A new family-book, or, The true interest of families being directions to parents and children, and to those who are instead of parents : shewing them their several duties, and how they may be happy in one another : together with several prayers for families and children, and graces before and after meat : to which is annexed a discourse about the right way of improving our time / by James Kirkwood ... ; with a preface, by Dr. Horneck.

7. Duty, to make them understand their Baptismal Covenant.

Seventhly, Do all that you can to make them understand their Baptismal Covenant; and if there be opportuni∣ty to own and renew it publickly and solemnly, fail not to encourage their doing it. It's of great Importance for them, to make a Solemn Profession of their Faith, and to declare their Re∣solution of performing their Baptismal Promise: It is of great advantage to them, at such an occasion, to have

the Prayers of the Church, and par∣ticularly of those, who are appointed of God, to bless the People. It is true, the great abuses which have been committed in the performance of this Ancient Ceremony, have made many People to slight and neglect it; but 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Confirmation were performed with that care and seriousness, which ought to be used on such an occasion, it is a Cu∣stom which might be of marvellous be∣nefit in the Church; both to stir up Parents to instruct their Children, and Ministers to Chatechise them, and ac∣quaint them with those things that are needful for them to know, to believe, and to do. The careful and Religious use of it, would tie Children more strictly to mind the great concerns of their Souls; it would afford them oc∣casion to consider what it is to have been Baptised, and to be a Christian: It would work in them a more Power∣ful Sense of the Obligations of Christi∣anity; and make them more careful to live up to that Holy Religion, whereof they made so publick a Profession: It would make them more afraid to do bad things, against which they had pro∣tested so solemnly. And not only fear,

but shame in this case, would restrain them from doing wickedly. This would be to young People a great de∣fence against Temptations: Bad Men would not so boldly ask them to sin, if they knew they had openly and So∣lemnly disowned and renounced them, and all their wicked Courses; and if they were tempted, they would be more apt to say in their own minds, Shall we do such wicked things, and run the hazard of being Covenant-breakers, and Perjured Persons? Shall we commit such Villanies, and pra∣ctice such Abominations, and thereby break our Solemn Vow and Engage∣ment? Shall we by our Folly and Im∣piety give occasion of Offence and Scandal to the Church of Christ, which he hath purchased with his Blood? Shall we renounce the Captain of our Salva∣tion, and prove Deserters, who have so lately vowed to renounce the Devil and all his Works? What a mighty de∣fence would this be to your Children, when Assaulted by the fiery Darts of the Devil, the Vanities of the World▪ and the Lusts of their own Deceitful Hearts? to consider, that by their own actual Consent, they have renounced all

these, and given up themselves into the Hands of God, to be kept by his Mighty Power, through Faith unto Salvation; They have Vowed, and they ought to perform it, to keep his Righteous Judgments.

These things being impartially con∣sidered, should mightily excite Parents to see that their Children do openly and Solemnly pro••ess their Faith in Christ Crucified; their Resolution to Obey him, to Serve him, and Love him, to fight under his Banner, against Sin, the Devil, and the World, and to continue his Faithful Souldiers and Ser∣vants unto their lives end. Is not this your Glory, that your Children are Christians? And do you think it a Shame or Dishonour for you or them, if they make a Solemn Profession of their Christianity; that they avo•• their Religion, and will by God's help make good the Promise which was made in their Name in Baptism? Of so great Importance is this Custom, that the greatest Men amongst the Re∣formers did highly commend it, and did earnestly wish that it might be re∣stored as a thing of great use to∣wards

the reviving the true Spirit of Christianity.