228 ON INSTRUCTION BY CATECHISMS. whole scheme 'of the Christian religion, both in the doctrines and die duties of it, let into his mind in a short and com- pendious manner in each of these catechisms ; and this is suffi- cient to direct and infiuenee the chief part of his practice in those younger yearsof life, till growing-faculties shall render him fit for further and deeper acquaintances with the doctrines of Chris- tianity. For this reason I beg leave to say, that the catechism composed by the assembly of divines, as comprehensive and va- luable as it is, yet is not so fit for young children, not only because it is too long for their memories, as containing above n hundred questions and answers, and some of them too are pretty long and hard to he understood ; but because there is scarce any thing practical taught the child till he has learned more than one third part of it. This book is certainly less pro- per for children, because the highest mysteries of Christianity, and all the more speculative and sublime doctrines of the gospel are laid down in the first part of it, as far as question xxxixth, which perhaps takes up a whole year's toil and labour ofmemory before the child is taught any thing practical, either in its duty to God or-its duty to man : As though a child need not be taught God's commandments nor his own duty, till he hath learned the infinity and eternity of God, the doctrine of the blessed Trinity, the decrees of God, the covenant of works made with Adam as our head, our original sin and miseryby the fall, the doctrine of election and redemption, the constitution of the person and the offices of Christ, his humiliation and exaltation, together - with the application of his redemption by the operation of the holy Spirit, the benefits of justification, adoption and sanctifica- tion, and the happiness of believers at their death and resurrec- tion ; for all these things are introduced as matters of faith before any rules of duty are mentioned. Though it be granted that these are glorious parts of our religion, and may be taught as soon as a child can understand them, yet I humbly conceive it cannot be necessary to withhold a child from the knowledge of his duty to God and 'man till he bath learnedall these sublime doctrines. It seems to me a much more natural method first to spew the child the law of God, with his duty to obey it, and then to convince him that he has broken titis holy law, and that he is exposed to God'sdispleasure . here and hereafter: Now upon this view the gospel of Christ comes in as a most glorious relief, and the child will understand and see how much he hath need of such a gospel and such a Saviour, and he will attend with more serious diligence to the the first teaching of it, if parents thinks it too long, and I have marked them out for that purpose: -By this means the second catechism will he reduced to about fifty questions. But let the other twenty-six be learned before the child proceeds to the assembly's, which I call the youth's catectrism.
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