660 ON THE EDUCATION OH TOUTH. always be avoided : but there is no manner of necessity that children should read them, or rash ungarded youths For. some of the reasons before - mentioned, there should be a wise conduct in sheaving children what parts of the bible they should read : for though the word of God expressed' all things with due decency, yet there are some things which have been found necessary to be spoken of in scripture, both in the laws of Moses and in the representation of the wickedness of the Gen- tiles in the New Testament ; in which adult persons have been concerned, which there is no necessity for children to read and hear, and they may be passed over or omitted among them. The Jews were wont to withhold Solomon's Song from their children till they were thirty years old : and the late pious and prudent Bishop Tillotson (in a manuscript ,which I have seen) wishes that those parts of the bible wherein there are some of the affairs of mankind expressed too naturally (as he calls it) were omitted in the public lessons of the church ; I think they may as well be excepted also out of the common lessons of children, and out of the daily course of reading in family worship. Let parents take as much care as they can, in the choice of companions and play- fellows for their sons and their daughter's. it would be a happy thing if children, who are bred up in in schools, could be secured from the company and evil influence of other children, who curse and swear, who take the name of God in vain, and use filthy and unclean language. Masters and mistresses should be very watchful and strict in their enquiries into the behaviour of their scholars of both sexes when they are outof their sight,,that if it were possible there might not be one among them whose lips are impure or profane : for one diseased sheep may infect the whole flock. However, where children find such immorality practised by any of their fellows, they should be taught to chew their utmost abhorrence of it, and speedily forsake such pernicious company. SECT. IX. -A Guard set on the Sports and Diversions of Children. . AS parents should take care to have their children employed in proper learning and business, so they should not think it be- neath them to concern themselves a little about their sports and recreations. Human nature, especially in younger years, can- not be constantly kept intent on work, learning or labour. There must be some intervals of pleasure to give a loose to the mind, and to refresh the natural spirits. Too long and intense a con- finement to one thing, is ready to over -tire the spirits of youth, and to weaken the springs of activity by excessive fatigue. It is an old simile on this occasion, and a just one, that a bow kept ' always bent will grow feeble and lose its force. The alternate successions of business and diversion, preserve the body and,
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