PREFACE TO " THE SECOND CATECHISM." IN the age of childhood, at every three or four years of life, the under- standing seems to make amore sensible progress and more visible improve- ment, than it does perhaps in any three years afterwards, especially if it be assisted by the advantage of good education : And the reason is, because every thing is new to us in that early age. Atseven or eight years old, there- fore, the child may be capable of understanding and learning this second composure which I call, The Child's Catechism. It is a scheme of the christian religion, drawn up much in the same form and method as the for- mer ; but it is much enlarged, and comprehends many snore particulars both of doctrine and duty. When the child begins to learn the second Catechism, he should by no means lay aside the first, but be kept to repeat it once in a month, till be has learned the second quite through, and can say them both perfectly by heart. Let the child learn the second Catechism throughout, first without the scrip- tures, and by that time he is perfect in it, he will be perhaps ten years old or more : Then if the teacher please, let the child begin to learn the scriptures which are set down as proofs under every answer: For at this age, he may be capable of seeing the conformity or agreement, between the answer in his catechism, and the text of scripture which is brought to prove it. In catechising him upon the scriptures, it is not so proper a method to bid him repeat all the proofs together under each answer : But take the an- swer into pieces, and enquire of him particularly, which scripture provesthis part of the answer, and what scripture proves the next part and so onward. This will not only give a great relief to the child's memory, but it will much more improve his reason and understanding in religion; and it will help to confirm and establish him in that important hvth, " that not the composures of men, but the scripture itself, is therule of our religion. For children who have weaker'memories, or less leisure and advantage for learning, I do not advise that they should be confined to learn all the scriptures that belong to this catechism, before they proceed to the Assembly's. Parents and teachers should judge in this matter, and determine tue lessons and labours of children, according to their different capacities : For assome children grow in bodily stature much faster than others, and they must have new garments more frequently, because they have outgrown the old, so in the improvements of the mind some children far exceed others ; and those who are of the slowest growth, must dwell longeron their former lessons and catechisms, before they proceed to change them far new ones: And some- times they must be indulged to skip over sonic lessons, which those who make swifter progress, may learn for their greater profit. It may be complained indeed, that this Second Catechism itselfis rather too large for the child at seven or eight years old, for it contains in it seventy- four questions, whereas that of the Assembly's, which is proposed to youth of twelve or thirteen years old, contains but one hundred and seven. But let it be observed that the answers are generally shorter, and the words muck easier to be understood and remembered : And to make the matter still more unexceptionable, there is a line drawn all along in the margin, by those questions and answers, which may be omitted in teaching children of seven
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