but the Anfwer and Premife is wholly made in the Child's Name, tho' not with his own Mouth, yet by Proxies or Sureties, who anfwer in his ftead, by way of Subftitution, and take upon them an Obligation for the Infant, which by confequence he is engag'd in, and when he comes to know and understand, must refolve bimfelf to be bound to it, or elfe difclaim all part in the benefit of it.

Only hereit must be obferv'd, that as to Adult Perfons, fuch as are of full Age and Understanding, thefe Qualifications are pre-requir'd in them before they can be admitted to Baptifm: But as to Infants, who cannot yet believe and repent themselves, but all they do is by Proxy; they are only requir'd in the future. For tho' the Anfwers made by the Sureties in the Office of Baptifm be in the Prefent Tenfe, as [Doft thou in the Name of this Child renounce the Devil and all his Works, &c.] The Anfwer is [I renounce them all] and a gain [Doft thou believe in God the Father Almighty, &c.]the Anfwer is [All this I ftedfaftly believe yer it must be remembred that these are only made in the Child's Name and Stead, and what he must be fuppos'd to fay, and would be oblig'd to fay, if he was of Age to speak for himfelf.

But fill it may be objected (as I hinted formerly in my Second Ledure on this Catechifm) what need is there for Infants to be Baptiz'd, and why may it not be defer'd till they be of Age, and able to Anfwer for themfelves, and will need no body elfe to fpeak for them?

To which I now Anfwer (1.) That fince Baptifm, (as I have faid) is appointed by Chrift as an Initiating Ordinance inftead of Circumcifion, there is no Reafon can be affign'd, why they may not both be perform'd at the fame Age, and why Children may not have a Right to the one as well as the other. Now 'tis evident and undeniable, that among the Jews their Children were Circumciz'd on the eighth Day, and that according to God's own Command and Appointment; and

it would feem very hard that Chriftian Children thould not have the fame priviledge of being admitted into the Church, as thofe among the Jews. (2.) That the Children of believing Parents are within the Covenant of Grace, as well as themfelves (according to that of St. Peter, Acts 2.39. For the Promife is to you, and to your Children) and if they have a Right to the thing it felf, why not to the Sign of it? And (3.) That fince many whole Families were Baptiz'd by the Apostles, there is no doubt but there were fome Children among them Or at leaft that when the Parents were Baptiz'd, and had for fome time manifefted the Sincerity and Stedfaftnefs of their Profeffion by a Holy Life, their Children alfo were admitted to the fame Priviledge, to receive the Sign of the Covenant as well as they.

Now for the Use of this,

1. Let us confider, that 'tis our Choice, whether we will stand to our Vow made in Baptifm or no. That is, whether we will acknowledge that to be our Senfe which our Sureties undertook for us at our Baptifm; which if we do, then we take that Obligation upon our felves, and are Perjur'd ever after, whenfoever we fail in the Performance of any part of it: Or whether we will difclaim it, which if we do, we at the fame time Renounce all our Right and Intereft in Chrift and his Grace, and fo are left in a miferable impotent Conditi on, unable to refift the leaft Temptation, and ready to be carried headlong into all Wickedness here, and into the Gulph of Eternal Perdition hereafter. And therefore we ought to acknowledge it as a great Act of Charity in thofe, who by being Sureties for us, did procure us fo early an Intereft in this precious Mercy, and which we ought to take Care that by our Breach of the Covenant we do not lofe the Benefit of it.

"

2. Let us examine our felves, whether we find in our own Souls thofe Qualifications that are neceffarily re

quir'd

quir'd for our reaping the Benefit of this Sacrament; and whether we be fenfible of this Death unto Sin, and new Birth unto Righteoufnefs: And let us labour after thofe Inward and Spiritual Graces represented and exhibited to us in Baptifm. For as the Apostle tells us on this very occafion, Rom. 6. 4. We are therefore Buried with Chrift into his Death, that like as he was raifed up from the Dead by the Glory of the Father, even fo we alfo fhould walk in Newness of Life.

LECT

LECTURE XXX.

Queft. Why was the Sacrament of the Low's Supper Dedained ?

Anfw. For the continual Remembrance of the Sacrifice of the Death of Chrift, and of the Benefits we receive thereby.

Queft. What is the Dutward Part o2 Sign of the Lord's Supper 2

Anfw. Bread and Wine, which the Low hath commanded to be received.

Queft. What is the inward part, o2 thing fig nified?

Anfw. The Body and Blood of Chrift, which are verily and indeed taken and received by the Faithful in the Low's Supper.

Queft. What are the Benefits whereof we are partakers thereby ?

Anfw. The Strengthning and Refreshing of our Souls by the Body and Blood of Chrift, as our Bodies are by the Broad and Wine.

Queft. What is requir'd of those who come to the Low's Supper ?

Anfw. To examine themselves, whether they repent them truly of their former Sins, sted. faйtly purposing to lead a new Life; have a lively Faith in God's Mercy through Chrift, with a thankful Remembrance of his Death, and be in Charity with all Pen.

W

E are now come to confider the other Sacra ment of the Lord's Supper: And what is here faid concerning it, may be reduc'd to thefe Four Heads.

1. The End of its Inftitution.

2. The Effential Parts of it.

3. The Benefits exhibited by it. And,

4. The Qualifications of thofe that are to receive it.

I. We are to confider the End of its Inftitution, or why the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper was Ordained? And tho' perhaps fome may wonder why this Questi on was not alfo demanded with refpect to Baptifm, yet there feems not to be the fame neceflity for it. For if we confider that it came in the place of Circumcifion, and like that is Adminiftred but once, and that moft commonly in the time of Infancy; it will plainly appear to be an Initiating Sacrament, whereby Perfons enter into Covenant with God, and are admitted as vifible Members of the Church of Chrift. But as for this Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, tho' it alfo came inftead of the Paffover, and accordingly Chrift is cal led our Paflover, in 1 Cor. 5. 7. And the Lamb of God that taketh away the Sins of the World, John I. 29. in Allufion to the Pafchal Lamb, which was an eminent Type of him; yet this Sacrament being to be often Adminiftred [as the Pafchal Lamb alfo was Slain every Year) there feems a greater neceffity of affigning a Reafon of it. And this was alfo requir'd, with refpe&t to the Pafchal Lamb (the Type of him) and the manner of Adminiftring and Receiving that Sacrament, as appears, Exod. 12. 26, 27. And it shall come to pafs, when your Children fhall fay unto you, What mean you by this Service? That ye shall fay, It is the Lord's Paflower, who pass'd over the Houfes of the Children of Ifrael in Egypt, when be fmote the Egyptians, and delivered our Houfes. For tho' Chrift was Sacrificed but once for all, and by one Offering has perfeated for ever them that are San&ified, Heb. 10. 14.

Yer