CHAPTER V.

_Shewing that the education which men generally receive in their youth, makes a devout life difficult to be practised; and the spirit of a better education represented in the character of |Paternus|._

ANOTHER obstruction to a devout life, arises from our _education_. We are all of us, for the most part, corruptly educated, and then sent to take our course in a corrupt world: so that it is no wonder, if examples of true piety are so seldom seen.

Numbers are undone by being born and bred in families that have no religion; where they are made vicious and irregular, becoming like those with whom they first lived.

But this is not the thing I now mean; the education that I here intend, is such as children generally receive from virtuous and sober parents, and learned tutors and governors.

The first temper that we try to awaken in them is _pride_: as dangerous a passion as that of _lust_. We stir them up to vain thoughts of themselves, and do every thing we can to puff up their minds with a sense of their own abilities.

Whatever way of life we intend them for, we apply to the fire and vanity of their minds; and exhort them to every thing from corrupt motives. We stir them up to action from principles of strife and ambition; from glory, envy, and a desire of distinction, that they may overtop all others, and shine above their neighbours in the world. Nay, we repeat and inculcate these motives upon them, till they think it a part of their duty to be proud, envious, and vain-glorious of their own accomplishments.

If children are intended for _holy orders_, we set before them some eminent orator, whose fine preaching has made him the admiration of the age, and carried him through all the _dignities_ and preferments of the church. We encourage them to have these _honours_ in their eye, and to expect the reward of their studies from them.

If the youth is intended for a _trade_, we bid him look at all the rich men of the same trade, and to consider how many are carried about in their stately coaches, who began in the same low degree as he now does. We awaken his ambition, and endeavour to give his mind a right turn, by often telling him how very rich such and such a tradesman died.

If he is to be a _lawyer_, then we set great counsellors, lords, judges, and chancellors, before his eyes. We tell him what great fees, and great applause, attend fine pleading; we exhort him to take fire at these things, and to be content with nothing less than the highest honours of the long robe.

That this is the nature of our best education, is too plain to need any proof; and yet after all this, we complain of the effects of pride; we wonder to see grown men acted and governed by ambition, envy, scorn, and a desire of glory; not considering, that they were all the time of their youth, called upon to all their action and industry upon the same principles.

How dry and poor must the doctrines of self-denial, and deadness to the world, sound to a youth, that has been spurred up to all his industry, by ambition, envy, and a desire of glory and distinction? And if he is not to act by these principles when he is a _man_, why do we call him to act by them in his _youth_?

I know it is said in defence of this method of education; that ambition, and a desire of glory, are necessary to excite young people to industry; and that if we were to press upon them the doctrines of self-denial, and renunciation of the world, we should deject their minds, and sink them into dulness and idleness.

But such objectors do not consider, that this reason, if it has any strength, is full as strong against pressing the like doctrines upon grown men, lest we should deject their minds, and sink them into dulness and idleness.

For who does not see, that _middle-aged men_ want as much the assistance of pride, ambition, and vain-glory, to spur them up to action and industry, as do children? And it is very certain, that the precepts of humility are more contrary to the designs of such men, and more grievous to their minds, when they are pressed upon them, than they are to the minds of young persons.

But further: could such objectors think, that if any children had been educated by our blessed LORD, or his Apostles, that their minds would have been sunk into dulness and idleness? Or could they think, that such children would not have been trained up in the profoundest principles of self-denial and true devotion? Can they say, that our blessed LORD, who, considering him in his human nature, was the most devout, self-denying man that ever was on earth, was hindered by his devotion from doing the greatest example of worthy and glorious actions that ever were done by man? Can they say, that his Apostles, who lived in the same spirit of their Master, did therefore cease to be laborious and active instruments of doing good to all the world?

A few such reflections as these, are sufficient to expose all the poor pretences for an education in pride and ambition.

PATERNUS lived about two hundred years ago; he had but one son, whom he educated himself, in his own house. As they were sitting together in the garden, when the child was _ten years_ old, _Paternus_ thus addressed him.

“The little time that you have been in the world, my child, you have spent wholly with me; and my love and tenderness to you, has made you look upon me as your only friend and benefactor, and the cause of all the comfort and pleasure that you enjoy. Your heart, I know, would be ready to break with grief, if you thought this was the last day that I should live with you.

But, my child, though you now think yourself mighty happy, because you have hold of my hand, you are now in the hands, and under the tender care of a much greater father and friend than I am, whose love to you is far greater than mine, and from whom you receive such blessings as no mortal can give.

That GOD, whom you have seen me daily to worship; whom I daily call upon to bless both you and me, and all mankind; whose wondrous acts are recorded in those scriptures which you constantly read; that GOD, who created the heavens and the earth; who brought a flood upon the old world; who saved _Noah_ in the ark; who was the GOD of _Abraham_, _Isaac_, and _Jacob_; whom _Job_ blessed and praised in the greatest afflictions; who delivered the _Israelites_ out of the hands of the _Egyptians_; who was the protector of righteous _Joseph_, _Moses_, _Joshua_, and holy _Daniel_; who sent so many prophets into the world; and who sent his Son JESUS CHRIST to redeem mankind: this GOD, who has done all these great things; who has created the many millions of men, that lived and died before you was born; with whom the spirits of good men that are departed this life, now live; whom infinite numbers of angels now worship in heaven; this great GOD, who is the creator of worlds, of angels, and men, is your loving father and friend, your good creator and nourisher; from whom, and not from me, you received your being ten years ago, at the time that I planted that little _elm_ which you there see.

I myself am not half the age of this _shady oak_ under which we sit; many of our fathers have sat under its boughs; we have all of us called it ours in our turn; it stands, and drops its _masters_, as it drops its leaves.

You see, my son, this wide and large _firmament_ over our heads, where the _sun_ and _moon_, and all the _stars_, appear in their turn: if you was to be carried up to any of these bodies, you would discover others as much above you, as the stars are above this _earth_. Were you to go up or down, east or west, north or south, you would find the same height without any top, and the same depth without any bottom.

And yet, my child, so great is GOD, that all these bodies added together, are but as a grain of sand in his sight. Nevertheless, you are as much the care of this great GOD and Father of all worlds, and of all _spirits_, as if there were no creature for him to love and protect but you alone. He numbers the hairs of your head, watches over you sleeping and waking, and has preserved you from a thousand dangers, of which neither you nor I know any thing.

How poor my power is, and how little I am able to do for you, you have often seen. Your late sickness has shewn you how little I could do for you in that state; and the frequent pains of your head are plain proofs, that I have no power to remove them.

I can bring you food and medicines, but have no power to turn them into your relief and nourishment: it is GOD alone that can do this for you.

Therefore, my child, fear, and worship, and love GOD. Secure an interest in his favour, by seeking after a living faith in JESUS CHRIST his dearly beloved Son; and then He, who blessed my father before I was born, will bless you when I am dead.

I shall in a short time die, and leave you to GOD and yourself; and as I know that my Redeemer liveth, and trust that GOD has forgiven me my sins, I shall go to my dear Saviour CHRIST JESUS, and live amongst patriarchs and prophets, saints and martyrs, and wait for your safe arrival at the same place.

Therefore, my child, meditate on these great things, and your soul, through the influences of GOD’s blessed Spirit, will soon grow great and noble, by so meditating upon them.

Let your thoughts often leave these gardens, these fields, and farms, to contemplate upon GOD, and CHRIST, and heaven, to meditate upon angels and the spirits of good men living in light and glory.

As you have been used to look to me in all your actions, and have been afraid to do any thing unless you first knew my will; so let it now be a rule of your life, to look up to GOD, even a GOD in CHRIST, in all your actions; to do every thing in his fear, and to abstain from every thing that is not according to his will.

GOD keepeth a book of life, wherein all the actions of all men are written; and when you die, my child, this book will be laid open before men and angels; and according as your actions are there found to have been done in, and proceeded from a living faith in JESUS CHRIST, you will either be received into the happiness of those holy men who have died in faith, or be turned away among those wicked spirits, those hypocrites and unbelievers, that are never to see GOD any more.

Never forget this book, my son, for it must be opened, you must see it, and you must be tried by it according to the deeds done in the body, whether they have been good, or whether they have been evil.

But above all, my child, learn of JESUS CHRIST to be meek and lowly in heart, and never do any thing through strife or vain-glory. Resist, therefore, and look up to CHRIST for a conquest over every thought of _self-pride_ and _self-distinction_; and accustom yourself to rejoice in all the excellencies and perfections of your fellow-creatures, and pray and study that you may be as glad to see any of their good actions, as your own. For as GOD is as well pleased with their well-doings, as with yours; so you ought to desire, that every thing that is wise, and holy, and good, may be performed in as high a manner by other people, as by yourself.

When I am dead, my son, you will be master of all my estate, which will be a great deal more than the necessities of one family require. As you are, therefore, to be charitable to the souls of men, and wish them the same happiness with yourself, in heaven, so be charitable to their bodies, and endeavour to make them as happy as you can upon earth.

Study to have your heart filled with the love of GOD, and the love of your neighbour, and then be contented to be no deeper a scholar, no finer a gentleman, than these tempers will make you. I am teaching you _Latin_ and _Greek_, not that you should desire to be a great critic, a fine poet, or an eloquent orator; but, that you may at proper times look into the history of past ages, and learn the methods of GOD’s providence over the world; and that by reading the writings of the ancient sages, you may see how wisdom and virtue have been the praise of great men of all ages, and fortify your mind by their wise sayings.

Avoid all superfluous shews of finery and equipage, and let your house be furnished with moderate conveniencies. Do not consider what your estate can afford, but what right reason and religion require.

Let your dress be decent, clean, and modest; and as to your meat and drink, in them observe the highest rules of christian temperance and sobriety; consider your body only as the servant and minister of your soul; and only so nourish it, as it may best perform an humble and obedient service to it.

But, my son, observe as a principal thing, and which I shall remind you of as long as I live with you, _Hate and despise all human glory_; it is nothing else but human folly. Love humility in all its instances, practise it in all its parts; condescend to all the weakness and infirmities of your fellow-creatures, cover their frailties, love their excellencies, encourage their virtues, relieve their wants, rejoice in their prosperities, compassionate their distress, receive their friendship, overlook their unkindness, forgive their malice, be a servant of servants, and condescend to do the lowest offices to the lowest of mankind.

Aspire after nothing but an interest in the righteousness of JESUS CHRIST; and as a consequence of that, your own purity and perfection. Remember, my dear child, remember, that there is but one man in the world, with whom you are to have perpetual contention, and whom you should be always striving to exceed, and that is yourself.

The time of practising these precepts, my son, will soon be over with you; the world will soon slip through your hands, or rather you will soon slip through it. It seems but the other day, since I received the same instructions from my dear father, that I am now leaving with you. And the GOD that gave me ears to hear, and a heart to receive what my father said unto me, will, I hope, give you grace to love and follow the same instructions.”

Thus did _Paternus_ educate his son.

Can any one think, that such an education as this would weaken and deject the minds of young people, and deprive the world of any worthy and reasonable labours?

So far therefrom, that there is nothing so likely to enoble and exalt the mind, and prepare it for the most heroical exercise of all virtues. And fatal experience every day evinces, that a contrary way of educating youth, is no small hindrance to their devoting themselves entirely to GOD, and living up to the strictest rules of the blessed and everlasting gospel.

An education which is not wholly intent upon this, is as much beside the point, as an art of physic that had little or no regard to the restoration of health: or rather, it is like administering poison instead of physic.

For as the only end of the physician, is to restore nature to its own state; so the only end of education is, to restore our rational nature to its proper state. And as physic may justly be called the art of restoring health, so education should be considered in no other light, than as the art of recovering man to the use of reason and religion.

The youths that attended upon _Pythagoras_, _Socrates_, _Plato_, and _Epictetus_, were thus educated. And since christianity hath, as it were, new created the _moral_ and _religious world_, and set every thing that is reasonable, wise, holy, and desirable, in its true point of light; one may reasonably expect, that the education of youth should be as much bettered by christianity, as the faith and doctrines of religion are amended by it.

But since our modern education is not of this kind, a deficiency in such an essential point, may be justly assigned as _one great reason_ why many men find it so exceedingly difficult to devote themselves wholly unto GOD.