232 ON TNSTItCTION BY CATECHISMS. in this catechism only to the sacrifice of Christ which atones for our sins, it is better to define it here, some living creature slain and offered up to God to answer for some offence committed against him: And it is my opinion that this way of explaining will lead an ignorant person in a shorter, plainer, and easier manner to understand the answers given in the catechism, than if there were a long detail of the various senses of the word. 4. There is a little difficulty how to interpret those terms or phrases which have been made matter of controversy amongst those very ministers and christians who approve of this catechism in general and teach it in their families. Now I think it best to let as few as possible of those controversies be intimated or awakened : And let those few terms or phrases have their most general sense affixed to them, such as verges toward nó ex- treme : Arid let them be explained in so moderate and catholic a signification as may not run high into the sentiments of any party, but may, as far as the words will bear it, be construed in such a meaning as we may reasonably suppose,was approved by the whole venerable assembly who composed it, and such as is agreeable to far the greatest part of those who make use of this catechism to instruct their children. And yet after all I cannot forbear to wish, that some few expressions in it had been formed with a more catholic latitude, so as might have given,less disgust to any pious minds, but might have rendered it more universally acceptable to our nation. 5. There is another rule that ought to be observed also in explaining all the difficult terms and phrases, and that is, that if possible there might no hard word enter into the explication, but that all the terms used in the explication of the words might be much easier to be understood, arad more plain and familiar than the terms and phrases which are explained. XV. Rule. At the same time that the youngest catechism of the principles of religion is learned, the child may also begin to attain a little historical knowledge of the bible, by way of question and answer. This should bedrawn up in as easy, plaits and simple a style as can well be contrived. I confess the bible is so large a book, and contains so rich a variety of entertaining histories, and that from so early a date as the beginning of the world, that it is impossible all the necessary things of this kind can be crowded into so small a compass as to be imposed on the memories of children in their youngest years I would propose therefore that two catechisms be formed : The first should be called a catechism of scripture-names, and it should contain nothing but the name of the person with one single character of him. This might be sufficient for the years of infancy. The second which I call the historical catechism should be framed for children and youth from seven years old to fifteen,
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