An Exhortation to Catechizing

London Provincial Assembly, An Exhortation to Catechizing (August 30, 1655), pp. 11-12:

If we be not too much miftaken, the Larger Catechifme is as compleat a body of pofitive Divinity, as any we know extant this day; and we beleeve that whofoever fhall perufe it with a judicious, and unprejudiced eye, will eafily obferve that fingul skill of thofe eminent workmen who fo accurately folded fo much variety of choice matter in fo few plaine words, fo artificially digefted the queftions, fo irrefragably confirmed every branch of the answers, by fo many clear proofs of Scripture, all along quoted in the margent. We profeffe to look on that larger Catechifme, as an excellent card, not only for vulgar Chriftians, but all younger Divines to fteere the courfe of their studies.
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The truth is, we judge that larger Catechifme to be an ufeful Comment for our felves to have recourfe to, in the explication of the leffer, which we efteeme better tempered to the capacities, and memories of younger people. And this teftimony we may freely give to this lesser Catechifme, that it hath this considerable excellency, above all thofe we have feene, , that every anfwer is an intire propofition without relation to the question preceding.

In fhort, we humbly bleffe God, for fo great a help, as he hath graciously afforded thefe Churches in this little piece; and we as heartily blufh to think of our own unexcufable neglect, of fo precious a meant, for the inftruction of our people.

And yet too, though we moft paffionately wifh, that all our Brethren would unanimoufly concurre in the joyntufe of one and the fame, and that the Affemblies Catechifme; yet fhall we abundantly rejoyce, to fee them perfwaded, to ufe any other Orthodox Catechifme, which they in their wifdom, fhall judge better calculated, to the condition of their people.