congregation fhould not be fufficiently uniform in their fentiments, it will hardly be prudent, for reafons fufficiently hinted above, to adopt this measure. It will alfo depend upon particular circumftances, whether the young women should be admitted to the familiar lectures along with the young men, or not.

That my readers may perfectly underftand iny scheme, and derive what advantage they please from it, I propose, God willing, to publish all the heads of my own lectures, under the title of Inftitutes of natural and revealed religion. Minifters whose fentiments are pretty nearly my own may, perhaps, fave themselves fome trouble by making use of them, departing from my particular fentiments or method, whenever they think proper. The whole work will be divided into four parts, the first comprizing the principles of natural religion, the fecond the evidences of revelation, the third the doctrine of revelation, and the fourth an account of the corruptions of chriftianity. This laft will con

tain

tain the reasons for our proteftant faith, and also thofe of our diffent from the established church of England, with which every diffenter ought to be made thoroughly acquainted.

Befides this principal clafs, I would advise a minifter, who is defirous to communicate religious knowledge with effect, and who would adapt his inftructions to the different ages of his hearers, to form two other claffes, one confifting of children under fourteen years of age. To these he fhould teach a fhort catechism, containing the first elements of religious knowledge, delivered in the plainest and most familiar language poffible; and when it is made use of, a variety of other queftions should be asked, calculated to bring the fubject to the level of their capacities. A catechifm of this kind I published fomeyears ago; and I am fatisfied, from my own experience, that a child, even of four or five years of age, may be made to understand the most important truths. of chriftianity, and that it is of great con

fequence

fequence that the minds of children be impreffed with this kind of knowledge as early as poffible. No perfon who has actually made a trial of this method of inftructing children, and who can do it with any degree of judgment, will fay that it is a painful task to a child. On the contrary, I have generally found them to be pleased, and in many cafes exceedingly delighted with it.

In the other junior clafs I would teach the knowledge of the fcriptures only. This appears to me to be a fubject fo diftinct, copious, and important, that a separate class should be appropriated to it; and I think that the best manner in which this. great end can be gained, is to have a fet of questions only, printed, with references to those places in the bible, which must be read, in order to find the proper anfwers. Such a fcripture catechism as this I have drawn up, and fhall immediately publish for my own ufe, who may approve of it.

properly confift of young

and that of those This class may persons of both fexes,

sexes, between the ages of fourteen and eighteen, or twenty, fo as to be an intermediate clafs, between the two others. It may be advisable, however, and may even be neceffary at the first, to add to this class fuch members of the higher clafs as are not fufficiently acquainted with the scriptures; and, in the present state of our societies, I am afraid that many fuch will be found above twenty years of age; but of these it may be hoped that there will be many, who will not think themselves too old to learn, and who may even take pleasure in fuch an exercise as this, which is equally calculated to improve the most knowing, as well as to instruct the most ignorant.

These three claffes appear to me to be fufficient for the purpose of communicating religious inftruction; at least, I cannot, at present, think of any thing better adapted to the purpose. I fincerely wish that other minifters, who cannot but be fenfible of the evil that I complain of, would propose what appears to them to

be

be a proper remedy for it, and let us freely adopt whatever we approve in each others. fchemes.

To make room for lectures of fuch manifeft utility as thefe, which I havenow recommended, it were to be wished that weekly, and other periodical preaching lectures, especially that which is in many places preparatory to the Lord's fupper, were laid afide. The last mentioned fervice, whatever good it may do in other refpects, does, unquestionably, promote fuperftition; continually fuggefting and confirming the opinion, that the attendance upon this chriftian ordinance requires more particular preparation than any other, which is an idea that could never occur to any person in perufing the New Teftament only, and can be nothing but the remains of the popish doctrine of tranfubftantiation.

Other weekly or monthly fermons are feldom attended except by a few persons, and thofe chiefly the aged, and fuch others

as: