has been their erecting of fchools, where they have colleges, for the Free education of youth:' the very doing of it gratis makes it look like charity with the poor, that have little to give; and with the rich, that feldom love to part with money, to be fure it is no objection. Thus obliging the parents, they next fall to making themfelves grateful with the children and here they exercise not a little skill. They ftrictly furvey and obferve the divers humours and difpofitions of their scholars, and take great care not to baulk their capacity by cross or unfuitable ftudies: but when once they are fixed, every youth according to his genius, it is not easy to be believed what pains they take to allure them to their ftudies; how they will tempt them with childish rewards, and excite them to their book by raifing an emulation among them: fo that to excel, is more than a rod; and victory, than any chaftifement whatever. By thefe arts they fit all capacities with fuitable ftudy, and cultivate them to the pitch of learning they are capable of; and all with that obligation upon the youth to love them, that from thence-forward they become partial devotees to the advancement of the honour and intereft of that order. To conclude, they have got into their hands the education of the generality of the youth of the Romish religion in every country, from the king to the peafant; and being mafters of them when boys, they grow governors and confeffors to them when they are men; fo that all feem to have fallen into their hands: and being but one entire intereft throughout the world, and maintaining a moft punctual correfpondence, they muft needs have the knowledge and difpofal of the affairs of states and kingdoms, by that share they have in the counfels of princes, and that great reliance that upon their judgment and ability. This, if we regard only the Romish religion, fhews great wit, defign and industry: but if we confider well how formidable thefe arts render them to proteftant kingdoms, it will become us to use our utmost prudence to fecure ourselves. And there feems not to me a more effec

is

tual remely, than a

wife and virtuous education of our youth.' In order to it, let us ufe methods not inferior to theirs, but for better ends: let us employ our skill to improve the childrens natural abilities, to excite them to virtue, and endear the trueft intereft of their own country to them. I will briefly fet down what at prefent occurs to me, as a good way of edu

cation.

First, Let care be taken to breed up youth in morality virtue prepares the mind, helps the underftanding, and gives induftry to compass what is defired. I would have no books used in fchools, in which there may be the leaft indecency. There were, and not without reason, ancient canons against the reading of fuch heathen authors; and not a few learned and fober men have rebuked that practice amongst us. It is an affront to Chriftianity, yea, to our natures, to fetch our wit, or our manners from them. It were well if fome tracts of moral virtues, and invectives against vice, were written in thofe languages we would have youth to learn; for in fuch difcourfes they might obtain good manners with the languages; whereas by preferring in schools Heathen authors, our youth has learned base obscenities, and a corrupt conversation.

II. In the next place, I would propofe fome of the more obvious and eafier parts of the mathematicks, and the knowledge of plants and natural bodies, to be composed on purpose, after a familiar manner, that they may be inftructed in the knowledge of nature, and learn things, at the fame time they learn words it is a most reproveable ignorance, that we know not our own natures, the world we are of and in, the parts that compofe it, and their nature and fervice, their fympathies and antipathies. Nature is an excellent book, easy, useful, pleasant and profitable; but how few, alas! are learned either in the Macrocofm, or their Microcofm? I wish this were better understood; it would be both our honour and advantage.

III. The

III. The laft fort of books which I would recommend, and are, in my opinion, moft fuitable to their maturity of age and understanding, are fuch as relate to the hiftories and tranfactions of our own kingdoms; the intereft of the true Proteftant religion and civil policy among us. But because there are very few (if any) of thefe difcourfes extant, it were worth the care of our fuperiors, and an act deferving praife, that fome fkilful, fober, and judicious men were fet to work for the composure of some small tracts of this nature; and, as an appendix to the whole, that there might be a fummary of the moft virtuous and infamous actions of former times, with the rewards and punishments they have received from God and just government; that, by the power of example, they may be deterred from vice, and provoked to an honeft emulation of the virtues and reputation of the ancients.

IV. In the fourth place, Cross not the genius of your youth,' but match their talents well; for if you do not fuit their studies to their understanding, it will be drawing up hill, going against the grain, or fwimming against the tide: that which will be gained, will be little; and with fo much labour and time too, as will not quit coft. It should be greatly the care of those who have the charge of youth, to make the ways of learning eafy and chearful; which leadeth me to my last observation upon this head.

V. Let all honeft arts be used by maiters of schools. to provoke their youth to learning, without much fiercenefs or beating: for that fort of education has nothing of that free and generous difpofition in it, which might be raised and improved in youth by more gentle and reasonable methods. They that are taught to obey only for base fear, make fear, and not reason, the rule of their obedience; and this grows up in too many with their age, that they turn mere mercenaries, and only worship violence. In fhort, make inftruction eafy, correction reasonable: convince them of their miscarriage with mildness, then pardon them; and, finally, excite them to amendment by fmiles and fa

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your.

vour. This awakens the noble part, and excites youth to perform that, which may ingratiate them with their tutors; who, if they at any time commit an error, fhould rather fhew themselves affectionately forry for them, than bitterly angry. Plato, being greatly dif pleased with his fervant, and going about to correct him, gave the wand to one that stood by, faying; Do thou beat him, for I am angry.' Chastisement fhould be ufed with reafon and reluctancy: a difcreet and cool hand may direct the blow right, and hit the mark, when men of fury rather ease their paffion, than mend their youth; especially, if the correction exceed the fault; for that hardens. This very brutishness is more injurious to the nature of our youth, than usually their inftruction is beneficial.

Upon the whole matter, I take the freedom to say, That if we would preferve our government, we must endear it to the people. To do this, befides the neceffity of present just and wife things, we muft fecure the youth and this is not to be done, but by the amendment of the way of their education, and that with all conceivable speed and diligence. I fay, the government is highly obliged: it is a fort of trustee for the youth of the kingdom, who, though now minors, yet will have the government when we are gone. Therefore deprefs vice, and cherish virtue, that, through good education, they may become good; which will truly render them happy in this world, and a good way fitted for that which is to come. If this be done, they will owe more to your memories for their education, than for their eftates.

SECT. X.

Of the third and laft motive for this addrefs.

Y third and laft reafon for this ferious fupplica

Mtion to the civil magiftrate is fo great, that I

find difficulty to exprefs it: it is the glory of that GOD

that

that made us; that hath so often delivered us, and doth fo plentifully provide for us; who "fent his Son into "the world to fave us," and waits every day to be good and gracious to us. But he hath fo particularly, and with that tranfcendency, fet the marks of his favour upon you, both in your restoration and protection, as scarce any age can parallel. O! let a steady virtue be the return of these mercies, and a pious care to retrieve and encourage morality, which is the very bafis of our religion and government, be the humble token of your gratitude: it is your office; you do but comply with the reafon of your own inftitution :' God expects it, and good men befeech it from you. There is much in your power at this time, to make this the Inland of peace and lafting tranquillity.' Lofe not, I beseech you, the prefent opportunity revive the laws against these grofs iniquities: terrify all evil-doers, and cherish them that do well: provide for the poor, that their stock may not be abused, nor their cries pierce heaven against you, because of neglect; that God may yet vouchsafe to fpare us.

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if

"Your fins," faid God of old, have with-held good things from you: It is righteousness that ex"alts a nation; but fin is the reproach of any people." Would ye profper? then please God; and ye will please him, ye muft put away the wicked from amongst you; at leaft from power, and offices in the government: they that would rule others, fhould be just themselves, and of good lives. It was both his complaint, and the cause of his judgment, in former ages: "There are found wicked men among my "people; they lay wait, as he that fetteth fnares; they fet a trap, they catch men: as a cage is full of birds, fo are their houfes full of deceit: therefore "they are become great, and waxen rich; they are "waxen fat, they fhine. They overpafs (or overlook) "the deeds of the wicked; they judge not the cause "of the fatherlefs; yet they profper." These were no fmall folk, but men of power; fuch as got largely by the government, and employed their authority

to