circumstance, and has the most considerable share in our tempers and manners. Of the few good men there are, most of them may probably, upon reflection, find, that their pious dispositions were at first owing, under God, to the prudent care of some that had the charge of their infancy. Not but that persons, however well trained up in infancy, may afterward fall away in time of temptation: but they do not ordinarily do so; or if they do, their consciences soon recoil, their good principles formerly imbibed still remain; and they will at one time or other exert themselves again with force and vigour. When once the heat is over, and a little cool reflection succeeds, such persons generally will relent, and remember from whence they are fallen, will return and live and it but rarely, perhaps, is found that they totally and finally miscarry. From hence appears how invaluable a blessing it is to have been set right at first. How easily, I had almost said insensibly, may such arrive to the greatest heights. They run through the difficulties of a religious course without so much as feeling the pain and toil of it. Happy they that have been thus conducted through the paths of virtue, almost insensible of the dangers every way surrounding them; who have never known what it is to have been captive to sin and Satan, never felt the weight of prevailing lusts, corrupt customs, or vicious habits. How easily may they obtain a crown, which must

cost others dear, and be but hardly at length gained, (if gained at all,) after many doubtful struggles, many sighs and tears, many bitter pains and agonies of mind! So much for the advantage of good education to the children themselves.

2. I may next mention the advantage accruing to parents, or others who have the care over them, in respect of their peace and comfort in this life, and their rewards in a life to come. As ever they hope to have any joy or consolation in the children grown up, let them be careful to season them betimes with principles of piety. For if they be not taught to fear God, they will not fear man: "if they have no love or reverence for their Creator, they will not love or reverence their other best friends. Where there is little or no sense of religion, all other bonds or ties, such as nearness of blood or kindnesses received, signify nothing. They will be sturdy and stubborn toward those who had the rule over them, will despise their aged parents, and pay no reverence to their grey hairs. And what can we expect better? Would we have wheat spring up where nothing hath been sown but tares? Or should we look for any thriving fruits from a neglected and barren soil? No: according to what we sow, that we may expect to reap and if children be rightly educated, then and then only may their parents, guardians, governors, or other friends, find joy, and comfort, and satisfaction in them. But besides the present comfort, there is a much greater in reserve hereafter. The children whom they have well instructed and piously educated shall as certainly accompany them to heaven, as they now do to church; and shall there, with united melody, tune their hallelujahs, here begun, to a more exalted strain of praises and thanksgivings. There shall they return their joyous thanks to their kind preservers, for so happily conducting them to that blessed place: which will be so much the more welcome and delightful to both, for the mutual joy and satisfaction they shall have in each other. It remains now only to consider,

If

3. The advantage hence arising to the public in general. children be well educated, it must of course turn to the public peace and prosperity of a church or kingdom. Every good man, so raised, becomes a blessing to the neighbourhood where he dwells; as, on the other hand, every bad man is a common pest and nuisance. There cannot then be any surer foundation laid, than what we are now mentioning, for the security, peace, and welfare of any state or people. Which is the reason why in

Rome, and Athens, and Sparta, and other well ordered governments of old time, a more especial care was taken about the training up youth. Without this, men would grow wild and savage, and unfit for society. Rebellions, rapines, murders, and other monstrous impieties, are but the natural fruits of depraved nature, uncultivated by education. But if youth be wisely and justly managed, how happy will its influence be upon society, and what blessings will it draw down from heaven upon men! This will be the surest way to make our Church flourish and prosper. If the youth be brought up to understand her doctrines and to practise her rules, they will one day be both supports to it and ornaments of it. They will, we hope, from these good beginnings proceed daily to make greater and greater improvements: they will come better prepared to attend upon God's ministers, and to receive fuller instructions to complete and perfect them in all virtuous and godly living. Religion will hereby daily abound more and more, and gather new life and strength through the whole kingdom. These are some of the advantages proposed by our schools of charity, happily set on foot, and wonderfully blessed with success, through all parts of our island. The application and inference from all is, that we be every one of us willing and desirous to join our sincere endeavours for the promoting so good a work; contributing our quota of money at least, if not of our service, according to our several stations and abilities, toward thus making the world wiser, and the Church larger; towards the improving of mankind here, and the enlarging the number of the blessed hereafter. There is no need to multiply persuasives in so plain a case: the thing speaks itself, and carries all the force of the most moving eloquence or commanding rhetoric along with it. Who that hath any bowels of compassion for his Christian brethren, any love for his native country, any concern for our excellent Church, any regard for God and religion, or any tenderness for the souls of men, can ever turn away his face, or draw back his hand from promoting and encouraging, to the utmost of his power, so desirable and so blessed a work as we are now upon? a work, which, if it be as wisely and as carefully pursued, as it is piously intended and laid, will, I doubt not, go on prosperously while the Church stands, or the world lasts. If proper persons be employed for inspecting and educating the poor children, and a conscientious care be all along taken in collecting and disposing the charitable

best answer the purposes

contributions in such a manner as may intended if the provision thus raised be ever prudently regulated and portioned out, so as neither to exceed nor come short of the first and main design; large enough to invite the poor parents to send their children to these schools; and not too large, so as either to puff the children up, and set them above their proper rank and order, or to make them disdain any the lowest kind of work or service, such as they are born to, and wherein they may be most useful: I say, if these, and the like prudent regulations, (such as the worthy trustees, the best judges of them, shall find most expedient and practicable,) be from time to time carefully observed, and constantly conveyed down, in succession, to others; I will even venture to foretell, that there will never be wanting hands sufficient to promote and carry on this great design to distant generations. All that are well-disposed, and understand their true happiness, will be ambitious to bear part in this charitable work of ours; wisely considering, how much they shall thereby serve the interests of the public, and their own also, both here and hereafter.