Difpute, and that it has not so much to do about the Government of their Hearts or Lives.

VI. Rule. Let not the Answers, especially in the younger Catechisms, confift of very long Sentences: But if there happen to be a Neceffity of giving a pretty long Anfwer to any Queftion, let it be diftinguished into shorter Parts with fuch Plainnefs and Evidence, that the Child may find apparent and fenfible Breaks and Refts in it. This will much affift the young Understanding, which is not able to comprehend the Senfe of one continued Sentence prolonged into many Lines; and it will be greatly helpful to the Memory both in getting the Anfwer by heart at firft, and in the Recollection of it upon every Occafion. In all the longer Answers in the Catechifm for Children you will find this Rule obferved.

VII. Rule. Let the Questions and Answers Stand in fo eafy, fo natural, and so happy a Connexion with each other, that every Anfwer may become the Occafion of fome following Question; and as much as may be, let it be the Occafion of the very next Question that follows. The Memory of the Catechifer will be greatly affifted hereby, and he will by this Means have the Queftion ready; and he will alfo appear to ask no Questions but what are neceffary for the Child to answer: Thus the Child will feem to be under a Neceffity of Learning an Answer to every Queftion, because the Question itself rifes from his own Words.

VIII. Rule. Let the Queftions and Answers be framed in fuch a Manner that the Child may find himself, and his own Cafe, and his -awn Intereft concerned in them all the Way. I would advife therefore that at leaft in the Queftions of the younger Catechifms they should frequently use the Pronouns you and your, as What must you do to be faved? And the Anfwers fhall as often ufe the Words I, and my, and mine; viz. I must be forry for my Sins, &c.

I think this Form of Inftruction will impress -Children much more fenfibly, and lead them fooner to practical Godliness, than if the Catechifm fpeaks only in the third Perfon concerning Mankind in general; for whatsoever we fpeak concerning Man or Men, Children will -hardly think themselves fo much concerned in it.

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IX. Rule. Upon this Account I think the very Frame and Order of Things in younger Ca-techifms, fhould be fo compofed as that Children may be led into inward and practical Religion as faft as the Knowledge of it is let into their Minds: Let them be acquainted witn their Duty to God -immediately upon their being led into the Knowledge of him: As foon as they are taught what Sin is, they fhould be convinced that they are Sinners, and have need of a Saviour; and at the fame Time as they are informed who this Saviour is, and what he does for our Salvation, they should be told alfo what is their Duty with regard to him, and what they are to expect from him, or from God for his fake.

The

The most natural View and Order of Things in which the Chriftian Religion can be represented ufefully to the Minds of Children, feems to be this that follows,

Firft, Let them be taught that God is their Maker, and that they are made on purpose to know and serve him, and be happy in his Love.

Then let them be led to feek the Knowledge of God, and their Duty, out of his Word or the Holy Scriptures; for to learn it by the Light of Nature is too hard a Task for young Children.

When you have fhewn them who God is, and what is their Duty to God, himself, and to Man by the Command of God, let them then have fome Notice and Conviction that they have not fulfill'd their Duty, but that they have broken the Law of God, and are fallen under his Anger. And here may be introduced the Doctrine of Original Sin in a brief Manner as far as the Child can underftand it; but in the very firft Catechifm 'tis hardly neceffary for a young Child of four Years old.

Then comes in naturally that great Queftion, How can we hope to be faved from the Anger of God? And thus the Doctrine of the Gofpel comes neceffarily into Sight, viz. The Incarnation of Chrift, and his Death in the room and stead of Sinners; the Duty of Repentance for Sin; the Belief and Hope of pardoning Mercy from God for the Sake of the Sufferings of Chrift, &c. And when Chil F z dren

dren are a little elder, in the fecond Catechifm, we may proceed to a larger and more particular Account of the Perfon of Christ, of his Afcenfion to Heaven, his Interceffion and his Government there, of Faith in our Lord Jefus Chrift, and our particular Obedience due to him.

After this it is reasonable to fhew the Child his Inability to fulfil thefe Duties by his own Strength, and lead him into the promised Aid of the Holy Spirit as far as his young Underftanding can receive it, together with the other Means and Helps with which God has furnished us in order to affift us in our Way to Heaven, viz. The Bible, Ministers and Sacra

ments.

And when we have thus done the Will of God in this World, it is neceffary to bring Death into Sight, and the Existence of the Soul after Death, and Chrift's coming to Judgment to call all the World to Account for their Behaviour in this Life: And to let Children know that the Effects and Confequents of this Judgment will be the eternal Happiness of the Righteous, and the everlasting Punishment of the Wicked.

Thefe future Tranfactions are ufually the moft powerful Motives to Religion in the prefent Life, and therefore it is fit Children fhould be acquainted with them betimes.

Now when thefe Things are comprized in about four and twenty Queftions in the first Catechifm for Infancy, and in about seventy or

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eighty in the second, the Child will have had a whole Scheme of the Chriftian Religion, both in the Doctrines and the Duties of it, let into his Mind in a fhort and compendious Manner in each of these Catechifms; and this is fufficient to direct and influence the chief Part of his Practice in thofe younger Years of Life, till growing Faculties fhall render him fit for further and deeper Acquaintance with the Doctrines of Chriftianity.

For this Reason I beg leave to fay, that the Catechifm compofed by the Affembly of Divines, as comprehensive and valuable as it is, yet is not fo fit for young Children, not only because it is too long for their Memories, as containing above a hundred Questions and Answers, and some of them too are pretty long and hard to be understood; but because there is scarce any Thing practical taught the Child till he has learnt more than one third Part of it. This Book is certainly leís proper for Children, because the highest Myfteries of Christianity, and all the more fpeculative and fublime Do&trines

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Note, In the Preface to the second, or Child's Catechifm, I have fhewn that there are about twenty fix Queftions and Answers which may be omitted in the firft teaching of it, if Parents think it too long, and I have marked them out for that Purpose: By this Means the second Catechifm will be reduced to about fifty Questions. But let the other twenty fix be learned before the Child proceeds to the Affembly's, which I call the Youth's Catechifm