The Foundations of Religion he will lay deepand ftrong recommending the great Articles of it, not to the Paffions of thofe under his Care, by Warmth and Vehemence ; but to their Reafon and Faith, by juft Explications and conclufive Arguments: neither loading. Revelation with unauthorised Doctrines and needlefs Difficulties; nor yielding up the leaft real Part of it, to defend the reft; nor altering the least, to give it a more plaufible Appearance. A difputing and cavilling Temper he will endeavour to reprefs; but will treat with allTenderness the Doubts of an ingenuous Mind ; and ever encourage that facred Regard to Truth, which makes Men worthy of Esteem, even whilst they err, and is the great Security of their returning into the right Way. He will take fit Opportunity of fhewing, how clofely a due Regard to the Teachers of Religion and Virtue is connected with the Practice of both. But the Perfons, whofe Employment teaching them is to be, he will studioufly warn, that the only way of fecuring this Regard is, by useful and exemplary Lives; prudent and inoffenfive Conduct; and so hearty a Friendship to all just and reasonable Liberty, as may give them unfufpected Authority to oppose the diffolute Licentiousness, that in vain affumes its Name,

To Civil Government he will confcientiously teach that dutiful Obedience and Honour, which Christianity requires all Subjects to pay ; C 3 and

of

and which the happiest Subjects in the World ought to pay with the chearfulleft Gratitude. He will discourage with all poffible Care, the Rage of party Zeal; which warm and unexperienced Minds too often mistake for publick Spirit. Admitted in this fair Difguife, it poffeffes the whole Man; tinctures his Way of thinking on almost every Subject; leads him to hate and injure worthy Perfons, to admire and afsociate amongst very bad ones; with whom this immoral Temper ftands in the stead of all Merit, whilft indeed it hinders the acquiring any. As Life goes on, thefe Evils increase: of which all the World complains, but unhappily indulges them at the fame time; inftead of each curbing, on his own Side, the Eagerness and Keennefs of fo malevolent a Principle. Young Perfons fhould therefore be reminded, that the Seats of Learning are purpofely fecreted from the bufy Scenes of Life; that the Time for engaging in thofe will come but too foon: and mean while the generous Ardor of Youth fhould be exerted in making the Preparation of useful Knowledge and virtuous Habits; but ever tempered with fuch Mildness and Diffidence concerning Matters, of which they need not judge yet, as they will every Day see more neceffary in order to judge and act right.

This is indeed one Part of Morals: and on every other Part the Director of Education will have an attentive Eye. Even the Sallies of a

well

well-meant Fervor he will prudently moderate, when they give Religion a gloomy Appearance, or add to it a needlefs Burden. But much more strictly will he guard against the oppofite Extreme of Libertinifm and Profanenefs: labouring to keep up, not only an outward Form of Regularity, but a ferious Awe of God, and Senfe of Duty, in every Mind; watching over each Tendency to Vice; and confidering wilful Neglect of Application, as a dangerous Kind of Guilt. In order to this great End of preferving Morals, he will preferve and countenance, as far as it remains poffible, that Temperance of living, Simplicity of Appearance, and Frugality of Expence, which are ufually brought hither, and fo peculiarly fuit this Inftitution; which keep the Mind in fit Temper for the Exercise of its Faculties, and defend it from the Corruptions of Luxury and Vanity; lay the Foundations of Health and Prudence in Men for the reft of their Days, and prepare them to be virtuous and easy in whatever Stations may prove their

Share.

It remains only now, that the Perfon, of whom all this Care is taken, should know and improve his own Happiness. Too many there are, that fet out upon the important Journey of Life, without a skilful, or perhaps a friendly Hand, to conduct them through the Difficulties of the untried and hazardous Way. These are greatly excufeable in their Faults,

and pitiable in their Miferies. But of you God and Man will expect Attainments, that may bear Proportion to the Advantages, with which you are bleffed, Nature engages your Parents; Duty, Honour, and Intereft, your Iructors, to confult your Welfare which they defire as much as yourselves, and underfrand better. Restrain therefore and apply Vorfelves as they direct; though you not only feel it painful, but fee it not yet beneficial :and truft thofe, who have all imaginable Claim to be trufted, that, by quick Degrees, the Pain will wear off, and the Benefit be evident.

Their Province, who are devoted to the Service of Religion, will be to appear, perhaps after a very fhort Preparation, in an Age ftrongly prejudiced against them and their Function: fure Objects, without Merit, of Contempt and Hatred; but, with it, capable ftill of being esteemed and useful. This Situation, you see, requires in the first Place, that you carefully acquaint yourselves with the Proofs, the Doctrines and Precepts of the Gospel Revelation. Fear not therefore making free Inquiry into every Thing, Others inquire with bad Intention: if you do it not with good, you will want true Learning, to oppofe against the falfe and half-Learning of Unbelievers. Only begin not your Inquiry, till you are qualified: and end it not, till you have confidered Matters throughly. Young Minds, and often the moft generous of them, are apt

to

to pursue Truth with an Impatience, that occafions their miffing it. Nothing ought ever to stand against full Evidence, well weighed: but many Things may induce those, who have yet had little Time for Thought, to think again, and be diffident in the mean while. For not only the World too commonly imputes to a Man, all his Life, the indigefted Notions of his early Years; but Perfons lift themselves by pofitive Talk, and then cannot retreat. With this Caution, and with due Method, Diligence will go far in acquiring Knowledge. But Knowledge is only one Part of what must be attended to. The unguarded Conduct, even of Perfons younger Days, will be treasured up in many a malicious Memory to their future Disadvantage : and, though an Affectation of untimely Gravity fits ill, yet Innocence and Piety are the Duties of every Age. They especially, whose Profeffion will make a stricter Abstinence from doubtful and imprudent Pleasures expected of them hereafter, will find it much the fafeft and eafieft to begin now; and, by an uniform Life, grow regularly up into that Efteem, which their Destination will require.

And though neither the fame Diligence of Application, nor fuch Accuracy of Conduct, may appear neceffary in thofe of higher Rank; yet an improved Understanding must be an Advantage, and the Want of it a Blemish, proportionably confpicuous, as the Station, in which

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