seasonableness of visits on such days, set apart for retirement and religious exercises; one great duty is neglected, wherein we should be always employed at these times; namely, Charity;-Charity to men's souls: a duty as necessary and acceptable to God in our houses, as our prayers and religious worships are in the Church. If then parents and Masters of fa milies would take that care, which in conscience they are bound, to sow the seeds of religion in due sea. son, in the minds of their children and servants; if on these holy days they would constantly call their families together to instruct them in the meaning of such days, to enquire of them what was taught from the pulpit, &c. we should soon see a vast alteration for the better; that shameful ignorance which is now so justly to be complained of, would be chased away, and we might hope to see Religion take root and fou rish amongst us. And if all unlearned persons would every year, at the return of the great Feasts and Fasts, endeavour to learn what is here provided for them, they would not only become better acquainted with these days, but would be let into the knowledge of the mysteries of our most Holy Religion, absolutely necessary for every Christian to understand.

And as I have all along explained under every chapter such words as I thought were not generally known, so I have added in the end, the meaning of several other terms used in the Holy Scriptures, and in Sermons, that common people might not be at a loss when they meet with these expressions; for cer tain it is, there are many who are very constant at Church, and can read a chapter in the Bible, or other good books very well, who yet understand not the meaning of several words and phrases they hear in the Prayers and in Preaching; for these words being derived from learned languages, how should country people understand them, who cannot be supposed to

have had a learned education, or to have the oppor tunity of books to inform themselves of what is ne cessary for them to know? Therefore, I hope, it may be of great use and advantage to them, to have such words ready explained to their hands. And it will be the greatest pleasure and satisfaction to me, if what I have done shall tend to the glory of God, to the instruction of the ignorant, to the edifying of the Church of Christ, and to the making of many souls wise unto Salvation.

NOTE. After the following Explanation is well understood, I recommend it to those who can read well and are able to purchase them, that they would furnish themselves with The Whole Duty of Mau, and Mr. NELSON'S Book on the Festivals and Fasts of the Church of England, and BARMANTINE'S Alphabetical Key to the Almanack, being an explanation of the Fasts, Festivals, and Saint's Days, &c. &c.

SECTION I.

Of the Two Covenants,

Question. WHAT do you mean by a Covenant?
Answer. An agreement between two parties.
Q. How many Covenants are there?

A. Two: The Covenant of Works, and the Covenant of Grace.

Q. What was the Covenant of Works?

A. The first Covenant which God made with Adam in Paradise before the Fall, which is called the Covenant of Works, as it required a perfect unsinning obedience; promising life and happiness on that condition, and threatening disobedience with death.

Q. How did Adam break this first Covenant? A. By eating the forbidden fruit of which God commanded him not to eat on pain of death; and so he and all his offspring became corrupted in their nature, and prone to sin.

Q. What is the second Covenant or the Cove nant of Grace?

A. That Covenant of Mercy which God made with Adam in Christ Jesus, immediately after the Fall.

Q. What did God promise in this second Covenant?

A. To send his eternal and only begotten Son in our nature.

Q. What to do for us?

A. To reveal to us the knowledge of our duty, to give us new strength to perform it, and to redeem us from that eternal death and punishment we had deserved.

Q. How did Christ effect this?

A. He came into the world, and preached the Gospel of his Father, in our nature, he paid a perfect obedience to the will of God, he suffered and died in our stead, aud for our sins; by which he obtained for us the pardon of them, grace to do our duty, and eternal happiness in heaven.

Q. Did Christ by dying for us obtain only the pardon of Adam's sin?

A. Yes: He obtained pardon for all the sins of mankind, upon condition that they performed their parts of the new Covenant.

Q. What is man's part to perform in this new Covenant, or Covenant of Grace?

A. To believe in our Lord Jesus Christ, to hope for salvation by means of his sacrifice on the Cross, to avoid sin, and to live according to his Gospel..

Q. Wherein does this second Covenant differ from the first, as to the mildness and mercy of it?

A. Whereas a perfect and unsinning obedience was expected of our first parents, upon pain of death! we are only required to use our honest and hearty endeavours to serve God and keep his commandments.

Q. What if we fail in our obedience?

A. We have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous, who is the propitiation for our sins; and for his sake God will accept of our sincere repentance and constant care to do better for the time to come.

Q. What if we wilfully continue in sin, and the neglect of God's commandments?

A. We can obtain no benefit from Christ's suf

ferings, but must undergo eternal death and damnation.

SECT. II.

Of the manner of our admission into the new
Covenant, &c.

Q. WHAT do you mean by a rite?
A. A religious ordinance or ceremony.

Q. Has Christ appointed any solemn rite for admitting us into the New Covenant of Grace ? A. Yes: The Sacrament of Baptism.

Q. What is done in this Sacrament?

A. God Almighty therein applies to every par ticular person that Covenant He made with all mankind in Christ Jesus, and assures to us all the blessings of it; and we on our parts, promise to perform the conditions of this Covenant.

QWhat proof have we that infants ought to be admitted into Covenant with God by baptism?

A. Because they make a considerable part of all nations to whom baptism is enjoined; and they have been constantly baptised in all ages of the Christian Church.

Q. What are the terms of the baptismal Covenant?

A. On God's part we are made members of Christ, children of God, and inheritors of the kingdom of heaven: On our part we promise to renounce the Devil, the world, and the flesh, so as neither to follow nor be led by them. To believe all the Articles of the Christian Faith, and to keep Gods holy will and commandments, and to walk in the same all the days of our life.