AN ESSAY ON CHAEITY-SCHOOL$. 9 and management of one of them, viz. that which is kept in Crutched-Friars near Aldgate.v I designed, indeed, to have prefaced this discourse with a short Treatise on Education ; but that work growing larger dailyunder my hands, and being much importuned to let this appear sooner in the world, I have at last consented to it. Be- fore I apply myself directly to answer the objections, I ask leave to lay down several propositions by way of concession : And when those who. raise complaints against our schools of charity, have seen how much I grant to them, this may perhaps have some good influence, to mollify their spirits, and abate their op position to these schools, and may prepare them to give a more favourable attention to the answers which shall follow: Proposition I. The great God has wisely ordained in the course of his providence in all ages, that among mankind there should be some rich, and some poor : And the sane providence bath allotted to the poor the meaner services, and bath given to the richthe superior and more honourable businesses of life : Nor is it possible, according to the present course of nature and human affairs, to alter this constitution of things, nor is it our design to attempt any thing so unreasonable. IL As the children of the rich in general, ought to enjoy such an education, as may fit them for the better businesses of life,' so the children of the poor, especially such as need the charityof their neighbours, should not be generally educated in such a manner, as may raise them above the services of a lower station. III. Yet surely there may be some exception made for the children of those poor parents, who have enjoyed plentiful cir- cumstances in life, and have behaved well in them, and per. formed the duties of justice and charity ; but by the wise provi- dence of God have been reduced to great degrees of poverty, andare hardly able to provide food and clothing for their own offspring, and much less to bestow a good education upon them. Some of these children are yet sunk deeper into distress, ,ind ,fire become orphans. Such misery has somewhat of a sacred tenderness belonging to it, and seems to claim the regards of sympathy and compassion from those who now enjoy plentiful circumstances, while theymeditate on the uncertainty of human affairs, and remember that they are liable to the like calamity. * Since that time, the Reverend Mr. Samuel Chandler has published his sermon, which was preached January I, 1728, wherein he defends these schoola of charity against the cavils which have been raised, and the censures cast upon them, by the author of the " Fable of the Rees." Upon the perusal of it, I find very solid and effectual answers given to the objections of that author. His discourse has touched upon several points which I had omitted, and has given considerableasseistance toward the support of this cause of charity and banefi. CRttce,
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