Now the Ufe and Improvement we are to make of our particular Names, may be learn'd from the various Ends why they were given to us. For there is no Man but has fome Reafon or other to determine his Choice of the Name of his Child, why he pitches upon one particular Name rather then another. And they may be reduc'd to these two Heads.

1. Sometimes there may be a refpect to the Signification of the Name, and this may be twofold, either as to fome Providence or Event, or fome Grace or Virtue fig. nified by the Word of which the Name is compofed. And this was very frequent among the Hebrews, as alfo with the Greeks and Romans, and our Saxen Ancestors. Now if our Names were given us upon the account of fome Providence or Event, we ought to make this use of it, that whenever we hear or think of our Name, it fhould bring to our remembrance that merciful Providence which was the occafion of it, and affect our Hearts with Thankfulness for it; otherwife our Ingratitude will be inexcufable, when we have fuch frequent Occafions to remind us of it. And if we had our Names for the fake of fome Grace or Virtue fignified by them, it concerns every one of us to take care that he be Vir fui Nominis, and that the general Courfe of his Life and Actions be anfwerable to it. Otherwife whenever Perfons call us by our Names, we oblige them to Mis call us, by afcribing to us thofe Virtues we are deftitute of. 'Tis faid of Nabal, 1 Sam. 25. 25. That as his Name is, fo is be; for Nabal is his Name, and Folly is with him. But how many are there who have good Names, yet have little or nothing of that Goodness to be feen in their Lives and Converfations. In which Cafe 'tis a tacite Reproach to us, and ought to affect us with Shame and Grief, whenfoever we are called by those Names which we take fo little care to deferve.

2. Sometimes thefe Names may be given in remembrance of other Perfons who were formerly called by them. And these may be either the Names of fome

B 4

Holy

Holy Men and Women in Scripture, or of fome of their Ancestors and Relations. And this has been of daily Ufe and Practice in all Times and Places. Now if we have the Names of fome eminent Saints in Scripture, this ought to ftir us up to the Imitation of the Virtues of thofe Perfons whofe Names we bear. Otherwife we fhall be a Difgrace to them, and if they were to come on Earth again, they would never acknowledge us for their Namefakes, who are fo unlike them in our Lives and Converfations. And therefore whenever we hear our own Names, we should reflect on the Holy Lives of those whose Names we bear, and endeavour as much as in us lies to conform our felves to their Pattern, and follow their Example, that fo they may not he ashamed to own us for their Brethren, and Heirs of the fame Inheritance above. And if we be called after the Name of any of our Ancestors, we ought to take care not to degenerate from their Virtues, that fo they may receive, as it were a New Being in their Pofterity, and their Memories may be perpetuated and continued from one Generation to another, and at length we may all partake of the fame Felicity which they now enjoy.

LECTURE II.

Queft. Who gave you this Mame?

Anfw. My Godfathers and Godmothers in my Baptifm, wherein I was made a Member of Chrift, the Child of God, and an Inheritor of the Kingdom of Heaven.

OR the better Explication of this, Four things F will be neceffary to be treated of. And therefore I fhall reduce what I have to fay upon it to the following Heads.

1. Of the Ufe and Name of Godfathers and Godmo

thers.

2. Of the Right of Nomination of the Child.

3. Of the Time when this Name is given, and,

4. Of the Jeveral Priviledges which the Child is then invefted with.

(1.) We fhall enquire into the Original Use and Name of Godfathers and Godmothers. And I find this to have been an ancient Cuftom in the Church of God, both among Jews and Chriftians. For when any of the Fewish Children were to be taken into Covenant, and admitted into the Church by Circumcifion, (as now by Bap tifm) one of thofe who fupplied the place of Witnesses held the Child in his arms while it was Circumcifed. And we read that fome of the Neighbours and Coufins of Elizabeth, when they came to be prefent at the Circumcifing of her Child, Luke 1. 59. they would have given him a Name, and called him Zacharias; tho' that Name did not ftand, of which more by and by. Now as to Chriftians, it was the use of the Primititive Church, when moft of thofe that were Baptiz'd were adult or grown Perfons newly converted from Heathe nifm, and fome of them only pretended to be Converted, and to defire to be Baptiz'd, and afterwards, through Malice or Intereft Revolted and Apoftatiz'd to their former Superftition and Idolatry, to the Scandal and Reproach of the Chriftian Religion; I fay it was the use of the Church then to require Sureties for the Perfons Baptiz'd, who were as it were Bound with them for their good Behaviour, and for their Steadfastnefs in the Chriftian Faith and Profeffion.

And this has ftill been thought neceffary to be continued in the Church at the Baptizing of Infants, and that upon a ftronger account. Since there muft needs be fome Chriftian Friends to bring them to Baptifm, and to Answer and Undertake in their ftead, who by reason of their tender Age, can neither Anfwer nor Engage for themfelves. But fome may fay, what need is there for

'em

'em to be Baptiz'd till they can answer for themselves, and fo will need no Sureties to promife for them? Í anfwer, There will be occafion to explain this more fully hereafter: But in the mean time we ought to remember what has been juft now faid, That if they were at Age to Promise for themfelves, yet ftill it would be neceffary to have Sureties, for the greater Security of their Performance of it. But here it may be again objected, That this Duty more properly belongs to the Pa rents to engage for their own Children, than to others who have not the fame Opportunities or Concern to perform this Obligation. I anfwer, The Parents are not hereby excluded, being obliged already, both by the Laws of God and Nature, to teach their Children those Chriftian Duties to which they are bound in Baptism: But 'tis alfo to be confider'd, that Parents may be feduc'd themfelves, and fo miflead their Children into Errors, or they may be ignorant or negligent in performing their Duty, or they may die before their Chil dren come to Years of Understanding: In all which Cafes, 'tis neceffary that others fhould be joyned with them, to fee to the Performance of fo great a Duty. And as to the name of Godfathers and Godmothers, it cannot be thought improper or infignificant, if we confider, that 'tis their Office and Duty to offer up unto God the Perfons Baptiz'd, and devote them to his Service; to profefs unto God Faith, and Repentance, and Obedience in their Names; and to become bound to God for their Performance of it when they come to Years: And if we alfo confider the Benefit they receive by Baptifm, which is therein to be made the Children of God, of which by and by.

Now for the ufe of this, it may either have respect to the Parents, or the Sureties, or the Children.

1. As to the Parents, it concerns them to be careful in the choice of Sureties for their Children, that they be fuch as understand their Duty, and are likely to be Confcientious in the Performance of it. And therefore thofe,

who

who by their want of Education or Experience, are ignorant of their own Duty (as moft young People generally are) are very unfit to undertake, or anfwer for the InftruЄtion of others. And efpecially thofe who are Loofe and Viscious in their Lives and Practices, and make it evidently appear they take little or no Care of their own Souls, are by no means to be intrufted with the Conduct of the Lives and Souls of Others.

2. As to the Sureties, it concerns them seriously to confider what they undertake, and that 'tis not a thing of course, or a Neighbourly Kindness, only to comply with Custom and the Orders of the Church; but that tis a ferious Matter, of which they muft one day give an account. And especially they ought to examine themselves, whether they have duly perform'd the Vows which were made for them in their Baptifm; otherwife 'tis but a mocking of God, to pretend to ingage for the Performance of another's Duty, when they have been fo careless of their own. And,

3. As to the Children, it concerns them to be very diligent, both in learning their Duty, and Practifing of it, remembring what a Solemn Vow and Promife has been made for them; otherwise they do the greatest Injury imaginable to their beft Friends, in doing what in them lies to make them forfeit thofe Obligations they entred into on their behalf. Befides, that whatever Priviledges they might have receiv'd from their Baptifm, will fig nifie nothing to them, unless they take care to perform the Conditions, and make good the Promifes that were then made for them. And thus much for the firft Enquiry, of the reft more briefly.

(2.) We fhall enquire into the right of Naming the Child, and to whom it belongs. Now the Queftion here being [Who gave you this Name?] we are taught to anfwer, [My Godfathers and Godmothers,] or one of them. Whereas indeed the Right of Nomination does properly belong to the Parents, and efpecially to the Father of the Child. An Inftance of this we have in the forecited

place,