2. The World with | A. Yes. 1 John ii. 14. its Pomps and Va. Love not the World,

nities?

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nor the things of the World.

A. Yes. I Pet. ii. 11. Dearly Beloved, I beseech you, as Strangers and Pilgrims, abstain

3. The Flesh with its from fleshly Lufts, which Sinful Lufts?

war against the Soul. Rom.xiii. 14. And make not Provision for the | Flesh to fulfil the Lufts thereof.

Q. The second thing you promised was, to believe all the Articles of the Christian Faith. And is this required of you?

A. Yes. Mark xvi. 16. He that believeth and is baptized, shall be faved; but he that believeth not, shall be damned. 2 Tim. i. 13. Hold fast the Form of found Words, which thou hast heard of me in Faith and Love, which is in Christ Jesus.

Q. Lastly you say, that you promised to keep God's holy Will and Commandments, and to walk in the fame (i. e. continue in Obedience to them) all the Days of your Life. And is this required of you ?

A. Yes. Rom. xii. 2. That ye may prove what is that good and acceptable, and perfect Will of God. Ephef. ii. 10. For we are his Workmanship, created in Christ Jesus un

to

to good Works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

Q. Now seeing that God commands you all these said Duties, is not this a fufficient Reason, why we should observe and practise them?

A. Yes. Lev. xix. 37. Ye shall observe my Statutes and do them, I am the Lord.

Q. We see then, that our faid Baptismal Du- 21 Obligaties are necessary to be observed, in regard to the sion. Will of God. Are they also necessary in respect to our own Interest ?

A. Yes. The things to be renounced are such as naturally would make us miferable; and Faith and Obedience are as natural to our Happiness.

Q. Do's not Nature then oblige us to do all these said Duties, in order to our Happiness?

A. Yes. For all Men naturally do desire their own Welfare. Pf. iv. 6. There be many that say, Who will shew us any Good?

Q. What is that Good of Man, wherein his Welfare does consist ? Is it any worldly

Creature ?

A. No. For all is Vanity, and Vexation of Spirit. Eccl. i. 14.

Q. But to instance in some Particulars, do's it not consist,

1. In Worldly Ri- not in the Abundance

ches?

A. No. Luke xii. 15. | A Man's Life consisteth

of the things that he possesseth.

A. No. Gal. v. 26.

2. In Applause and Let us not be desirous Honour ?

A. No. Eccl. ii. 2. I

3. In Sports and said of Laughter, it is

¿of vain Glory.

Pleasures ?

mad, and of Mirth, what doth it?

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A. No. For what is a

4. In all these to-Man profited, if he

gether?

gain the whole World, and lose his own Soul? Mat. xvi. 26.

Q. What then is the Felicity, or true Happiness of Man? Is it the Enjoyment of God's Favour ?

A. Yes. For in his Favour is Life. Pf. xxx. 5. And Pf. lxiii. 3. His loving Kindness is better than Life itself.

Q. And must Faith and Obedience fit us for this Happiness?

A. Yes. For without Faith it is impoffi ble to please God, or come unto him. Heb. xi. 6. And without Obedience or good Works, Faith is dead and unprofitable. Jam. ii. 20.

Q. Thus upon two Accounts you are obliged, you see, to your faid Baptismal Duties. They are 3d Obligacommanded of God, and are necessary in their tion. own Nature. But farther, Did you not also promise them in your Baptifm?

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A. Yes. For the Promises thereof were then made in my Name.

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Q. By whom did you promise them?

A. Primarily and principally, by my Parents (or Proparents.) And Secondly, but more exprefly by Persons appointed by them, called God-Fathers, and God-Mothers, and fometimes Proparents, who in covenanting for me, were both their Deputies, and their Assistants.

Q. What did they do for you, or undertake in these Capacities?

A. As my Parents Deputies, they promised in my Name, i. e. I by them promised my Covenant-Part and Duty. And in the other Capacity, namely as they were Affistants, they undertook by their Place and Office to fee me Christianly brought up...

2.

Q. You suppose that Parents, and other Domestick Owners, may Covenant with God for those that belong unto them. Can you prove this from Scripture?

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A. Yes. Gen.xvii. 9-12. And God faid unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my Covenant therefore, thou and thy Seed after thee, in their Generations. This is my Covenant which ye shall keep between me and you, and thySeed after thee: Every Male-Child among

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among you shall be circumcised. And ye shall circumcise the Flesh of your Foreskin, and it shall be a Token of the Covenant between me and you. And he that is eight Days old, shall be circumcised among you, every Man - Child in your Generations, he that is born in the House, or bought with Money of any Stranger which is not of thy Seed.

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Q. It is plain from this and other Places of Holy Scripture, that Parents may covenant both for themselves, and theirs. But in covenanting for theirs, can they substitute some other Persons, to represent them as their Deputies, and speak and promise what they do?

A. Yes. In fome Cases a Parent cannot covenant for his Child in publick Baptifm, but by deputing some other to represent him in that Affair. As when the Parent is fick, or imprisoned, c. And none can deny the Validity of such an Act. And as in Covenants or Contracts, it is a common allowed Practice, so it's no way contrary to natural Reason or Justice, for one to personate another, and act for him by his Consent.

Q. But when Children are baptized, and others act in their Parents Stead, Is this done by the Consent of their Parents?

A. Yes. For they themselves are required to beChoosers of these Sponsors, and to give notice to their Ministers before-hand; by which it appeareth, that their Consent is presupposed.

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Q. You