SECTIONVII.. 215 StoodYe shall speak into the air. If I know not the meaning of the voice, I shall be to him that speaketla a bar- barian, and he that speaketh shall be a barbarian to me. I had rather speak five words with my understanding that Imight teach others also, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue. 1I. inconvenience. Such a practice turns the learningof the principles of religion into a painful and tiresome task instead of a pleasure. What a huge and heavy toil do you impose on those young creatures at four or five years old, when you force them to learn by heart such a number of words and sentences which they understand not ? What a severe drudgery are they laid under to treasure up in their youngmemories such longeom- plicated propositions, and such a train of connected soundsof which they have no ideas. Put yourselves for an hour or two in the place of your children : Impose a task on yourselves to get by heart a few of the deep and complicated propositions and de- monstrations in geometry or in' algebra, or in any mathematical science, which you understand not ; or set yourselves to learn the xth or xxxvitls chapters of-Genesis, where the generations of Noah and Edom are rehearsed ; make the experiment and learn hereby what tiresome burdens you impose on your children ; and judge whether this be the best and sweetest way to instil religion into them. Is not such a dry and painful task imposed on them' much more likely to make them out of love with religion be- times, and settle their childhood in a rooted aversion to that which is so toilsome without mixture of delight. III. Inconvenience. Words which are not understood are much more difficult to be remembered. Can you imagine this is the most effectual way to fix divine things In their memory ? Would not the principles of religion and catechisms be much easier learned, if children understood the sense and meaning of them as fast as they proceed,? 'Would not the articles of chris- tian doctrine and duty slide into their minds with more abundant ease and pleasure ? Would they not be fixed much deeper in their remembrance if they took in ideas together with their words ? And would they not be sooner brought into practice, and retained even to old age ? For by this means the things as well as the words would take some hold of the memory, and gain a firmer root by their union ; and the one would help to recal the other to mind upon every occasion. Words and things are most easily learned together. Perhaps you intend that your sons and your little daughters should learn arithmeticas they grow up toward the business of human life. Why do you not teach them this art ofnumbers the same way as you teach them religion, if you think it is the best for their instruction and profit ? Why are they not set to learn
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