place, Luke r. 60. Where the Witneffes of the Circumcifion of the Child, having called him Zacharias, his Mother answered, Not fo, but he shall be called John; which was afterwards confirm'd by his Father, v. 63. And tho' Rachel, in her Pangs, called her younger Son, (of whom the died) Ben-oni, Gen. 35. 18. yet his Father (we may fuppofe at his Circumcifion) called his Name Benjamin, which he bore ever after. But it is alfo true, that a Father may give away his Right, in this, as well as in other Matters. And 'tis a common thing to oblige the Sureties, by letting one of them have the Naming of the Child. However, let the Choice of the Name be in whom it will, tho' the Sureties may not always give the Name, yet one of them does at leaft give it in to the Minifter; and that I think is fufficient to juftifie our Church in this Matter.

But here fome are apt to fcruple this Answer,as not being always true,fince fome who are afterwards conforma ble enough to the Rites of the Church, yet have had no Godfathers or Godmothers, being Baptiz'd without Sureties, and yet all are oblig'd to make the fame Answer to this Question. But this fignifies not much, fince the Catechifm goes upon a Suppofition, that the Orders of the Church have been duly fulfil'd, and where they have not, yet the Minifter and other Witneffes at the Baptifm are fuppos'd to fupply their place, and tho' not exprefly and formally, yet in effect to Answer for them, that being a thing, which none in Charity will refuse on fuch an Occafion.

Now the use we are to make of this, is to remind us, that when we receiv'd our Names we were devoted to the Service of God, and are bound to perform what was then promised for us. But of this more under the next Particular.

(3) We are next to confider the Time when this Name was given us, and that was at our Baptifm, when we were admitted into the vifible Church of Chrift, and became capable of the Priviledges of it. And this was

from

from the Cuftom of the Jewish Church to give the Name at the Circumcifion of the Child. An Example of this we have had already in the Naming of John the Baptift, Luke 1.59. And alfo of our Saviour Jefus Chrift himfelf, Luke 2. 21. Both which was at the time they were Circumcifed. And the reafon of this was to put us in mind of the Solemn Vow that was then made in our Name, and of the Benefits and Priviledges we were then entituled to. Till a Child be Baptiz'd, 'tis but a nameless thing, of little regard or confideration. Indeed those of the first Chriftians who were grown Per fons, and Converted from Fudaifm or Paganifm before they were Baptiz'd, muft needs have their Names before their Baptifm: As alfo thofe of the Ancients af terwards, who defer'd their Baptifm till the time of their Death, through an erronious Opinion, that Sins committed after Baptifm were unpardonable. Yet, as to the former, many of them had their Names chang'd at their Baptifm, and new Names given them, by which they were called ever after.

Now the ufe we are to make of this (as I have faid) is to remind us of the Solemn Vow and Covenant that was then made for us, and by us. So that whenever we hear or think of our Names, we ought ferioufly to reflect on the Time and Occafion of our receiving them. We should confider, that we were then devoted to the Service of God, which, if we fail to perform, whenever we are called by our Names, 'tis a tacite Reproach to us for the Neglect of our Duty. And we ought to think it no small advantage that we have fo many and frequent Admonitions of it.

(4) Laftly, We are to confider the feveral Priviledges we were then entitled to, being thereby made the Members of Chrift, the Children of God, and Inheritors of the Kingdom of Heaven.

1. We are faid to be Members of Chrift, for being by Nature born in Sin (according to that of the Pfalmift, Pfal. 51. 5. Behold, I was shapen in Iniquity, and in Sin

did

did my Mother conceive me? Which is to be underfood of that original Polution which we all derive from our Parents in our Natural Birth) we are born again in Baptifm of Water and the Holy Ghoft, John 3. 5. And thereby are admitted into the Church, and become Members of the Mystical Body of Chrift, who is the Head of it. For by one Spirit we are all Baptiz'd into one Body, viz. the Church of Chrift, 1 Cor. 12. 13.

2. We are faid to be the Children of God, for being by Nature the Children of Wrath, even as others, Eph. 2. 3. (That is, liable to the Wrath of God, and under the Sentence of Condemnation) we are now reconciled to God through Chrift, and made his Children by Adopti on and Grace. Nay, being admitted into the Church, which is the Sifter and Spoufe of Chrift, who is also called our Elder Brother, it follows by confequence of our Union with him, that we are alfo the Children of God.

:

3. We are faid to be Inheritors of the Kingdom of Hea ven, for being by Nature Heirs of Death and Hell (fince by one Man Sin entred into the World, and Death by Sin, Rom. 5. 12.) We are now made Heirs of God, and Joint-. heirs with Chrift of the Kingdom of Heaven, Rom. 8. 17. And thus we are faid to be faved by the washing of Re generation, and renewing of the Holy Ghoft, which is fhed on us abundantly through Jefus Chrift our Saviour; that being juftified by his Grace, we should be made Heirs according to the hope of eternal Life, Tit. 3. 5, 6, 7. Yet we must also remember that all thofe great Priviledges and Bleffings are confer'd on us in Baptifm, not Abfolutely, but only upon Condition that we keep that Vow and Covenant then made for us, and by us.

And therefore we ought to be very careful to walk worthy of those Priviledges to which we pretend, and not to boast of those we have no right unto. We pretend to be Members of Chrift, but how little Communication of Life and Spirit is there from Chrift to us, (and if we have not the Spirit of Chrift we are none of his; no Members of his Myftical Body) fince there is fo little Like

nefs

nefs and Conformity in us to our Head? Is it not evident to all that many are yet dead in Trefpaffes and Sins? How then can they pretend to be Members of Chrift, when they have cut themselves off from his Myftical Body, by a conftant Courfe of Sin and Wickedness? We pretend to be the Children of God, but how little Refemblance have we to him, how little care to please him, and how little fear to offend him? May he not well fay, as in the Prophet, Mat. 1. 6. If I be a Father, where is mine Honour? The Apoftle tells us, I Fo. 3. 10. In this the Children of God are manifeft, and the Children of the Devil: Wbofoever doth not Righ teousness, is not of God; neither he that loveth not his Brother. So that by our Lives and Conversations 'tis eafily known to what Father we belong; and 'tis in vain to pretend to be the Children of God, when we have nothing of his Nature or Image in or upon us. We pretend to be Heirs and Inheritors of the Kingdom of Hea ven, but how little of Heaven, or any thing like it api pears in our Hearts and Lives! Why are our Minds and Thoughts ftill groveling on the Earth, and feeking Eftablishments here below? Why are we fo difcontented with our Lot and Portion here, when we know we have a better and more enduring Inheritance? If we pretend to be the Sons of a King, why are we fo lean from day to day? If we be indeed Heirs of a Kingdom, why do we not raife up our Hearts and Affections to live accordingly? But 'tis to be fear'd that too many of those that pretend to it, have forfeited all their Right to the Inheritance above, and can only expect to have their Portion with the Workers of Iniquity. Let us therefore every one of us be very careful and diligent, that we may approve our felves indeed the living Members of Chrift, the true Children of God, and right Heirs · of the Kingdom of Heaven.

LECT

LECTURE III.

Queft. What did your Godfathers and Godmothers then for you?

Anfw. They did promile and vow three things in my Name. (1.) That I thould fozlake the Devil and all his Wolks, the Pomps and Cantties of this wicked World, and all the Sinful Lufts of the Fleth. (2.) That I should believe all the Articles of the Chriftian Faith. And, (3.). That I should keep God's holy Will and Commandments, and walk in the lame all the days of my Life.

IN

N this Answer we have the Sum of the Baptifma? Covenant, and indeed the Subftance of all Religion, both Negative and Pofitive. That is, not only what we are to Renounce and Avoid, but alfo what we are to believe and do. So that by our Vow in Baptifm, we are oblig'd, not only to renounce all Errours, but to be lieve the Truth; not only to avoid Sin and Vanity, but to do the Will of God, and to keep his Commandments. The two latter of thefe, or what we are to believe and do, I fhall have occafion to treat of at large, when I come to confider and explain the first two general Parts of this Catechifm, viz. the Creed and the Ten Command ments. The former of them, or what we are to avoid and for Jake, I fhall confider at this time, and they are reduc'd to Three Heads.

1. The Devil and all his Works.

2. The Pomps and Vanities of the World, and,

3. The Sinful Lufts of the Flesh. Of thefe in their Order, as briefly as I can.

(1.) We promifed in our Baptifm to forfake and renounce the Devil and all his Works. For the better understanding of which, you must know, that by the Devil, is meant in Scripture a Collective Body of Apos

ftate