SECTION VIII. 223 catechisms, when those phrases of scripture arehard to be under- stood. Now ifthis second and third rule were duly attended to, and no sentiments nor phrases were used in the instruction of child- ren but what wereplain and easy, it would cut off several super- fluous things from the catechisms which are written for younger years; as for instance, 1. There would be no subtle distinctions, no learned logical explications of the deep things of God, no hard scholastic terms would be mingled with our youngest forms of instruction ; for how useful soever some of these things may be in the following years of life, to give a more perfect acquaintance with thearti- eles of faith, yet when we are feeding-young children with know- ledge 'I fear such nice scholastic explications would be likeputting gravel in their milk, or mingling stones together with their bread. 2. If these rules are observed, there would be no quarrel- some controversies brought into the religion of infants, no little party contest mingled with the great and substantial things of faith and godliness : Nor would the forms of question and answer be ever dressed up in the language of particular parties. Where children are taught all these distinctions, these lesser dif- ferences with zeal, and engaged in these parties betimes, it bath done much injury tochristianity in the several nations that pro- fess the religion of Christ. Children have' been made zealous lutherans, calvinists, episcopalians, presbyterians, independents, baptists, before they have been made Christians ; and it bath had an unhappy influence to kindle and maintain the fire and fury of parties, and to banish and destroy charity and love among those who agree in the necessary and most important things of religion*. All the most necessary points should be taught first and others afterwards. And it may be most proper that when these lesser differene'es of opinion are taught, they should be represented to thechild as things not necessary to their salvation ; and cerise-. quently that persons ofvery different opinions in these things may be very good christians and accepted of God. By this means the * Here let it be observed, that I do not mention .protestantism and popery as some of those lesser differences among christians which children need not be acquainted with, especially where the popish religion is practised, and where tender minds of children are in danger of being infected by it. For popery is the religion of Ansi-christ, and therefore I can hardly call it christianity. In general indeed it includes And contains the christian faith, but it is so shameful . a corruption of it-by to many mixtures of error, and introduces so many tradi- tions and inventions and decrees of men to join with serîpture as the rule of rete: gloss, that children shouti early be warned against it. On the otherhand-child- ren should asearly be taught what is the great and fundamental principle of -tle protéstgnt religion, and that is, that the word of God alone is a sufficient rule both of our faith and practice.
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