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being and comfort of children, to their proficiency in useful knowledge, and to domestic tranquillity: but the modern practice is to let them have their own way, though they cannot discern between good and evil; and to allow them to govern others, even while they are unable to walk without their aid. Parents seem to proceed with their children as if they had forgotten the weakness inseparable from their tender years; and as if they did not believe that they are radically corrupt, and stand in need of continual admonition and restraint. From these gross and palpable mistakes arise the most serious and alarming evils to themselves, to their offspring, and to society at large.

It is common with many parents to plead the strength of natural affection in excuse for their indiscreet indulgence; and should a friend, without children, venture to remind them of their error, he is perhaps told, with much apparent confidence, that he is not qualified to judge, because he is a stranger to the feelings of a parent. Yet this very plea, when stripped of its false colouring, and expressed according to the genuine import of the words, brings an accusation against God himself, and is nothing less than blasphemy. For this is the tenor of the language which it holds: "If 'my children should be ruined by my indulgence, you are not to blame me; it is only the effect of 'that overpowering principle which the Creator 'has implanted in my nature, and which renders 'me incapable of obeying his precepts!' How prone are men to charge God foolishly! And what a proof is here again thrown in our way of the desperate wickedness of the human heart! Let it however be observed, that if man had remained upright

and innocent, as God created him, the natural affection, which he implanted in man, would never have interfered with any of his duties, nor ever have allowed him to lose sight of the spiritual, or best interests of his children. But the natural affection now in man, like other natural impulses and appetites, is liable to ruinous deviations and exces ses through the blindness, depravity, and impotency, which came upon all men by the entrance of sin. This, I believe, is a true statement of the case, and the only way to solve the difficulties attached to it. But we have an infallible guide. How full of light and power! how convincing and decisive is the divine testimony! "Lo, this only have I found," says Solomon, "that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions. The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame."*

Let your children learn and feel their depen dence upon you for counsel as well as protection ; that you, and not they, are capable of determining in all cases what is proper for them. It is a general rule, with few exceptions, which a prudent parent may ascertain, to refuse a child what it cries for, especially when it manifests impatience, and is violent. And even after the passion of the child has subsided, it will be best to wait, and defer the gratification of its desires, that you may inure them to self-denial and submission as the ground-work of your efforts to educate them for God. But to humour the passions of a child, to fondle it when violent, or to indulge its wayward temper in every thing it craves, though it may

* Eccle. vii. 29. Prov. xxix. 15.

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allay its sufferings for the moment, and relieve the parent from witnessing them, is, in reality, to lay a foundation for greater difficulties, and severer struggles in training the child, till at length con+ trol is found impracticable, and relinquished as hopeless. And this is the very thing the child aims at; for they learn very early to take advantage of concessions. Happy is the parent, who avails himself in time of that infallible counsel, which is so mercifully, and so seasonably afforded: "Chasten thy son, while there is hope, and let not thy soul spare for his crying. Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him."* Many parents however will not see this, but follow the impulse of what they call natural affection, till at length the golden season of hope is suffered to pass by unimproved. Instead of following the counsel of God by exercising a wise and timely restraint, they nurse the evil, when in its weakest state, and by flattering and endearing expressions strengthen the rebellion of the heart. Correction is withheld

till it cannot be applied, or till the time is gone when it might have been used with advantage. The reins of government are put into hands incapable of holding them. The boy is permitted to have his own will for a law. In process of time he becomes ripe for mischief, and irreclaimable; and the parent is heard to observe with a sigh, it is my own fault; I should have brought him under before, but it is now too late.' Such is the case of The effects vary

what we call spoiled children.

according to circumstances; but they are commonly such as these: filial ingratitude, contempt

• Prov, xix. 18. xxii. 15.

of parents, and of all authority human and divine, pride and impatience of reproof, idleness, drunkenness, whoredom, profligacy, prostitution, fraud, perjury, gaming, suicide, with innumerable others, and what is most terrible of all,-THE WRATH TO COME. Thus parents eat of the fruit of their own way; and find it to be disappointment, sorrow, and shame. It is indeed the fruit of their own folly; because they have presumed to be wise, not only above, but against what is written. They walk contrary to God; and He, in his Providence, walks contrary to them.

The duty of Christian parents is laid down by the Apostle Paul in a single sentence admirably comprehensive and explicit: "Ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath; but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord."* Provoke them not to wrath; do not exasperate them by a cruel and furious severity, or by abusive language, like unconverted persons, who seldom correct their children but in sallies of passion, and with a blind and brutal harshness; for these generate the same evils in your children, alienate their affection and respect, and shut the door at which instruction should enter. There is nothing said

here against a prudent and proper correction; but against the abuse of it, and all hurtful excesses. In case you are moved with anger, it is advisable to wait till you are composed before correction is applied, that your children may clearly perceive, your conduct towards them is not influenced by fits, either of fondness, or of passion; but by a deliberate and sound judgment,-by established principles of rectitude, and by a sense of duty, to which

* Eph. vi. 4.

even natural affection must be subject. You may then with confidence look for salutary effects, which will rejoice your heart. For they will, with the divine blessing, understand, love, and respect you, and learn to act from principle too.

The positive part of your duty is to bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. The word nurture, in the original language, signifies discipline, and seems to include whatever is requisite in the management of a child, that he may be trained to the service of God. The admonition of the Lord implies divine instruction accompanied with warnings and reproofs according to the word of God, and instilled into the mind by the use of all appointed means. The apostle appears to introduce and enforce what is right in opposition to what he had, in the first clause, condemned as wrong. Let correction, or chastisement, as well as instruction, be under the direction and control of the word and will of the Lord.

It is important also to observe, that you are to bring them up in what is here enjoined, a duty of great extent, reaching from infancy to manhood, and implying one continued course of unwearied application. As soon as they are capable of thinking, lead their thoughts to God, whose creatures they are, and in whom they live, and move, and have their being.* Among the first words they are capable of understanding, let them hear such as are suited to beget spiritual life in the soul. Talk with them, in the plainest language, on the perfections of God, on the wonderful love of Jesus to sinners, his peculiar regard to little children,

* Acts, xvii, 28.
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