who has distinguished and replenished me with his bounties. O immense riches of thy love! thus unworthy as I am, thou callest me to thy table to commune with thee. I was naked, and thou hast clothed me with the garments of salvation. Thou hast justified, thou hast cleansed me by my Redeemer's blood. Thou hast sanctified me by thy Holy Spirit. O ineffable grace! O celestial clemency. What shall I render to thee, my God, my gracious God? what offering dost thou require? It is only my heart. Receive it then, O Father of Mercies, and make it an acceptable offering to thee, by filling it with love towards thee, and towards my neighbour; and with abhorrence of sin, which cost so precious a sacrifice as the death of thy Son. I pray thee, O my God, with all the fervour of which I am capable, to receive the offering I make to thee of myself. It is thy grace alone which can render it acceptable. By complying with thine ordinance may my heart be improved. May it sympathize with its divine Saviour in all the griefs and pains he suffered, when he gave up himself to death for me. May it be filled with compunction and penitence, and hold in abhorrence those sins which my Redeemer expiated by shedding his precious blood. May thy grace, which thou dost bestow in the holy communion, animate and fortify me in combating my sinful passions. O my Saviour! let thy name inspire me with vigour, and the remembrance of thy death with consolation. Let thy law, which thou hast given me, be a greater treasure to me than silver or gold. Direct my pursuits; console me in my sorrows; support me in my weakness; and so occupy my heart, that there may be no room for dangerous objects to enter. Let me become as a sacred temple, fit for thy service. If sometimes the torrent of my depraved inclinations carries me away, check and retain me, O thou Spirit of strength and virtue, and hinder me from returning to my sins. Enlighten my mind, and sanctify my heart, O Divine Spirit, that employing as I ought, the gifts thou dost bestow, I may be prepared to be called up higher, even to the marriage Supper of the Lamb. Hear my prayers, O Heavenly Father, through the mediation of my Redeemer Jesus Christ, to whom with Thee and the Holy Spirit, be praise and glory in Heaven and on Earth for ever and ever. Amen. Communicants; you are now about to return into the world, amidst the snares of the wicked one; he will still aim many a blow at your integrity and peace. You have need to take upon you the whole armour of God. Be sober, be vigilant, for the end of all things is at hand. Being found faithful unto the grace given, you shall be supported by the Almighty arm, and come forth conquerors through him who hath loved us. Communicants; you are going to return into the world. Is it not high time to think of your departure out of it? You are conversant with the living; you must think of speedily mingling with the dead. You must be looking forward to those mortal agonies which are preparing; to that bed of languishing which is already spread; to that funeral procession which is marshalling for us. But, supported by the peace of God, we shall contemplate these scenes without fear, and enter upon them without dread. Through that gloomy night which is fast ap proaching, and which is already covering our eyes with its awful shade, we shall behold the rays of the sun of righteousness, and their divine light shall dissipate to us all the horrors of the valley of the shadow of death. "Thanks be to God which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." Amen. CHAPTER XIV. Confirmation. As baptism, in the case of infants, is not their voluntary act, it is very suitable that they should, when they arrive to years of discretion, confirm what has been done, and express their agreement to the stipulations entered into in their behalf by their sponsors. If, therefore, confirmation had no higher design and origin than what may be found in the expediency of an act, which, as it were, renews the baptismal vows, and binds the subjects of it in their own persons to the fulfilment of them, this, of itself, would be sufficient to demonstrate its fitness and utility. But, besides this natural tendency of its operation, it possesses the advantage of an instituted means of grace. We read in the Acts,* that Philip the deacon had been the instrument of converting and baptising the people of Samaria: upon hearing of this, the Apostles sent down to them Peter and John, two of their own body; who, by prayer, accompanied by the imposition of hands, obtained for them a greater degree, than they had received, of the influence of the Holy Ghost. From this, and other like instances of the practice of the Apostles, is derived, what Bishops, their successors, have practised ever since, and which we now call confirmation. Preaching was common to all ranks of ministers: baptising was usually performed by the lowest rank; but, perhaps, to maintain a due subordination, it was reserved to the highest, by prayer and imposition of hands, to communicate further measures of the Holy Ghost. It was indeed peculiar to the Apostles, that on their intercession, extraordinary and miraculous gifts *Acts viii. persons them were bestowed; which continued in the Church no longer than the need of them did: But unquestionably, by their petitions they procured for every sincere convert, a much more valuable, though much less remarkable blessing, of universal and perpetual necessity, viz. the ordinary and saving graces of the Holy Spirit. "For these, therefore," says Archbishop Secker, "after their example trusting that God will have regard, not to our unworthiness, but to the purposes of mercy which he hath appointed us to serve, we intercede now, when take upon selves the vow of their baptism." The offices used in confirmation proceed upon the supposition, that the persons offering themselves for the rite, have true repentance and faith, and that they are steadfastly resolved to live new lives; that, "being now come to the years of discretion, and having learned what their Godfathers and Godmothers promised for them in baptism, they do, themselves, with their own mouth and consent, openly before the Church, ratify and confirm the same; and also promise, that, by the grace of God, they will evermore endeavour, themselves, faithfully to ob serve such things as they themselves have assented Having then solemnly made these promises before God and his church, the Bishop puts his hands on them, and prays that they may receive greater increase in the Holy Spirit, until they come to God's everlasting kingdom. unto."* wrong. However It is true that many abuse this ordinance, and derive no benefit, but rather condemnation, from its observance. But still this does not prove it to be this, and every other good thing, may be abused, no good argument can be drawn from that consideration against its right performance. It must appear proper and useful that when persons have been duly instructed by the care of their parents, friends, and ministers, they should, fully performed that kindest duty. It must be proper with joyful gratitude, acknowledge them to have faithand useful, that, before they are admitted to the holy * Preface to the order of confirmation. The communion, they should give public assurance of their Christian belief and Christian purposes. This must be also extremely useful to themselves. For, young persons are just entering upon a world full of temptations, with no experience, and little knowledge to guard them, and much youthful rashness to expose them. authority of others over them is beginning to lessen; their own passions to increase, and evil communications to have greater opportunities of corrupting good manners. What can be more necessary then, or more likely to preserve them from falling than to form the most deliberate resolutions of acting right; and to declare them in a manner, thus adapted to affect them at the time, and be remembered by them afterwards; in the presence of God, of a number of his ministers, and of a large congregation of his people, assembled with more than ordinary solemnity for that very purpose." *. "There is no question to be made of it," says Bishop Wilson, "but that most of that ignorance, impiety, profaneness, want of charity, of union, and order, which we complain of, is owing to the neglect or abuse of this one ordinance; which being appointed by the Apostles, and practised even when baptism was administered to people of full age,t it is no wonder that God punishes the contempt of it, by withholding his Holy Spirit, and those graces which are necessary, and would certainly accompany the religious use of it. "If this were well considered, and pastors would resolve to discharge their duty in this particular faithfully, we should soon see another face of religion; Christians would be obliged to study their religion, and to think it something more than the work of the lips, and of the memory, or the mere custom of the place where they live. And being made sensible of their danger, (being liable to sin, to death, and to damnation,) this would make them serious, and thoughtful, and inquisitive, after the |