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be taken of such wishes as these. It is with despair that I mention them.

Among the occasions for promoting religion in the scholars, one in the writing schools deserves peculiar notice. I have read of an atrocious sinner who was converted to God, by accidentally reading the following sentence of Austin written in a window : 66 He, who has promised pardon to the penitent sinner, has not promised repentance to the presumptuous one." Who can tell what good may be done to the young scholar by a sentence in his copy-book? Let their copies be composed of sentences worthy to be had in everlasting remembrance-of sentences which shall contain the brightest maxims of wisdom, worthy to be written on the fleshly tables of their hearts, to be graven with the point of a diamond there. God has blessed such sentences to many scholars; they have been useful to them all their days.

In the grammar school, also, the scholars may be directed, for their exercises, to turn into Latin such passages as may be useful for their instruction in the principles of christianity, and furnish them with supplies from "the tower of David." Their letters also may be on subjects which may be friendly to the interests of virtue.

I will add, it is very desirable to manage the discipline of the school by means of rewards, rather than of punishments. Many methods of rewarding. the diligent and deserving may be invented; and a boy of an ingenious temper, by the expectation of reward, (ad palmæ cursurus honores) will do his best. You esteem Quintillian. Hear him : "Use stripes sparingly; rather, let the youth be stimulated by praise, and by the distinctions conferred on his classmates."* If a fault must be punished, let instruction, both to the delinquent and to the spectator, accompany the correction. Let the odious name of the sin, which enforced the correction be

* Cavendum a plagis, sed potius laude, aut aliorum præ latione, urgendus est puer.

declared; and let nothing be done in anger, but with every mark of tenderness and concern.

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Ajax Flagellifer may be read in the school; he is not fit to be the master of it. Let it not be said of the boys, they were brought up in "the school of Tyrannus. Pliny says, that bears are the better for beating: More fit to have the management of bears than of ingenuous boys, are those masters who cannot give a bit of learning without giving a blow with it. Send them to the tutors of the famous Lithuanian school at Samourgan. The harsh Orbilian way of treating children, too commonly used in the schools, is a drea:lful curse of God on our miserable offspring, who are born "children of wrath." It is boasted sometimes of a schoolmaster, that such a brave man had his education under him; but it is never said, how many, who might have been brave men, have been ruined by him; how many brave wits have been dispirited, confounded, murdered by his barbarous way of managing them.

PROPOSALS TO CHURCHES FOR DOING GOOD.

We have already proposed to the PASTORS of Churches various ways of doing good; we shall now lay before the CHURCHES themselves some proposals of objects, in which they may do well to join their pastors.

DAYS OF PRAYER, occasionally observed, for the express purpose of obtaining the sanctifying influences of the Spirit of God on the rising generation, have had a marvellous efficacy in producing a religious posterity in the land, and "a seed accounted to the Lord for a generation." Such an acknowledgment of the necessity and excellency of supernatural grace would be a very probable preparative and introduction to the communication of it. And when the children see their parents thus earnestly seeking the grace of God for them, it would have a natural tendency to awaken them to an earnest seeking of it for themselves. The sermons also preached by the minis&*

ters on such solemn occasions, would, probably, be very awakening ones. That this Proposal has been so little attended to, is lamentable and remarkable : but, "They all slumbered and slept."

There is another Proposal which has been tendered to all our churches, and regarded by some of them :

That the several churches, having in an instrument proper for the purpose, made a catalogue of such things as have indisputably been found amiss among them, do with all seriousness and solemnity pass their votes, That they account such things to be very offensive evils, and that renouncing all dependence on their own strength, to avoid such evils, they humbly implore the help of divine grace, to assist them in watching against the said evils both in themselves and in one another: And that the communicants resolve, frequently to reflect upon these their acknowledgments and protestations, as perpetual monitors to them, to prevent the miscarriages by which too many professors are so easily overtaken.

It has been considered, that such humble recognitions of duty will not only be accepted by our God, as declarations for him, upon which he will declare for u; but also, that they are the way of the new covenant, for obtaining assistance to perform our duty.

A particular church may be an illustrious pillar of the truth, by considering what important truths may call for special, signal, open testimonies; and they may excite their pastors to the composing of such testimonies, and likewise assist them in the publication of them. It is probable that God would accompany such testimonies with a marvellous efficacy to suppress growing errors and eviis. A proposal of this nature may be worthy of some consideration.

1. It were desirable that every particular church should be furnished with a stock, that may be a constant and ready fund for the propagation of religion; and that every minister would use his best endeavours, both by his own contribution, according to his ability, and by applying to well-disposed persons under his influence, to increase the stock, either in the

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way of public collections made at certain periods, or in that of more private and occasional communications. 2. This evangelical treasury may be lodged in the hands of the deacons of the respective churches in which it is collected; who are to keep exact accounts of the receipts and disbursements; and let nothing be drawn from it, without the knowledge and consent of the church to which it belongs.

3. The first and main intention of this evangelical treasury is to be, the propagation of religion! and therefore, when any attempts of usefulness are to be made on unevangelised places, the neighbouring ministers may consult each of the churches, what pro-portion they may allow out of their evangelical treasury towards the support of so noble an undertaking.

4. This evangelical treasury may be applied to oth-er pious uses, and especially to such as any particular church may think fit, for the service of religion in their own vicinity: Such as the sending of Bibles and catechisms to be dispersed among the poor, where it may be thought necessary. Likewise, giving assistance to new congregations, in their first attempts to build meeting-houses for the public worship of God with scriptural purity.

Query-Our churches have their sacramental collections, and it is not fit indeed that they should be without them. The primitive Christians did the same Justin Martyr informs us of the "collections," and Tertullian of the "gifts of piety," which were made on such occasions. But would not our churches do well to augment their liberality in their grateful and joyful collections at the table of the Lord, and to resolve that what is now collected shall be part of their evangelical treasury; not only for the supply of the table and the relief of the poor, but also for such other services to the kingdom of God as they may, from time to time, find occasion to countenance?

PROPOSALS TO MAGISTRATES.

FROM ecclesiastical circumstances, which, in such a subject as the present, may with the utmost propri

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ety claim the precedency, we will make a transition-to POLITICAL. Now- Touch the mountains, and they will smoke !" O when shall wisdom visit princes and nobles, and all the judges of the earth, and inspire them to preserve the due lustre of their character, by a desire to do good on the earth, and a study to glorify the God of heaven! The opportunities to do good, which rulers possess, are so evident, so numerous, and so extensive, that the person who addresses them, cannot but be overwhelmed with some confusion of thought, scarcely knowing where to begin, when to conclude, or how to assign a fit order to his addresses. Indeed, the very definition of government is, "A care for the safety of others." Sirs, ~ from whom have you received this power? could have no power at all, except it were given you from above." Certainly what is thus received from God should be employed for God. "Be wise now, therefore, O ye kings; be instructed, ye judges of the earth serve the Lord with fear," lest you forget and offend him who has made you what you are. the feet of the Son of God, lest he be displeased at the neglect of your duty. Do not kindle the wrath of him, who is "the blessed and only Potentate, the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords." What is the name of a magistrate? The name which he that made him has given him is, "the minister of God for good."" His empty name will produce a sad crime, if he do not set himself to "do good," as far as ever he can extend his influence. Is he a vicegerent for God, and shall he do nothing for God? Gross absurdity! black ingratitude! Is he one of those whom the word of God has called gods? Gods who do no good, are not worthy of that honourable appellation, but another name, too horrible to be mentioned, belongs to them such rulers we may call gods "that have mouths, but they speak not; eyes, but they see not; noses, but they smell not; and hands, but they handle not!" Government is called, "The ordinance of God;" and as the administration of it is to avoid those illegalities which would render it no other than a violation of the ordinance; so it should vigorously

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