Secondly, That being Chriftians, we, that name the Name of Christ, fhould depart from Iniquity.

Thirdly, It ought to remind us, that we Christians cannot fin at fo cheap a rate as Others, as thofe that know not Chrift: But as we are of the best Religion; fo we ought to be the best of Men. For that Servant which knew his Lord's Will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to His Will, fhall be beaten with many Stripes, Luk. xii. 47.

The Duty and Ufe of Godfathers and Godmothers in Baptifm.

HY were your Godfathers and Godmothers fo called?

4. Because in bringing me to be baptized they were instrumental in making me a Child of God.

2. But why are they fometimes called Witneffes?

A. Because they were Witneffes of the Right I had to be baptized, by being born of Christian Parents; and might afterwards bear Teftimony of the Fact it felf, that I was baptized into Chrift's Church.

Q. Why are they call'd Sureties?

A. Because they gave Security to the Church, that I fhould be bred up a Chriftian.

Q. But which do you think the most proper Name?

A. That of Godfathers &c. and it is the most useful ; because it may remind the Godfather, that he has taken upon him the Office of a Spiritual Parent; and the Child, that he owes his Relation to God, to his New Birth, to other Parents, than thofe that begot or brought him forth.

2. But is not the Ufe of Godfathers unlawful?

A. No; that cannot be; because they are not forbid by any Law of God or Man.

2. But for what Reason are they requir'd? Are not Parents the moft proper Perfons to engage for their own Children?

A 2

A. No

A. No doubt of it; but then their Security is not esteem'd fufficient in this Cafe: And therefore this Church requires Three well-inftructed Perfons to be bound with the Parents, to take care of the Christian Education of their baptized Infants.

2. By what Laws are Parents bound to take this Care upon them?

A. By the Laws of God and Nature, prov'd from Eph. vi. 4. as Godfathers are by their free Promise and Engagement. And thus good Care is taken, that all that are baptized into Chrift's Religion, fhould be well inftructed in it.

2. But why does not this Church look upon the Security of Natural Parents fufficient in this Cafe?

A. Because they may die, and leave their Children untaught; or be ignorant, and not capable of teaching them; or grow very wicked, and not willing to do it. Wherein then lies the Duty of Godfathers, &c. A. Chiefly in fupplying the Defects of dead, or ignorant, or wicked Parents.

2. How long has this pious Custom obtain'd in the Church of Christ?

A. For more than 1600 Years.

2. What are the general Uses of it?

A. It might be a Means of promoting natural Love and Kindness among Neighbours, by their performing this charitable Office for one anothers Children; and must be of great Service to Religion, as often as it is faithfully discharged.

2. What are the chief Motives to encourage People Chearfully to undertake this Care?

A. First, The great Charity of this Office, and the Confideration that this Undertaking can bring little or no Trouble upon Men, but where Children are like to perifh everlastingly for Want of it.

And fecondly, We ought to remember, that the fame was done for us; that we had Godfathers who engaged for our Chriftian Education: And this fhould induce us

to

to do (the fame) for other Children, as others did for

us.

2. But is not the general Neglect of Godfathers a good Reafon for laying them afide?

A. No; it can bring no Difparagement upon fo useful an Ordinance, but only upon thofe that abufe it; who ought much rather to be condemned and cenfured, than the Ordinance rejected.

Made a Member of Christ, a Child of God, &c.

2 W

HAT is implied in thefe Words of the fecond Anfwer, I was made, &c.

A. It is thereby fignified, That I was not born into that happy State and Condition, but was afterwards brought into it by Baptifm.

2. How many States of Man are, or have there been in the World?

A. Three; The First a State of Innocence; which is paft and loft: The Second a State of Sin, in which all Men are naturally born: The Third a State of Grace, into which we are tranflated by Christ Jesus.

2. Who lived under the First State of Man; that is, 'In the State of Innocence ?

A. Adam, at his firft Creation; when both he and his Wife Eve were made Righteous and Holy Creatures. 2. What Reafon have you to believe this of Adam? A. Because he could not otherwife have been made after the Image and Likeness of God: But that he was fo may be prov❜d Gen. i. 26. Ecclef. vii. 29. Nor could he have answer'd that Character God gave of him, when he pronounced him (as he did all His other Creatures) very good, Gen. i. 31.

2. How did dam fall from his State of Innocence ? A By his Pride and Infidelity, believing the Devil rather than God, and confenting to eat of the Forbidden

Fruit,

Fruit, in Hopes of being made as God; for fo the Devil promiled Eve, Gen. iii. 5.

Q. You fee then there was more Evil in the Sin of Adam than the bare eating of the Apple: What Effec had this Sin upon his Pofterity?

A. It corrupted in Adam the Fountain of Human Nature, and brought Sin into the World, and Death by Sin: And fo a State of Sin is become the Second State of Man in this World; into which all Mankind are naturally born.

2. What does Original Sin chiefly confift in?

A. It chiefly confifts in the Sinfulness of Man's Nature: And that finful Nature being found in Infants, makes them the Children of Wrath, and is punished in this World with Misery, Pain, and Death.

2. What fhould this teach all Parents?

A. Not to think their Infants fo innocent, as that they can be fav'd without an Interest in Christ Fefus; who therefore fhould haften to bring them to Chrift's Baptifm by Water, that they may be entitled to the Be nefits of Chrift's Sufferings.

2. What is the Third Estate of Man in this World? A. It is a State of Grace, Favour, and Reconciliation with God.

Q. How was this obtain'd for us?

So

A. By Chrift's fuffering in our Stead: Whereupon St. Paul has affured us, That as by One Man's Difobedience many were made Sinners: So by the Obedience of One, fhall many be made Righteous, Rom. v. 19. that now there is no Condemnation to them that are in Chrift Jefus, who walk not after the Flesh, but after the Spirit, Rom. viii. 1.

Wherein Iwas made a Member of Chrift.

OU have learnt, that we were all born into this World in a State of Sin: What Rite or Ceremony did Christ ordain for admitting Perfons into a State of Grace?

A. The

A. The Baptizing them in the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghoft. And when I was fo baptized, I was then made a Member of Christ, a Child of God, and an Inheritor of the Kingdom of Heaven.

Q. How did God the Son, the Lord Jefus Chrift, obtain this Mercy of His Father in the Behalf of His Difciples?

A. By entring into Covenant with Him; agreeing to do and fuffer many things for loft Mankind. There is One Mediator between God and Man, the Man Christ Jefus, 1 Tim. ii. 5.

I

2. What were the chief Articles or Terms of this Agreement between God the Father, and Chrift the Son of God?

A. Firft, It was agreed, that God the Son fhould take our Flesh upon Him. And that He did fo is prov'd 1 Tim. iii. 16. God was manifeft in the Flesh.

Secondly, That He fhould go in Perfon into the World, to inftruct and call Mankind to Repentance. And for this fee John xvii. 4... And

Thirdly, ThatHe fhould makeHimself a Curse, and fuffer for us. AndChrift bath redeemed us from the Curse of the Law, being made a Curse for us, faith S. Paul, Gal. iii. 13. What did Chrift obtain by this Agreement or Covenant with His Father?

A. That His Father fhould enter into a gracious Covenant with Mankind; and in fhort, That in Him fhould all the Nations of the Earth be blessed, upon the Conditions of Faith and Repentance.

2. How many Covenants then did God make with Man?

A. Two; A Covenant of Works, and a Covenant of Grace.

Q. What were the Conditions of the firft Covenant? A. This do, and thoufhalt live.

9. What the Conditions of the Second Covenant? A. Repent and believe the Gospel, Mark i. 15. 2. What is supposed in the First Covenant?

A. The