672 ON THE EDUCATION OF YOUTH. for, or rather they are more apparently opposite to the duties of religion. The religion of the closet is neglected, the beautiful regularity and Order of the family is broken ; and when the night has been . turned into day, a good part of the net day is turned into night, while the duties of the morning both to God and man, are unperformed. Those who have frequented these as- semblies know all this, and are my witnesses to the truth of it. Nay, the very practice itself, at those unseasonable hours, tells all the world how mach they prefer these dangerous amusements to the worship of God in the evening, and in the morning, and to all the conveniences and decorum of family - government. Be- sides, if I speak to christians, have you not found that the in. dulgence to this sort of diversions, which are usually practised in those unseasonable assemblies, leads the mind away insensibly from God and religion, gives a vanity to the spirit, and greatly abates the spiritual and heavenly temper which should belong to christians ? Hath it not taken away the savour of godliness and tincture of piety from some younger minds ? And do elder chris- tians never suffer by it ? Let it be further considered, what sort of company you mingle with in those midnight-assemblies, Are they most frequented by the wise and pious, or by the more vain and vicious parts of mankind ? Do they tend to fill your mind with the most improving notions, and your ears and your lips with the most proper conversation ? Do you that frequent them never find your piety in danger there ? Does strict religion and prayer relish so well with you after those gaudy nights of mirth and folly ? And do you then, when you join in those as- semblies, practise the commands of God, to abstain from all appearance of evil, and to shun the paths of temptation ? Can you Arty for a blessing on your attendance on these midnight- meetings ? Or can you hope to run into the midst of those sparks and living coals, and yet not be burned, nor so much as have your garments singed ? Are not parents very generally sensible, that there are dangerous snares to youth in those gay diversions ? And therefore the mother will herself go along with her young ofi'spring to take care of them, and to watch over them ; and perhaps there is scarcely any place or time which more wants the watchful eye of a superior. But here let me ask, is this all the reason why the mother attends those scenes of vanity ? Has she no relish for them herself? Has she no gay humours of her own to he gratified, which she disguises and covers with the pretence of a parental solicitude for the virtue and honour of her off- spring ? Are there no mothers who freely lead their children inte those perilous places, where soul and body are in danger, and are really, their tempters, under a colour of being their guardians. You will plead, perhaps, that some of these things are pro-
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=