Use 2. See then what great Necessity there is of laying down all the main Grounds of Religion in a way of Catechise, that the weakest Judgment may be instructed in the Knowledge of the Truth, and strengthened in the Love of it. Catechising is the best Expedient for the Grounding and Settling of People. I fear one reason why there hath been no more Good done by Preaching, hath been because the chief Heads and Articles in Religion have not been explained in a Catechistical Way: Catechising is the laying the Foundation, Heb. 6.7. To Preach and not to Catechise, is to build without a Foundation; this way of Catechising is not Novel, it is Apostolical; the Primitive Church had their Forms of Catechism. So much those Phrases imply, a form of sound words, 2 Tim. 1.13. And the first Principles of the Oracles of God, Heb. 6.1. And since the Church had their Catechumenoi, as Grotius and Erasmus observe. Many of the Ancient Fathers have written for it, as Fulgentius, Austin, Theodoret, Lactantius, and others. God hath given great Success to it. By this laying down of Grounds of Religion Catechistically, Christians have been clearly instructed and wondrously built up in the Christian Faith. Insomuch that Julian the Apostate seeing the great success of Catechising, did put down all Schools, and Places of Public Literature and Instructing of Youth. 'Tis my Design therefore (with the Blessing of God,) to begin this Work of Catechising, the next Sabbath Day; and I intend every other Sabbath in the Afternoon, to make it my whole Work to lay down the Grounds and Fundamentals of Religion in a Catechistical Way. If I am hindered in this Work by Men, or taken away by Death, I hope God will raise up some other Labourer in the Vineyard among you, that may perfect this Work which I am now beginning.
Use 2. See then what great Necessity there is of laying down all the main Grounds of Religion in a way of Catechise, that the weakest Judgment may be instructed in the Knowledge of the Truth, and strengthned in the Love of it. Catechising is the best Expedient for the Grounding and Setling of People. I fear one reason why there hath been no more Good done by Preaching, hath been because the chief Heads and Articles in Religion have not been explained in a Catechistical Way: Cathechising is the laying the Foundation, Heb. 6.7. To Preach and not to Catechise, is to build without a Foundation; this way of Catechising is not Novel, it is Apostolical; the Primitive Church had their Forms of Catechism. So much those Phrases imply, a form of sound words, 2 Tim. 1.13. And the first Principles of the Oracles of God, Heb. 6.1. And since the Church had their Catechumenoi, as Grotius and Erasmus observe. Many of the Ancient Fathers have written for it, as Fulgentius, Austin, Theodoret, Lactantius, and others. God hath given great Success to it. By this laying down of Grounds of Religion Catechistically, Christians have been clearly instructed and wondrously built up in the Christian Faith. Insomuch that Iulian the Apostate seeing the great success of Catechising, did put down all Schools, and Places of Publick Literature and Instructing of Youth. 'Tis my Design therefore (with the Blessing of God,) to begin this Work of Catechising, the next Sabbath Day; and I intend every other Sabbath in the Afternoon, to make it my whole Work to lay down the Grounds and Fundamentals of Religion in a Catechistical Way. If I am hindered in this Work by Men, or taken away by Death, I hope God will raise up some other Labourer in the Vineyard among you, that may perfect this Work which I am now beginning.
