The true interest of families, or, Directions how parents may be happy in their children, and children in their parents to which is annexed a discourse about the right way of improving our time / by a divine of the Church of England ; with a preface by A. 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 particu∣larly of those, who are appointed of

God, to bless the People. It is true, the great abuses which have been com∣mitted in the performance of this an∣cient Ceremony, have made many people to slight and neglect it; but if Confirmation were performed with that care and seriousness, which ought to be used on such an occasion, it is a custom which might be of marvellous benefit in the Church; both to stir up Parents to instruct their Children, and Ministers to Catechise them, and ac∣quaint them with those things that are needful for them to know, to believe, and to do. The careful and Religi∣ous use of it, would tye 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 powerful sense of the Obligations of Christia∣nity; and make them more careful to live up to that holy Religion, where∣of they made so publick a profession: It would make them more afraid to do bad things, against which they had protested so solemnly. And not only fear, but shame in this case, would re∣strain 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 ha∣zard of being Covenant-breakers, and perjured persons? Shall we commit such Villanies, and practice such Abo∣minations, and thereby break our so∣lemn Vow and Engagement? Shall we by our folly and impiety 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 Salvation, and prove Deserters, who have so lately vowed to renounce the Devil and all his Works? What a mighty defence would this be to your Children, when assaulted by the fiery Darts of the Devil, the Va∣nities of the World, and the lusts of their own deceitful hearts; to consi∣der, that by their own actual Consent, they have renounced all these, and gi∣ven 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 per∣form it, to keep his righteous Judg∣ments. These things being impar∣tially considered, should mightily ex∣cite Parents to see that their Children do openly and solemnly profess their Faith in Christ crucified; their reso∣lution 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 Servants unto their lives end. Is not this your Glory, that your Chil∣dren are Christians? and do you think it a shame or dishonour for you or them, if they make a solemn professi∣on of their Christianity; that they a∣vow their Religion, and will by Gods 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 with that it might be re∣stored, as a thing of great use to∣wards the reviving the true Spirit of Christianity.