Probation, and of learning fuch Things as are of the higheft Confequence to their pre fent and future Conduct; and who are very apt, through Heedleffness, Impatience, or Incogitancy, as well as through the Ignorance to which that Age is naturally obnoxious, to run into many Errors and Mistakes, as well in Matters of the greatest Moment as in those of lefs Concern. For this Reason they should be taught betimes to habituate their Mindsto the Practice of confidering beforehand upon all their Words and Actions, both as to the Matter and Manner of them; whether what they are about to fay or do, is true or falfe, right or wrong, lawful or unlawful, fit or unfit, according to the beft of their Knowledge and Judgment: And likewife to the Custom of reflecting ferioufly upon them afterwards in the fame Manner; that if any Thing has been faid or done amifs in any of these Respects, they may redress, or at least repent of it. And though many Allowances are to be made for thofe little Errors and Overfights which are the common Infirmities of Childhood, (When I was Child, I Spake as a Child, I understood as a Child, I thought

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as a Child, Cor. xiii. 11. fays the great Apostle concerning himfelf while he was in that State) yet they must be told, that if they would become Men betimes (an Argument they are generally fond of) they must put away childish Things, in order to avoid the many ill Confequences which refult from that Rashness and Precipitation which is so natural to their Age: That what St. James recommends as generally neceffary for every Man, is more efpecially requifite in Chil dren, as the proper and indifpenfible Means of their receiving Inftruction and profiting under it; viz. that they fhould be swift to bear, flow to speak, Jam. 1. 19. And they must be very early, often, and feriously admonished to use the utmost Care they are capable of, in performing both the Parts above-mentioned of this important Duty of Confideration, according to the wife Example of the Man after God's own Heart, who fpeaks thus concerning himfelf with regard to the former: I faid I will take heed to my Ways, that I offend not in my Tongue, Pfal. xxxix. 1. And as to the latter, I called mine

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relating to

of Self

Examina

tion every Night.

own Ways to Remembrance, and turned my Feet unto thy Teftimonies, Pfal. cxix. 59. And here it may not be improper to mention one Duty relating to this Head, which fhould be recommended to the conftant Practice of their whole Life; and which, if rightly performed, may have a very great and good Influence upon the whole conduct of it, viz. That every Night, before they go to Bed, or to their private Devotions, they should commune with their own Heart, Pfal. iv. 4. and call themselves to a strict and impartial Account how they have fpent the Day paft: That they would then examine their Thoughts, Difcourfes, Actions, Recreations, and Devotions, and fee what has been amifs in any of them; that fo they may confefs and bewail, and afk God's Pardon for it, and refolve to amend it for the future: That they would confider more particularly what Idlenefs or Unchastity, what Lying or Stubbornness they have been guilty of; or whether they have had a Quarrel with any of their Fellows; and if they have, that they would take Care to be Friends with them before they say their Payer

Prayers. Laftly, that they would confider what particular Bleffing or Deliverance God has vouchfafed them the Day past, that fo they may give Thanks for it.

Industry, which is the Fourth and Of Induf laft Part of their Duty toward

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themselves, is fo effential to human Life, that it feems to be the End and Condition of it. Man is born to Labour: And the Apostle commands, That if any will not work, neither should be eat, 2 Theff. iii. 10. This (next to the immediate Service of God, which confifts likewife in working out our Salvation, Phil. ii. 12. by an active Obedience) is the principal End of all Education, and the only Means to profit under it; efpecially in thefe Nurseries of useful Knowledge and Industry, where poor Children are trained up by the Bleffing of God, and the Charity of their pious Benefactors, to learn and labour truly to get their own Living, and to do their Duty in that State of Life unto which it shall pleafe God to call them. This therefore being the profeffed Duty both of him that teaches, and of thofe that are taught; it must be their Master's conftant Business to excite all

that

that are under his Care, as well by his Example as Exhortations, to the ferious and faithful Discharge of it. He muft endeavour to make them fenfible that now is the Time, the only Time of their Life, to lay those Foundations of neceffary Knowledge, which will be useful to them in their growing Years That if this Work is now neglected while they have most Time to attend it, and while their tender Minds are moft capable of receiving and retaining fuch Impreffions; it will be infinitely more difficult, if not impracticable hereafter, when the neceffary Cares and Employments of their more advanced Age fhall take up fo much of their Time and Thoughts, that they will find neither Leisure nor Inclination to fet about it: This being indeed fo properly the Business of Childhood, that they will be ashamed fo far to confefs and upbraid themselves with the Neglect of it in its due Seafon, as to begin the Work of Children when they come to be, Men, and will rather chufe fadly to repent of their Error, than fhamefully (as they think) to go about the Retrieving of it at that Time of their Life. He muft further repre

fent

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