nefs. And were we to doubt of its Truth, we must notwithstanding fee it is the Way to prefent Happiness. For it confeffedly teaches in the clearest Manner, and inforces by the strongest Motives, every Thing conducive to private and publick Welfare: and nothing else doth fo. Natural Religion, as diftinct from Christianity, whatever Zeal may be pretended for it, neither hath been, nor is likely to be, seriously propagated: nor is it capable of carrying in it the Direction, the Encouragement, or the Terror, that Revelation doth. Virtue, without Religion, will perpetually be modelled by Peoples Fancies, and overturned by their Paflions and Interefts, for want of the Hopes and Fears of Futurity to counterbalance them. And human Laws, the only Restraint befides, extend but to a fmall Part of our Behaviour: and without Principle, they will be faultily contrived, and remiflly or partially executed : Men will elude them in fome Cafes, break through them at all Adventures in others; and having once learnt to defpife Death, as they well may if nothing follows it, will have little Fear of what the Magiftrate can inflict. All Ages and Nations have found thefe Things true; they are vifibly fo in our own, to an uncommon Degree: and Experience joins with Reafon to acknowledge, that Scripture points out the only Remedy: All thy Children shall be taught of God, and great fhall be the Peace of thy Children*.

* Ifai. liv. 13.

If then the Belief of Chriftianity be thus neceffary, Inftruction in it ought to be early. The abfolute Ignorance, in which we are born, and the Propenfity we manifeft immediately, to receive Impreffions from what we fee and hear, are an evident Proof of our Maker's Defign, that we should be formed by Education into what we are to be. And had this never been neglected, Error and Wickedness had never prevailed. Now indeed, fince they have, Inftruction will in moft Places, more or lefs, lead Children into what is wrong. But ftill it is the fureft Method we can take, to preferve them from it. Were their Friends to teach them nothing, would their own Paffions, and the Companions they would choose, be better Tutors? Their Reason indeed poffibly might: and very poffibly might not. At least it would come too late, and be minded too little, to be trufted alone. Where young Perfons are taught from the first ever fo well, and governed ever fo prudently, it doth not always fucceed, But fuch Care must afford vaftly greater Hope, than if they are left to themselves without any, till bad Notions and Customs have taken root, till their Appetites are grown vehement, and their Tempers ftubborn; till they laugh at Advice, and difdain Authority. If then we would prevent all the Mifery fuch Wretches may fuffer, all the Mischief they may do, all the Burthens they may bring on Society; if we would make them ufeful to the World, and happy in them

2

themselves; the plain Rule is, Train them up when Children in the Way they should go and probably when they are old, they will not depart from it *.

But by whom fhall this be done, in the Cafe of the Poor? Unquestionably it is the Duty of their Parents. But many of them are Orphans. Many have Parents, who teach, or allow them to be taught, all manner of Evil: and most of them have fuch as want Leisure, or Capacity, or Diligence, to teach them the Good, which they ought; and at the fame Time are unable or unwilling to pay others for teaching them. Great Numbers of them indeed are removed early into Families of better Rank. But how very little Profpect there is in general, that more Care will be taken of them there, than their nearest Relations took at home, I need not fay. Will then the publick Inftruction of the Church fuffice? But alas! what Multitudes of them are there, that feldom or never go thither? The Laws that require it, are not executed; their Parents have not used them to it: their Masters are indifferent about it, or perhaps make it difficult to them: and what wonder, if in these Circumftances the poor Creatures neglect it? Befides, there is fome Degree of previous Knowledge requifite to their attending publick Worship to good Effect. And the Minifter, were they always duly fent to him,

* Prov. xxii. 6.

can

cannot alone ground them fufficiently in the first Elements of that Knowledge; nor in larger Parishes make any confiderable Advance.

towards it.

What further Provifion might be made in this important Affair, either by enacting new Laws, or enforcing the old ones, is not a Point to be confidered here: but only, what can be attempted by private Zeal and Prudence; the Laws and the Execution of them continuing fuch as they are, and probably

will be.

C

Now as to Perfons in higher Circumstances: they must and will be left to themselves, to educate their Youth just as they please; and they, and we, must take the Confequences. But the Poor are many of them defirous to have theirs educated rightly. And most of them may be induced to it by thofe additional Encouragements, of cloathing and fitting them for Bufinefs, which are fingly very excellent Charities, and, joined with religious Instruction, make a very complete one. Surely there can be no Doubt then, whether a Method fo beneficial every Way, to the Children, the Parents, the Publick, should be joyfully embraced. The wifest and best of antient Legiflators and Philofophers, have all prefcribed a ftrict Education of Youth, as the Foundation of every Thing good. Both the Jewish and Chriftian Inftitutions abfolutely enjoin it. In Proteftant Coun

tries abroad, Teachers are univerfally provided for the Children of the Poor; who are in most Places bound by Law to become their Scholars *. Our Governors at home, both in Church and State, with the whole Body of ferious Perfons of all Denominations, have fhewn their Approbation of this Defign. The only Perfon, who hath attempted publickly to prove it hurtful, hath attempted, in the fame Book, to prove Vice a public Benefit †, I know but one Author more of the leaft Note, who hath declared against these Schools and He fairly acknowledges, that, under a pro" per Regulation, fomething like them may "be commendable +," though he was led, by unhappy Prejudices and falfe Reports, to inveigh with great Bitterness against the Conduct of them,

II. Let us therefore enquire, in the second Place, what are the true Methods to prevent this good Work from being evil Spoken of.

Now thefe in general muft be, Giving no Occafion for juft Objections; and, Returning fufficient Answers to unjust ones, Undoubtedly the former is the main Thing. For wrong Conduct neither can nor ought to be defended; and right Conduct will in a great Measure defend itfelf: yet not fo entirely, but

* See the Dean of Peterborough's Sermon at the Meeting of thefe Children, 1740, p. 23. † Fable of the Bees.

+ CATO's Letters, N° 133.

that