e Inquiries satisfy'd, and
incourag'd, Children are ordinarily rebuk'd for making any: from
whence not daring in a short time to question any thing that is taught
them in reference to Religion; they, (as the Girl above-mention'd was)
are brought to say, that they _do Believe_ whatever their Teachers
tell them they must Believe; whilst in Truth they remain in an
ignorant unbelief, which exposes them to be seduc'd by the most
pitiful Arguments of the Atheistical, or of such as are disbelievers
of reveal'd Religion.

The Foundation of All Religion is the belief of a God; or of a Maker
and Governour of the World; the evidence of which, being visible in
every thing; and the general Profession having usually stamp'd it with
awe upon Children's Minds, they ought perhaps most commonly to be
suppos'd to Believe This, rather than have doubts rais'd in them by
going about to prove it to them: because those who are uncapable of
long deductions of Reason, or attending to a train of Arguments, not
finding the force thereof when offer'd to prove what they had always
taken for a clear, and obvious verity, would be rather taught thereby
to suspect that a Truth which they had hitherto look'd on as
unquestionable, might rationally be doubted of, than be any ways
confirm'd in the belief of it. But if any doubts concerning the
Existence of God, do arise in their Minds, when they own this, or that
this, can be discover'd by discoursing with them: such doubts should
always be endeavour'd to be remov'd by the most solid Arguments of
which Children are capable. Nor should They ever be rebuk'd for having
those doubts; since not giving leave to look into the grounds of
asserting any Truth, whatever it be, can never be the way to establish
that Truth in any rational Mind; but, on the contrary, must be very
likely to raise a suspicion that it is not well grounded.

The belief of a Deity being entertain'd; what should be first taught
us should be what we are in the first place concern'd to know.

Now it is certain that what we are in the first place concern'd to
know, is that which is necessary to our Salvation; and it is as
certain that whatever God has made necessary to our Salvation, we are
at the same time capable of knowing. All Instruction therefore which
obtrudes upon any one as necessary to their Salvation, what they
cannot understand or see the evidence of, is to that Person, wrong
Instruction; and when any such unintelligible, or unevid