SECTION VIII. 233 a , Question, Who was Adam ? Answer, The first man that God made which 1 judge more proper for children than to make time mere name to be the answer to the question ; for this would burden and tire their infant memories as soon as they eau speak, with mere Hebrew words and hard names, which they seldom pronounce plain and true ; nor would the parents asking tho question give them so explicit a knowledge of the character of the person as if they are required to remember and speak it them- selves by way of answer. In the historical catechism which may be.begun to be learned a, year or two afterward, we may sometimes change this order, and put the character of the person into the question, and the name into the answer : As Question, Who was the first man that God made ? Answer, Adam : supposing that by this time children are well acquainted with the hard names, and can pro- nounce them plain. And besides, this order of things may give a better introduction to the next question which relates to some remarkable action of the person mentioned. In the historical catechism there might be annexed one text of scripture at least to every answer ; but we need only name the book, chapter and verse, without citing the wordsat length, which would take up too much room, and be less useful to child- ren in their youngest age of life. But when they come to six or seven years old or more, and are able to find out any text of scripuure by the name of the book chapter and verse, then it will bea useful and entertaining exercise for them to seek out the complete historyof all those persons in the bible who are men- tioned in their catechism. To conclude, since none of these Catechisms are very large they may be easily gotten by heart by thirteen or fourteen years- of age, and even before they are treasured up in the memory, they should be often read by children ; and perhaps also elder persons, whose knowledge is but small, may profit by them. But what other rules are needful for the more profitable use of these catechisms, shall be inserted in the particular prefaces that stand before them ; to which I refer the reader. The catechims for children being so short, it was not possi- ble to insert in them all the particular sins and follies to which that age is liable ; and yet perhaps, nothing would be a better guard against these follies and sins, titan to have them in a par- ticular detail and description set before the eyes of children, with a word of caution against them drawn both from reason and scripture ; this is done by way of question and answer, not to be imposedon children to learn it by heart, but to read it frequently ; and 1 have called it, A Preservative from Sin and Folly. After all our studies and cares in every age to make the great things of God intelligible and plain to the younger and the more
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=