A. Yes. It is an ancient, a pious, and a charitable Ufe or Custom.

Q. Is it an ancient Cuftom?

A. Yes. It is of fo great Antiquity, that it is hard to trace out the true Original thereof. The Learned Arch- Bishop that now is, tells us, that it feems to have been in ufe in the Times of the Apostles.

Q. Is it a pious Cuftom, and fuch as tends to promote Godliness?

A. Yes. Pro. xxii. 6. Train up a Child in the Way that he should go; and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

Q. Is it a charitable Custom, such as tends to the Good of Children?

A. Yes. For Godliness is profitable unto all things, having the Promife of the Life that now is, and also of that which is to come. 1 Tim.iv. 8.

Why the Ufe of them is continued in the Church.

tion.

Catechift. Now to make fome Ufe of this, Applica as the Chriftian Name ferves to mind you of your Profeffion, fo it fhould engage you to be true and faithful to it. If you call yourfelves Chriftians, why are you not fuch indeed? If you are not fuch indeed, why are you called by that worthy Name? Why call ye me Lord, Lord,faithChrift,and do not the things that I fay? Know ye not, faith the Apostle, that to whom ye yield yourselves Servants to obey, his Servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of Sin unto Death, or of Obedience unto Righteoufnefs? Rom. vi. 16. Our Practice must determine and

fhew

shew whom we ferve, whether Chrift or Belial. In vain do we profefs to have Christ for our Lord and Mafter, if we obey him not, nor hearken to his Inftructions. For he tells us, that not every one that faith Lord,Lord, fhall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, but he that doth the Will of his Father which is in Heaven. See, then, that in your Hearts and Lives, you be fuch as you profefs and call yourselves, Chriftians, i. e. Followers and Difciples of the Holy and Bleffed Jefus, denying all Ungodliness and worldly Lufts, and living foberly, righteoufly, and godly in this World. And whatfoever things are true, whatsoever things are honeft, whatsoever things are juft, whatsoever things are pure, whatfoever things are lovely, whatfoever things are of good Report, or praiseworthy; as the Chriftian Religion enjoineth all these things, fo we who do profefs it, must think of them, and do them.

Sect.2. Of the Benefits of Baptifm.

Wherein I was made a Member of Chrift, the Child of God, and an Inheritor of the Kingdom of Heaven.

Catechift. The Advantages of Chriftian Baptifm are exceeding great, and many; especially those three that are specified in this Place: And to make this clear, I fhall here distinguish of a threefold Baptism, viz.

1. External
2. Internal
3. Complete

Baptifm.

1. There

1. There is a Baptifm which is only external, viz. The visible ceremonial Washing, that is performed by Man. This is what was meant by S. John Baptift, faying, I'indeed baptize you with Water, Mat. 3. 11. And by the Figure Synecdoche, it is put for whole Baptifm. This imperfect Baptifm, or rather outward Part thereof, is the initiating Sign and Seal of the Covenant of Grace, to confirm the Promifes that God hath made unto his People. For by this Ordinance they are not only fealed to us,but allo visibly reprefented by what is evident to our Senfes. But as the Promifes are conditional, fo alfo is this Sacrament. In this Senfe, therefore, i. e. Conditionally and Sacramentally,they who are baptized are made Members of Chrift by Baptifm, Children of God, and Heirs of Heaven: i. e. By this Means, they are affured of these Privileges, they performing the Conditions required of them. Now Baptifm, in this Sense, is a Sign and Seal of the Chriftian Covenant, but not the Covenant itself. And fo it is not that faving Baptifm, that the Catechifm here meaneth. We are not Children of God, Members of Chrift, and Heirs of Heaven,by being only baptized with Water. Simon Magus had this visible and outward Baptifm. And yet he remained then in the very Gall of Bitterness, and Bond of Iniquity. Act. viii. 23.

A

2. By Baptifm is fometimes meant in Scripture, the internal Part thereof; namely, that Grace of God, and Duty of Man, that is fignified and reprefented by the vifible and outward Signs. This S. Peter Speaks

of

of in Contradiftinction to Water-Baptifm ; faying, Baptifm faveth us, not the putting away of the Filth of the Flesh, but the Anfwer of a good Confcience towards God. And they who have this Inward Baptifm, viz. the Purity of the inward Man, though through want of Opportunity, or involuntary Ignorance, they have not the outward Sign or Ministerial Washing, yet in the Sight of God, to whom all Hearts be open, they have a Right and Title to eternal Life, or Happiness. For he that believeth in the Son of God, hath everlasting Life. But in foro Ecclefie, in the Eye or Judgment of the Church, they have neither the Name, nor outward Privileges of Believers. For, not to appear, and not to be, is all one in the Judgment or Sight of Men.

3. Chriftian Baptifm, in the full and proper Sense thereof, is an Ordinance of God, that confifteth of both these. For as in Man's Nature there are two effential Parts, viz. a visible Body, and an invisible Soul, fo Baptifm hath two Parts, in answer to both thefe: viz. A visible or outward Sign, which anfwers to the Body, and a Spiritual or inward Grace, which anfwers to the Soul. And both thefe conjoined are complete or perfect Baptifm.

Now Baptifm in this Senfe is the Covenant of Grace in Chrift, betwixt God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghoft, and a penitent believing Sinner, or the Infant of fuch, being washed with Water, in the Name of the Sacred Trinity, according to Chrift's Appointment, for the Solemnizing thereof. In this full and proper Senfe it is fpoken of

by

by Christ, Mark xvi. 16. He that believeth, and is baptized, fhall be faved. And thus we must understand it in this Part of our Catechifm.

Now they who are thus baptized, or have covenanted with God by Baptism, are privileged thereby to be Members of Chrift, Children of God, and Heirs of Heaven.

1. By this their Baptifm, they are Members of Chrift myftical, i. e. of Christ and his Church. For Chrift and his Church, which are all true Believers, are all in Union with one another, as the Head and Members of our Bodies. Chrift by his Holy Spirit firft unites himself to them, whereby he dwelleth in them, and they are all one Spirit: And then they by a lively Faith do unite and close with him, whereby this their Union is more confirm'd and ftrengthened.

And forafmuch as fuch Faith does operate or work by Love, they are thereby also united with one another.

Now by vertue of this Union that Believers have with Chrift, they are all enlighte ned and enlivened by him. And as our natural Members have Life and Senfe from the Head, fo all that are true Believers have Grace and Help from Chrift. That Folnefs of Grace and Holiness that is originally in him, is derived down to them according to their Measure. For he is the Head over all things unto his Church. And from thence the whole Body, by Joints and Bands having Nourishment miniftred and knit together, increaseth with the Increafe of God. Col. ii 19. Now this being fpoken of the People or Church of God, even fuch as have made

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