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eafy tempers and warm affections, of the danger of affociating with profligas. We reckon it hard that you will not believe that they are worthlefs, upon our teftimony; but muft learn it from your own fatal experience. Believe it, there is no true friendship but what is founded on the principles of piety and virtue and if you confide in thofe of a different character, you will fooner or later be rewarded with treachery and falfehood; and indeed the fooner, the better; for their friendship is infinitely more hurtful than any effects of their difpleasure. Again therefore, let me befeech the younger part of my audience, who have not yet themfelves thrown off all regard to decency, to give up all friendship with, and avoid the fociety of, thofe who, have. It is ufually a hard facrifice, I confefs; but neceffary to your prefervation from the most deftructive courses. What fignifies the fcorn or refentment of a few hardened wrerches, compared to the peace of your own minds, the heart-felt pleafure you will give to every real friend, your comfort and happiness in this life, and the well-grounded hope of a bleffed immortality?,

2. Let me fhortly addrefs myself to parents, or others who are entrusted with the education of youth. And, oh that I could make you fenfible of the importance and difficulty of your charge! There are many directions, which might be given you with respect to education in general; but I choose to confine my thoughts at prefent to what

is

T

is fuggefted by the occafion and fubject of this difcourfe. Let it therefore be your care, to preferve your children, as much as poffible, from the company and converfation of profane perfons, efpecially thofe who are tainted with infidelity; and who, as its natural confequence, treat the exercifes of piety with contempt and fcorn. To fuffer this, when you can hinder it, is treating their fouls in the fame manner, as you would do their bodies, if you placed doses of sweetened poifon in every corner of the houfe. You will daily perceive how children are formed by imițation, in their temper and manners: they muft bear a refemblance to thofe from whom they receive their first impreffions: but if this is the cafe in general, how much more muft they embrace the principles, and imitate the practice of their companions in pleasure ?

This caution is fo neceffary, that where counfel and intreaty are not fufficient to procure compliance, authority ought to be interpofed. Mere authority indeed will be very ineffectual; and therefore I muft particularly recommend to you an early attention to your childrens opinion and judgment: they foon form a judgment, and will give early marks of approbation and averfion of perfons and characters. Do your utmost to make them efteem religion, as the greatest happinefs to avery perfon, and the most amiable part of every character, Make them fenfible, from your conduct, that it is not only your fincere choice, but

greatest

greatest delight. It is very fatal to them, when they are led to look upon it as a burden or conftraint. Habituate them early to confider all other qualities as good for nothing, when piety is wanting; and a person of a truly Chriftian converfation as worthy of the higheft efteem, whatever be his ftation or circumftances in other refpects. Kemember it makes a part of the character of a good man, as drawn by the pfalmift David; in whofe eyes a vile perfon is defpifed, ' but he honoureth them that fear the Lord.' I am perfuaded, that many, who truly fear God themselves, are inadvertently guilty of a great mistake in this particular: they discover unhappily too much of their admiration or envy of the natural advantages of others, independent of their moral character. Drefs, furniture, and wealth, are looked upon as distinguishing advan-tages; and children are often suffered to indulge themselves in mockery and derifion; even where deformity, poverty, aukwardnefs, and things per-fectly innocent in themfelves, are the only objects of their fcorn. Intellectual abilities alfo, comprehenfion of mind, and sprightliness of fancy are commonly much the objects of esteem; and young perfons are infenfibly led to admire thefe natural qualities, without at all confidering to what purposes they are applied. This muft neceffarily have a fatal effect; and therefore parents fhould endeavour, as much as poffible, to preferve upon their own minds, and inspire their children

X.3.

children with, an esteem of true piety, and a hor ror and averfion at a vicious character, whatever advantage may happen to accompany it.

If due care is taken betimes in this respect, I am perfuaded it will, in a great measure, prevent the danger arifing from the example or folicitation of the patrons of impiety. Their chief fuccefs depends on their real character's lying concealed, till it is fafe and proper to avow it. They inftil the principles of irreligion, as a wife man would do the moft facred truths, by little and little, as their difciples are able to bear them, and always do it under the difguife of pleafure. There is nothing more different than the converfation and carriage of a libertine, in the prefence of thofe of whom he ftands in awe, and among his felect companions; and even these last are but gradually initiated into the concluding and horrid myfteries of profanity and blafphemy. Young minds therefore fhould be early formed to such a taste, as to look for piety and virtue, before they will give their approbation or affection to any human accomplishments. Were this the cafe, they would not be fo often betrayed by fpecious appearances, and drawn in, by degrees, firft, to fuffer; then, to imitate; and, at last, to delight in the most vicious practices.

While I am giving you thefe directions, I cannot help obferving, that you may fee the great neceffity of wisdom and prudence in the religious education of children. Apply yourselves to it

with diligence. It is an extenfive and difficult, but, at the fame time, a noble, useful, delightful ftudy. And if any man lack wifdom, let him afk of God, who giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not.'

I fhall now clofe this difcourfe with a few words to profeffing Chriftians in general.

My Brethren, when vice rears up its head, and appears with infolence and boldnefs, as it will certainly affect every good man with concern, fo it is of great importance what treatment it meets with from the public. If it paffes without notice, we may conclude, that corruption hath deeply infected the whole mafs. If men are afraid or afhamed to express their indignation at it, we may conclude the confpiracy is formidable; and that the intereft of truth and piety is greatly on the decline. There are many, who, in cafes of grofs fcandal, rather choose to keep themselves at eafe, by forbearance and indulgence to the guilty, than run the hazard of provoking their refentment, by an honeft declaration of their real fentiments. Nor is it feldom to be observed, that the very perfons who do leaft in their own fphere, for ftemming the tide of profanity, are the firft and loudeft in complaining of the negligence of magiftrates or pastors, in inflicting public punifhments or cenfures.

Whilft, therefore, I am endeavouring, in fome measure, to discharge my own duty, I must also put you in mind of yours. It is evidently the du

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