aat ON THE EDUCATION OF YOUTH., gnage of common life. This therefore should eminently have a constant guard set upon it. Show them how unreasonable and unmanly a thiìt g it is to take fire at every little provocation : how honourable and glorious to forgive an injury; how much like God and like the best of men. Let them know what Solomon would inform them, that the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit : that he who is slow to anger, is better than the Haiti lacy : and he that ruleth his spirit, is better than he that taketh a city. Teach them to put away their little quarrels and resentments, and to forget and bury them in love. Let them be put in mind, that though anger may happen to rise a little in a good roan, yet it rests and abides only in the bosom of a fool and therefore they should never grow sullen, nor let the sun go down upon their wrath. The occasions of childish resentment, and the risings of anger, are ready to return often, and therefore they should often have such warnings given them and such instructions repeated. Tell them how lovely a thing it is to be meek and free from pas- sion, and how much such children are beloved of all. Instruct them how much it tends to their own peace, to suffer nothing to ruffle and discompose them ; and when their little hearts are ready to swell and grow big within them, and their wrath takes sudden fire,' put in some pretty soft word to cure the return of this inward swelling, to quench the new flame that is kindling in their bosom, and to assuage the rising storm. Teach them by degrees to get an habitual conquest over this disorder of nature in youth, and you will lay a foundation for their deliverance from a thousand mischiefs in the following years and events of life. This shall suffice for the third head of instruction which re- lates to self government : I have dwelt the longer upon it, be- cause it is of so great and evident importance towards the ease and happiness of life, as well as so considerable a part of religion ; and men can hardly ever get so successful a victory over them- selves, unless they begin when they are children. SECT. IV. The common Arts of Reading and Writing. THE next thing that I shall mention as a matter of instruction for children, is the common arts of reading, ipelling, and writing. Writing is almost a divine art, whereby thoughts may be com- municated without a voice, and understood without hearing : to these I would add some small knowledge of arithmetic or accounts, as the practice of it is in a manner so universal in our age, that it does almost necessarily belong to a tolerable education. The knowledge of letters, is one of the greatest blessings that ever God bestowed on the children of men : by this means, mankind are enabled to preserve the memory of things done in their own times, and to lay up a rich. treasure of knowledge for all succee.I ipg generations.
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