ESSAY XXI.

ON THE BELIEVER'S ATTENTION TO RELATIVE

DUTIES.

(In Continuation of the preceding Essay.)

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 observations on the reciprocal duties of parents, whom reason and revelation unite in appointing to be the guardians of their offspring, in respect of their present and future welfare.Their attention, therefore, must not only com. mence 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, conscientious parents will do nothing for the sake of ease, indulgence, or 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 intrust 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 pre

vent 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 which have been 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 correction, that they may be early habituated to obedience and submission 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 (Prov. xiii. 24; xix. 18; xxii. 15; xxiii. 13, 14; xxix. 17; Heb. xii. 5-11). Chastisement should, indeed, 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 mind of the child. It is, therefore, generally improper to contest a trivial matter, for that will 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 requisite in education than is generally used. For when children become reasonable creatures, that authority, which correction has established, may be maintained by arguments, reproofs, commendations, and expostulations, whereas too many leave their indulged children without correction, till age and habit have confirmed them in stubborn self-will, and then, by an unreasonable severity, complete their ruin; for, being exasperated by their ingratitude, they find fault with their very attempts to please them, and by harsh language and usage drive them into bad company and destructive courses: to which case the apostle especially referred when he said, " Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged" (Eph. vi. 4; Col. iii. 21). On the contary, parents ought to use every method to render their children, as they grow up, easy and hap¡y in their company, and confident of a favourable reception in every attempt to please them; for this rends exceedingly to keep them out of temptation, improve their minds, and to render the parental thority of wisdom and love respectable and amiale in their eyes: and if they can allure their ildren to choose them for companions, counselirs, and friends, in all their undertakings, a most #portant 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 consistent 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 cannot consistently seek great things for his family, or be desirous of advancing them much above his own rank in life; but 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 insti! 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; and 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 instructions of faithful ministers; to watch for 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 (Exod. xii. 26-28; Deut. vi. 6-9; Psal. lxxviii. 6-8). They will also endeavour to keep them from all places and companies, and to remove out of their way all books, &c. 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 converse or behaviour in their presence, which may counteract the tendency of such instructions, or sanction the pride, avarice, sensuality, love of grandeur, envy, or malignity of their

nature.

It is peculiarly incumbent 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 (1 Sam. ii. 22-36). It behoves parents, however, to remember 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 conducive 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 certainly should rather aim to guide, caution, and advise them, in respect to marriage, than to compel or restrain them in an absolute manner; remembering, that peace of mind, a good conscience, domestic harmony, and a connexion favourable to piety, conduce more to happiness, even in this world, than wealth, or a confluence of all earthly distinctions. Many directions might be added, in respect of the conduct to be adopted by parents when children appear to be under serious impres