Reason against this folly. Because our desires and our aversions or dislikes ought to be governed by reason, and not be given up to the mere wantonness of fancy, which hath no rule nor bounds.

69 Q. What is the second vice of children, namely, peevishness?

A. It is an uneasy temper and carriage, which is the natural consequent, if not a part of the former folly: For if I am humourous without reason, I shall often be froward and peevish where there is no just cause. If mere fancy and self-will govern me, I shall be often vexed and angry with those who are round about me, because they do not humour my unreasonable fancies, though they act never so much by the rules of reason themselves.

Reason against this vice. By the indulgence of this froward temper, I shall not only give perpetual vexation to myself, and trouble to all that are about me, but I shall render myself unbeloved by all, and my behaviour will be intolerable in any family or any company.

70 Q. What is impatience, or the third vice of children?

A. There are four special instances of it.

71 Q. What is the first instance?

A. 1. There is impatience under pain or sickness; as, when I am fretful against all about me because 1 do not feel myself well.

Reasons against this vice. I should not be impatient under sickness, because it is the hand of God that brings it upon me, and impatience rising against God is very sinful. Besides, fretfulness will often increase the distemper, and will hinder my recovery of health.

72 Q. What is the second instance of impatience?

A. 2. There is an impatience of opposition; as, when I fall into a passion against one that opposes my opinion, or crosses my will.

Reasons against this vice. I should not be impatient of opposition, because the opinion of another may be wiser than mine, or the will of another may be better than mine; and they have as much right to be angry with me who differ from them, as I have to be angry with them who differ from me.

73 Q. What is the third instance of impatience?

A. 3. There is an impatience of disappointment, as, when I vex myself if things do not happen just according to my expectations and wishes.

Reasons against this vice. I should not be impatient under disappointments, but I should learn to be easy under them, because I must expect to meet with many of them, if I live in the world, and therefore I would learn early to bear them.

74 Q. What is the fourth instance of impatience?

A. 4. There is an impatience of delay; as, when I fret with eagerness to possess what I desire, and am violently angry with them that defer or delay it.

Reasons against this vice. I should not be impatient of delay, because this shews that I am too eagerly set upon what I desire: And besides, it will many times make me angry with inferiors without a cause, when I imagine they do not make what haste they can to serve me; or angry with my superiors, who know what is fit for me better than I do, and when to give it me.

75 Q. What is selfishness, which is the fourth vice incident to some children?

A. It is when I am so entirely wrapped up in pleasing and serving myself, that I take no care or concern to serve or please my neighbour.

Reason against this vice. If this temper abide and grow up with me, I shall be in danger of being churlish and hardhearted now, and grow morose and covetous when I am older.

Now I would not be hardhearted or churlish, for then I should never have the pleasure of making others share in the good things which I possess; and nobody will love me.

Nor would I be morose, for that is a rude and rough way of speaking and behaviour, without regard to the pleasing or displeasing of those with whom we have to do: And if I take no care to please others, or be civil to them, I cannot expect that others should be civil to me, or take any care to please me or serve me.

Nor would I be covetous, for that is a sin often condemned in scripture, and is a very unlovely character among men; nor do such persons themselves ever enjoy the good things which they possess, nor do good with them, for they are afraid to spend them.

76 Q. What is meant by uncleanliness, which is the fifth vice which some children are subject to?

to

A. When I am not careful to keep my hands, or my face, or my clothes clean enough appear among my betters.

Reason against it. A degree of cleanliness is necessary to my own health, as well as to keep my clothes from spoiling, and to render my company agreeable and inoffensive to others.

Note, In this matter children of different tempers are ready to run into extremes : Some growing up so foolishly nice in their meats, drinks, apparel, and every thing that belongs to them, as to become humoursome therein, and create much trouble to themselves and to those about them: But generally the other extreme prevails, and if children were utterly untaught, perhaps they would be all uncleanly; and some would run into such a degree of nastiness as to give just offence to all who are near them. There is a medium which we call decency, if we could always hit upon it for our own practice, and for an example to children.

Note further, That though the children of the rich have far the greatest advantages to practise this decency, yet the poor should learn to be clean even in their coarse or threadbare garments. There may be a neatness in poverty, which is always agreeable and gains respect.

77 Q. What is heedlessness, or the sixth vice of children?

A. When I take little or no care or thought about any thing that I am to do, or when I give but little attention to any thing that is said to me.

Note, This does not always proceed from obstinacy of temper, but often from a mere lightness and wandering of thought and absence of the mind from its present business. Sometimes it may arise from a great degree of natural vivacity, and an excess of spirits; but still it ought to be corrected.

Reason against this fault. Because heedlessness would make me stumble at every stone, and carry me into many a mistake and danger: Besides, if I am heedless, I shall neither grow wise nor good; for I shall neither give diligent attention to instructions at home, nor to sermons at church.

78 Q. What is rashness, or the seventh vice or folly of children and youth?

A. I may well be called rash, if I speak without thinking beforehand, and venture upon bold actions without considering the danger.

Note, This rash temper carries children sometimes to climb high trees, to walk on the narrow tops of walls, to venture on the edge of precipices, to try to leap over brooks or currents of water, and thereby they expose themselves to many hazards of their life or limbs.

It is the same temper that inclines them to speak very improper things on a sudden, without due regard to the occasion or the company; it leads them to make rash vows, and promises, and engagements, and thus they bring themselves into many difficulties.

Reason against this folly. Because God has given me the power of reason and of thinking, on purpose to direct my words and my actions; and therefore I ought neither to speak nor act without thought and consideration.

79 Q. What is fickleness, or the eighth folly of children?

A. Then I may be called fickle, when I am soon weary of what I was very fond of before; when I am perpetually changing my desires and purposes, so that I can stick to nothing long, but always want something new.

Reason against this frailty. Because if I am always seeking out new things, new books, new lessons, and new employments, I shall never dwell long enough upon any thing to become master of it, or to profit by it, according to the proverb, "a rolling stone gathers no moss." Besides, if I indulge a fickle temper, I shall be often tempted to break my appointments, and my friends will not know how to trust a creature that is ever given to change.

80 Q. What is the ninth vice to which children and youth are subject, which is called lavishness or profuseness?

A. I am then profuse, if I squander away much money upon trifles; if I lavish away upon myself more than my friends allow, or give away to others more than is proper on every slight occasion, without considering how far my stock will hold out, nor how much pains it cost my parents to get it, nor ever thinking to how much better purpose this money might be applied.

Reason against profuseness. It is a waste of the good things with which the providence of God and the kindness of my friends have furnished me, to make my life comfortable and honourable: Besides, this profuse and lavish conduct hath put many young creatures upon gaming, to their utter ruin; and those who indulge a wasteful and prodigal humour in their younger days, may bitterly repent their folly in a long poverty, and in the want of all things.

Note, Profuseness is generally the fault of youth, as covetousness is frequently the vice of age.

81 Q. Is there any other vice or folly which children are guilty of?

A. A talkative or tattling humour, when children tell all that they see, or hear, or know, in any place or company, without guard or fear.

Reason against this folly. Such great talkers are in danger of becoming busy-bodies and tale-bearers: They will talk over in public the private concerns of their own family,

and the families of others, as far as they know them: They will tell one person whatsoever another happens to speak of him, and do a deal of mischief in the world. Great talkers are often admonished in scripture; but tale-bearing is a sin which the word of God plainly forbids.

Scripture. “Prov. xiv. 23. The talk of the lips tendeth only to poverty. Eccles. v. 3. A fool's voice is known by a multitude of words. Eccles. x. 12, 13, 14. The lips of a fool will swallow up himself. The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness, and the end of his talk is mischievous madness. A fool also is full of words. Prov. xx. 3. Every fool will be meddling. 1 Tim. v. 13. They learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers and busy-bodies, speaking things which they ought not. Lev. xix. 16. Thou shalt not go up and down as a tale-bearer among thy people. Prov. xi. 13. A tale-bearer revealeth secrets. Prov. xxvi. 20. Where there is no tale-bearer the strife ceaseth. Prov. xvi. 21. A whisperer, or talebearer, separateth chief friends."

WE have the unspeakable blessing of the word of God among us: We are furnished

with a divine history of the transactions of God with men from the beginning of the world. It would be a shame, therefore, if christian families in our land should know nothing of these important affairs. Even from their earliest infancy, children should be trained up in the knowledge of some of the greater and more remarkable names and actions which are recorded in this divine book. Our holy religion, and the gospel of Christ, depend upon some of these ancient facts, nor can the doctrines and duties of christianity be well learned without some knowledge of sacred history; it is indeed a real and substantial part of our religion: An early acquaintance with these things, will not only lead children to understand many parts of the gospel the better, but it will allure them to read their Bible; for it will give them a delightful taste of it beforehand, so that this sort of catechism seems very necessary toward a christian education.

Now to render this work more easy, there are two catechisms of this kind composed. The first is called a Catechism of Scripture-names, for it gives only the name with some single character or action of the person. The second enlarges both on persons and things, and it is called the Historical Catechism.

As for the Short Catechism of Names, the child may begin to learn it as soon as he can speak plain, at the same time that he begins the first of the foregoing catechisms of the principles of religion, which is provided for young children.

You see the name is always contained in the question; but in order to teach children to pronounce the names as well as to learn the character of the person, parents or teachers may ask the same question backward or forward, viz. Q. Who was Adam? A. The first man that God made: And then, Q. Who was the first man that God made?