t A N INTRODUCTION TO THE EXI'OSITION O F T H E DECALOGUE C O N T A I N I N G Certain General Præcognita, about Catechizjng, Religion, the Law, &c. CHAP. I. I, That Children are to be taught and inflrugled inReligion roved out of Heathen rìfilofophersout of the Law, the Gofeel. z. That this InflpruEtion ought to be by may of Catechifm. What Catechi/ìng is.How it differs from Preaching. Reafons, for Abridgements or Sums of Religion. Catechizing ufed in all Ages ; before the Flood, after the Flood ; under the Law; under theGofpel; after the Apoflles; its the Primitive Church. Rearms for this cuflomeof Catechizing. BEforcwe proceed to the enfuing Catechifm, we will fiat premj,fe fome? thing concerning the neceffity of CatechizingYouth, and the duties of the Catechifed, by way of Preface. And for this we havefuffici ent warrant, not only Humane, but Divine alto. Clemens Alexandrinut (Tutor to Origen) intending to write his oworm)it, or three Books of Pedagogy, or inftru&ion of Children, prefixed be-` fore it, his aes*F13nts, or admonitory Oration. And Cyril Bifhop of ?erufalem, writing 24. Trails of his Catechizings, in the front of them hath a Preface, whichmaketh lip the twenty fifth, which he calleth vesr ntxtms, oreva>dtiv.ti, an Introduéìion, or Preface. And both thefe are built upon the example of Ring David , who being at one time ( among others) determined to Cate chizc Children, calls them to him, laying, Come ye. Children, and hearken un- Pfal. _ - to me, and I will teach you the fear of the Lord ; a plain Preface before Cate Pro.,.,, chizing, The like IatcoduCtion did his Son make; Hear, O ye Children, the inftrudtion of a father, and give ear to learn underftanding. So that Youfee our warrant for an Introduction, or Preface. Now out of thefe Tlikts, three points naturally arife. r. That it is a thing not only pleating to the Lord, but alto commanded by him, that Children be inftru- fled in the fear of God. z. That their teaching muff be by way. of Catechi- zing. 3. What is required of the eo'o tu, the catechifed, that the catechizing may be fruitful, and not in vain, viz, to come and hearken, or give ear.: There have been fame of opinion (as maybe leen, as well in the writings of the Heathen, as in the Rory of the Bible) that Religion fhould not defcend A fo
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