He
will undoubtedly demand an Account of the Exercise of it: And who is
he, that has so little to answer for on his own Account, as willingly
to subject himself to be answerable for the Sins of others, which
either by his Encouragement, or his Connivence he makes his own? Pardon
the Freedom of this Address; I honour and reverence _your_ Office, and
I hope I give you no Occasion to despise _mine_.

Next to those in publick Offices of Power and Trust, the Happiness of
the Publick depends upon those who have the Government in private
Families. Here it is that the Youth of the Nation must be formed, and
if they are suffered to be corrupted in their Religion or Morals before
they come into the _World_, there is little Hope that the _World_ will
reform them. All wise Men, Legislators, and Princes, have acknowledged,
not only the Use, but the Necessity of an early Education to form the
Mind, whilst tender, to the Principles of Honour and Virtue; and what
is more, the wisest of all, the Writers inspired by the Holy Spirit,
have required it as a Duty from Parents, and as Part of the Obedience
they owe to God: Even our Unbelievers have seen how far Religion
depended on this Care; and under a Pretence of maintaining the Liberty
of the human Mind, and guarding it against early Prejudices, they have
endeavoured to persuade the World, that Children should be taught
nothing of Religion, but be left to form Notions for themselves. They
have had but too great Success, and we begin to see the Fruits of it.
The Children of this Age, grow soon to be Men and Women, and are
admitted to be Partners, and Witnesses to the Follies and Vices of
their Parents. Thus trained and educated, when they come to be Masters
and Mistresses of Families, they answer fully what was to be expected
from them; they are often a Torment to each other, and to themselves,
and have Reason to bemoan themselves for the Indulgence shewn them in
their early Days.

Would you see the Effects of this Education in all Orders among us,
look into the many Publick Assemblies; sometimes you may see Old Age
affecting the Follies of Youth, and counterfeiting the Airs of Gaiety;
sometimes Men lying in wait to seduce Women, and Women to seduce Men;
and even Children seriously employed at the Gaming Table, as if their
Parents were concerned to form them early to the Taste of the Age, and
were afraid that they should not soon enough, of themselves, find the
Way to their Ruin.

Loo