ftoms of the world, the vitious Fashions, and the corrupt Practises that prevail in it.

IN the Primitive times, by the word Pomps, were particularly meant certain Heathen Shows and Proceffions, which, having relation to the Falfe Deities of the Pagans, were of an idolatrous nature; and moreover, being frequently attended with Lewd Ceremonies, had a direct tendency to debauch mens manners. By the fame word now, are to be understood all Methods of Ambition and Grandeur, inconsistent with Integrity and Virtue; and all fuch Sorts of Diverfions and Entertainments, as plainly tend to corrupt good Manners.

THE Vanities of the world, are, Riches unjustly gotten, or vainly and profufely fquandered away in riotous living, or purfued with infatiable Covetousness, ITim. vi. which leads men into temptation and a fnare, and into many foolish and hurtful Lufts, which drown men in deftruction and perdition.

9.

3. WE are to renounce All the Sinful Lufts of the Flesh. And these are better barely named than explained. The works Gal. v. 19. of the Flesh are manifeft, which are thefe; Adultery, Fornication, Uncleanness, Laf

and fuch like: Of the

1

civiousness,
which I tell you before, as I have also told
you in time paft, that they which do fuch
things, fhall not inherit the Kingdom of
God.

II. The Truths to be believed, are, The Articles of the Chriftian Faith. These are contained in the Creed vulgarly called The Apoftles Creed: Which shall be explained in its proper place.

III. THE Good to be practifed, is, that we keep God's holy Will and Commandments, and walk in the fame all the days of our Lives. And these Commandments shall likewise be explained in their proper place.

Qu.

Qu. Dolt thou not think that thou art bound to believe and to do as thep have promised for thee ?

Anfw. Des verily; and by God's help so I will. And I heartily thank our heavenly Father that he hath called me to this fate of Salvation, through Jesus Chzilt our Saviour. And I pay unto God to give me his Gzace, that I may continue in the fame unto my lifes end.

THE Ground and Reafon of the Obligation which the baptized perfon here acknowledges incumbent upon him, to perform and make good what Others had promised for him; is ufually fuppofed to be This, that the Promife was made in His Name, and that therefore he himself is bound to perform it, But this is by no means a Satisfactory account of the matter. For no perfon has a Right to promise any thing for Another, without his own Confent; And no man is obliged to make good any fuch Promife, if there lies upon him no other Obligation, but what arises merely

merely from fuch a Promise made for him without his Knowledge and Confent. Nor is it fufficient to fay, that the perfon is therefore under obligation, because the things promised are for his Own Advantage. For every perfon, when he comes to be in a capacity of Acting, has a Right to judge What is for his Own Advantage. And 'tis not what Another may think, but what he himself is convinced to be for his own Advantage, that must finally determine him to chufe and act. To the Question therefore here put, how comes every baptized perfon to be " Bound to be"lieve and to do" as Others have promised for him? the true Anfwer, I think, is contained in the Two following Obfervations.

1. THAT every baptized person, who, when he comes to years of understanding, is fatisfied of the Truth of the Gospel of Christ, and proceeds regularly in his Duty; does at Confirmation voluntarily take upon Himself the Promife, which had by Others been made for him at his Baptifm: And

Then

Then, it being a Promise ratified by his own Free Choice, he is clearly under obligation to perform it. Wherefore, indeed, the Promise made by Sureties, is not properly a Promise of what the person Shall Do; but only a Promise of what he shall be Inftructed and called upon to Do, and to take upon himself that he Will do at the time of his Confirmation. Or if he never be confirmed at all, yet, if he profeffes himself a Chriftian, he does, by that Profeffion, take upon himself all the Obligations incumbent upon a Chriftian; and confequently undertakes to perform all that was promised for him at his being admitted by Baptifin into That Profeffion. Indeed, if a Perfon at years of discretion renounces his Baptism, and declares himself to be no Christian, and disclaims and rejects all Hope in the Gofpel; In This Cafe, as the Sureties have No other obligation remaining upon Them, but only to exhort and prefs him to examine seriously and carefully the Grounds and Evidences of the Doctrine of Chrift; fo neither has He properly Any obligation upon Him, mere