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Sect. 1. Of the Baptismal Name.

Q. What is your Name?

A. N. or M.

Q. Who gave you this Name ?

A. My God-Fathers, and God-Mothers, in my Baptifm..

Catechist. It seemed good to the Compilers of this our Catechifm, to begin it where we begin our Christianity, namely at our Baptifm. And this first and familiar Que-、 stion, viz. (What is your Name?) is introductory to this Subject. For, whereas there are two Names that we are known and calJed by, viz. One as we are Men, which is called the Sur-name, as being derived from, and signifying our Stock or Family; the other, as we are Christians; it is evidently this latter that the Question is meant of. For, this is that Name which was given you at your Baptifm; and so is called the Christian Name. Because by that Sacrament, and under that Name, ye were visibly admitted into the Christian Church and Covenant. And so your several Proper Names are Tokens to you of your Profession, that you are not Jews, or Heathens, or Mahometans, but Christians. And whenever you read or write them, or hear or mention them, they should put you in Mind thereof.

This is the general Use that we should make of our Christian Names, even to remember that we are Christians by our Calling and Profession, and to behave ourselves as such in our Lives and Conversations. Having named the Name of Christ, we are the more obliged to depart from all Iniquity.

mem.

1 Tim. ii. 19.

And whereas some Christian Names do denote some especial Excellencies, as Theophilus, one that loves God; Timotheus, one that honours God; Eufebius, a devout Worshipper of him; they should quicken us to those Vertues that are fignified by these Names. And such as are Memorials of some exemplary and worthy Persons, they should serve to stir us up to an Imitation of their Vertues.

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The particular Time or Seafon when the Christian Names were given you, was the Time of your Baptifin. Because by that Sacrament ye were solemnly admitted into the visible Church or Covenant. And this is according to the Practice of the Ancient Church, both Jews and Christians. For, for this Cause, the former had the Name given them at Circumcifion, as the latter at their Baptifm.

The Persons which then named you, were your Proxies or Legal Persons, by whom yee covenanted with God in Baptifm. And for this Cause they are called God-Fathers, and God-Mothers. And they are also called Sureties, because they vouched for you, that you should be Christianly and Vertuouf brought up. And it is their Duty afterw to fee that this be done.

And because it is an ancient, ch and pious Custom, for fuch as are ba

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The Sur

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to have such Supervisors, therefore this Custom is still continued in our Church; that so, if the Parents die before they be brought up, be ignorant and cannot, or negligent and will not teach them, their Sureties in those Cases may be their Monitors and Instructors. And if this were well done, it would be of happy Consequence both to Church and State. By this Means, the Kingdom would foon be filled with honest and useful Men, the Church with pious Christians, and Heaven with holy Souls.

The Questions and Answers.

Q. What is the firff Particular that the Catechist instructs you in, with respect to the Christian Covenant?

A. My Christian Name.

Q. Have you any other Name, besides your Christian Name ?

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A. Yes. One which I have by Nature, Name, what which is called my Sur-Name, i.e. my Sire's or Father's Name; and thereby is signified the Stock or Family that I am of.

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Q. And what does your Christian or Baptifmal Name fignify?

A. It serves to signify not only my proName what per Person, but also the Religion that I it betokens. make Profession of, and that I am not a Jew,

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or Heathen, or Mahometan, but Christian.

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sus Christ. Act. xi. 26. The Disciples were called Christians.

Q. Are you then a Disciple and Follower of Jesus Christ ?

A. By my Baptism Iam engaged so to be. And I dare not deny or disown my Lord and Saviour. For he hath said, He that denieth me before Men, him will I deny before my Father which is in Heaven. Mat. X. 33.

Q. If you profess to be a Christian, or Difciple of Jesus Christ, are you not bound by your Profession to live up to your Religion?

A. Yes. 1 Tim. ii. 19. Let every one that nameth the Name of Christ, depart from Iniquity.

Q. You said that your Name was given you at your Baptism? Why fo? Are we received by this Rite into the Christian Church and Co

venant?

The Chri

A. Yes. For to this End it was ordained by Christ, saying, Go and teach all Nati- ftian Name, ons; or, as the Word may be translated, why given Disciple all Nations, baptizing them. Mat, at Baptifm. xxviii. 19.

Q. Had the Fews in like manner their Names given them at Circumcifion?

A. Yes. The Baptist at his Circumcifion was called John. Luk.i.63. And our Saviour at his was named Jefus. Luk. ii. 21.

Q. Is this Sacrament of Baptism which is used in the Christian Church, correspondent to Circumcifion which was used in the Jewish Church? I mean, are they both the fame in the Use and Purport of them?...

A.

Who are

A. Yes. Col. ii. 11, 12. In whom also ye are circumcised with the Circumcision made without Hands, in putting off the Body of the Sins of the Flesh, by the Circumcifion of Christ, buried with him in Baptifm.

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Q. You said your God-Fathers and God-Mameant by thers gave you your Name in Baptism; Who are God Fathers and God-Mothers?

God-Fathers and God

Mothers.

Why the
Chriftian *
Name is
given by

zhem.

A. They are those Persons by whom we were presented to God in our Baptifm.

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Q. And why are they affigned to give your Name in Baptifm? May others besides the Parents give the Child his proper Name ?

A. Yes. Obed was so called by the Wamen his Mother's Neighbours that were with her at her Travail. Ruthiv. 17.

Q. And are not God-Fathers and God-Mothers the fittest for this Office ?

A. Yes. They seem to be so, because the Christian Name is a Memorial of that Baptism, of which God-Fathers and God-Mothers are both the Means and Witnesses.

Q. What is the proper Use of God-Fathers and God-Mothers? Is it not to affist, or fupply the Defect of Parents, if either they die, or neglect to instruct their Children ?

A. Yes, that so these Children may be Christianly brought up.

Q. But seeing that those Persons who promise fuch things, do seldom perform their undertaken Work and Office, are there any weighty Reasons why the Church does still continue it?

A

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