THE INTRODUCTION. 2. WHAT do you mean by a catechism? A. I mean fuch an instruction as is made by way of queftion and answer. What then do you understand by the Church Cate chifm? A. I understand by it, such an instruction in the principles of the chriftian religion. 2. Why is this catechifm to be learned before we be brought to be confirmed by the bishop? A. Becaufe at that time we are to take upon ourselves the vows made for us, by our fureties in baptism; which we cannot be truly faid to do, without understanding them as they are hereby explained to us in the catechifm. Is the catechifing of young perfons of great advantage to them? A. Yes; fuch an early inftruction is the most likely means to preserve them from all fin and wickedness. 2. How do you prove this from Scripture? A. Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it. Prov, xxii. 6. 2. Into how many parts is the Church Catechifm divided? ́A. Five? 1st, An account of the privileges we are admitted to, and the vows we make at our baptifm. 2dly, The creed, or articles of faith. 3dly, The commandments we are to obferve. 4thly, The Lord's Prayer. 5thly, The facraments which Chrift hath ordained in his church. THE THE CHRISTIAN COVENANT. SECT. I. On the Benefits of BAPTISM; or, the Mercies afforded on God's part. 1.2. WHAT is your name? A. N. or M. 2. 2. What do you call this name by which you answer? A. My chriftian name. 3. 2. Why do you call it your chriftian name? A. Because it was given me in my baptifm, when I was made a chriftian. 4. 2 What is a chriftian? A. A difciple or scholar of Jefus Chrift. 5.2. Why is the name that was given you at your baptifm demanded of you rather than that of your family? A. Because it puts me in mind both of the privileges and duty of a chriftian. 6. 2. Who gave you that name? A. My Godfathers and Godmothers in my baptifm, wherein I was made a member of Chrift, the Child of God, and an inheritor of the kingdom of heaven. 7. 2. Why is it afked, who gave you that name? A. To put me in mind of the faith I at my baptifm profeffed, and the duty I promised by my godfathers and godmothers to performs 8. 2. Why are they called your godfathers and godmo~ thers, that gave you your chriftian name? A. Because they prefented me to God, through Chrift, in my baptifm, and gave fecurity to the church for my chriftian education. 9. 2. What were the privileges you received by being baptifed? A. Through God's grace, I was made in my baptifm,› First, A member of Chrift. Secondly, The Child of God. And Thirdly, An inheritor of the kingdom of heaven. 10. 2. Why are you faid to be made a member of Christ, the child of God, and an inheritor of the kingdom of hea ven? A. Because I was not fo born, but made fo by baptifm. A 2 11. 2. 11. Q. How do you prove this from scripture? A. From Eph. ii. 3. And were by nature the children of wrath. be John i. 12, 13. As many as received him, to them gave power [privilege] to become the fons of God—who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. 12. 2. What is it to be a member of Christ? A. It is to be one of his church, and thereby joined to Chrift as our head. 13.2. Why is a member of Chrift's church faid to be a member of Chrift? A. Because his church is, in scripture, compared to a natural body; whereof he is the head, and his difciples are the members. 14. 2. Where is the church called the body of Christ, and Chrift the head of that body? A. In Eph. i. 22, 23.—And he gave him (that is Chrift) to be the head over all things in the church,—which is his body. 15.2. What way of admitting members into the church did Chrift appoint, and his difciples always use? A. Baptifm. 16. 2. Have you any text of scripture which teaches you, that you are made a member of Chrift's body, or church, by your baptifm? A. Yes; St. Paul fays, 1 Cor. xii. 13. By one spirit we are all baptized into one body. And verse 27. Ye are the body of Chrift and members in particular. 17.2. What is it to be a child of God? A. It is to be one whom God hath taken into favour through Chrift, and is faid upon that account, to love him in an efpecial manner, as a father does his child. 18. 2. Why are you faid first to be a member of Christ, and then a child of God? A. Because by being a member of Chrift, I become a child of God. 19. 2. How do you prove from fcripture, that by baptifm you are made a child of God? A. Gal. iii. 26, 27. Ye are all the children of God by faith in Jefus Chrift: For as many of you as have been baptized into Chrift, bave put on Chrift. 202. What is meant by being an inheritor of the kingdom of heaven? A. By A. By being a child of God, if I lead a chriftian life, I am entitled to the kingdom of heaven, as an heir is to his father's eftate. 21. 2. How do you prove from scripture, that from your being made a member of Chrift, the child of God, at your baptifm, you have a covenant title to be an inheritor or heir of the kingdom of heaven? A. From Rom. viii. 16, 17. We are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Chrift. Luke xii. 32. Fear not, little flock, for it is your father's good pleafure to give you the kingdom. 1 John ii. 23. And this is the promise that he hath promifed us, even eternal life. SECT. II. Of the Vows of Baptifm; Or, the Conditions required on pur Part; and the Obligation we lie under to fulfil them. 1.2. You OU have told me what privileges you have by being baptized; but cannot you forfeit their? A. I cannot lose them, if I keep the promises made for me, when I was baptized. 2. 2. What did your godfathers and godmothers then for you? A. They did promife and vow three things in my name, First, That I fhould renounce the devil and all his works, the pomps and vanities of this wicked world, and all the finful lufts of the flesh. Secondly, That I fhould believe all the articles of the chriftian faith. And thirdly, That 1 fhould keep God's holy will and commandments, and walk in the fame all the days of my life. 3.2. What is it that you here promise to renounce? A. promife to renounce the three fpiritual enemies to my happiness in this life, and that which is to come, which are the devil, the world, and the flesh. 4. 2. What do you mean by renouncing them? A. Hating them in my heart, and rejecting and guarding against them in my life and actions, so as not to follow, or be led by them. 5. 2. What do you mean by the word devil? A 3 A. Be. 1 A. Becaufe they are all united in the fame rebellion against God; and are governed by one head, which is called the devil. 7.2. Why are you in the first place required to renounce the devil? A. Because he is a bitter enemy to our Saviour, and the most dangerous enemy to us. 8. 2. What do you mean by the works of the devil? A. All manner of fin and wickedness; particularly thofe fins which the devil himself is efpecially charged with; fuch` as idolatry, witchcraft, murder, cruelty, malice, revenge, pride, envy, strife, lying, and tempting others to fin, &c. 9.2. Why are fin and wickednefs called the works of the devil? A. Because he first finned himself, then feduced others to fin, and doth still tempt to it. 10. Q. How do you prove from fcripture, that it is required of Chrift's difciples to renounce the devil and all his works? A. From Eph. iv. 27. Neither give place to the devil. Let every one that nameth the name of Chrift depart from all iniquity. 2 Tim. ii. 19. 1 John iii. 8. He that committeth fin is of the devil; for the devil finneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was maniffted, that he might deftroy the works of the devil. 11. 2. What is the fecond enemy, which, at your baptifm, you promifed to renounce? A. This wicked world, and its pomps and vanities. 12. 2. Why do you call the world (the work of God's hands) a wicked world? A. Not because it is in itfeif fo; but because of the "wickedness it tempts to, and the evil ufe it is to put by "wicked men." "" 13. 2. What do you mean by the pomps and vanities of this world? A. The honours, glory, and grandeur of this earthly fate; together with the poffeffions, riches, and pleafures the world affords, fo far as they lead us to fin against God. 1. 14. 2. How do you prove that you are obliged to renounce the pomps and vanities of this world? A. From 1 John ii. 15, 16. Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. -The pride of life,s not of the Father, but is of the world, |