LII. much apostasy from the fundamentals of religion. SERM. For it is, I think, a true obfervation, that catechizing, and the history of the martyrs have been the two great pillars of the proteftant religion. There being then so great a neceffity and usefulness of this way of inftruction, I would earnestly recommend the practice of it to parents and mafters of families with respect to their children and fervants. For I do not think that this work fhould lie wholly upon minifters. You must do your part at home, who by your conftant refidence in your families have better and more eafy opportunities of inculcating the principles of religion upon your children and fervants. There you must prepare them for publick catechizing, that the work of the minifter may not be too heavy upon him. As to the part which concerns minifters, I intend by God's affistance, so foon as the business can be put into a good method, to begin this exercife. And I do earnestly intreat all that have young children and fervants, to bring fuch of them as are fit to be publickly catechized and inftructed in the principles of religion and I fhall as often as fhall be thought expedient spend fome time in this work, between afternoon prayers and fermon. The catechifm to be used fhall be that appointed in our liturgy, which is fhort, and contains in it the chief principles of the chriftian religion. And I fhall make a short and plain explication of the heads of it; fuitable to the capacity of children. And because this may not probably be of so great advantage to thofe who are of riper years and underftandings, yet because children are to be inftructed as well SERM. well as men, I muft intreat those who are like to carLII. ry away the leaft profit, to bring with them the more patience: especially fince I shall for their fakes, in the conftant courfe of my afternoon's fermons, more largely and fully explain the chief principles of the christian belief: a work which you know I have fome time ago entred upon. VIII. The last thing I fhall mention, and with which the state of childhood ends, is bringing of children to the bishop, to be folemnly confirmed, by their taking upon themselves the vow which by their fureties they entred into at their baptifm. This is acknowledged by almost all fects and parties of christians to be of primitive antiquity, and of very great use when it is performed with that due preparation of perfons for it, by the ministers to whose charge they belong, and with that seriousness and folemnity which the nature of the thing doth require. And to that end it were very defirable that confirmations fhould be more frequent, and in fmaller numbers at a time; that fo the bishop may apply himself more particularly to every person that is to be confirmed, that by this means the thing may make the deeper impreffion, and lay the ftronger obligation upon them. One thing more I could wifh, both to prevent confufion, and for the ease also of the bishop, that his work may not be endless, that minifters would take care that none may prefent themselves to the bishop, or be prefented by the minifters, to be confirmed a second time: because a great many are wont to offer themselves every time there is a confirmation, which LII. is both very disorderly and unreasonable, there being SER M. every whit as little reafon for a fecond confirmation, as there is for a fecond baptifm: and if any perfons need so often to be confirmed, it is a fign that confirmation hath very little effect upon them. II. I proceed to the second general head,which was to give some more particular directions for the management of this work of the good education of children in such a way as may be most effectual to its end. First, endeavour, as well as you can, to discover the particular temper and difpofition of children, that you may fuit and apply yourselves to it, and by ftriking in with nature may fteer and govern them in the fweetest and easiest way. This is like knowledge of the nature of the ground to be planted, which hufbandmen are wont very carefully to enquire into, that they may apply the feed to the foil, and plant in it that which is moft proper for it: Quid quæque ferat regio, quid quæque recufet. Every foil is not proper for all forts of grain or fruit; It is good therefore to know the particular tempers of children, that we may accordingly apply our care to them, and manage them to the best advantage: that LII. SRRM. that where we difcern in them any forward inclinations to good, we may caft in fuch feeds and principles, as, by their fuitableness to their particular tempers, we judge most likely to take fooneft and deepest root: and when these are grown up, and have taken poffeffion of the foil, they will prepare it for the feeds of other virtues. And fo likewife when we discover in their nature a more particular difpofition and leaning towards any thing which is bad, we must with great diligence and care apply fuch inftructions, and plant fuch principles in them, as may be most effectual to alter this evil disposition of their minds; that whilft nature is tender and flexible we may gently bend it the other way and it is almost incredible what strange things by prudence and patience may be done towards the rectifying of a very perverse and crooked difpofi tion. So that it is of very great use to observe and difcover the particular tempers of children, that in all our inftruction and management of them we may apply ourselves to their nature and hit their peculiar difpofition: by this means we may lead and draw them to their duty in humane ways, and fuch as are much more agreeable to their temper than constraint and neceffity, which are harsh and churlish, and against the grain. Whatever is done with delight goes on cheerfully, but when nature is compelled and forced, things proceed heavily: therefore, when we are forming and fashioning children to religion and virtue, we fhould make all the advantage we can of their particular tempers. This will be a good direction and help to us to conduct na ture LII. ture in the way it will moft eafily go. Every temper SER M. gives fome particular advantage and handle whereby we may take hold of them and steer them more eafily but if we take a contrary courfe we must expect to meet with great difficulty and reluc tancy. Such ways of education as are prudently fitted to the particular difpofitions of children are like wind and tide together, which will make the work go on amain but thofe ways and methods which are applied cross to nature are like wind against tide, which make a great ftir and conflict, but a very flow progrefs. Not that I do, or can expect that all parents fhould be philofophers, but that they should use the best wisdom they have in a matter of fo great concernment. Secondly, in your inftruction of children endeavour to plant in them those principles of religion and virtue which are most fubftantial, and are like to have the best influence upon the future government of their lives, and to be of continual and lasting use to them. Look to the feed you fow, that it be found and good, and for the benefit and use of mankind: this is to be regarded, as well as the ground into which the feed is caft. Labour to beget in children a right apprehenfion of those things which are most fundamental and neceffary to the knowledge of GOD and our duty; and to make them fenfible of the great evil and danger of fin; and to work in them a firm belief of the next life, and of the eternal rewards and recompences of it. And if these principles once take root they will spread far and wide, and have a vast VOL. IV. 6 C influence |