manner of their redemption, and their means of salva tion: and their consciences being awakened and informed, sin would become more uneasy to them, and virtue more acceptable. In short, by this means, people would know their duty, the sacraments would be kept from being profaned, and pastors would be respected and obeyed, as being very truly the fathers of their flock.

"And certainly no greater injury can be done to religion, than to suffer young people to come to confirmation before they know the reason of this service, and have been well instructed in the principles and duties of Christianity. This being the very time of seasoning their minds with sound knowledge, of fortifying their wills with sober resolutions, and of engaging them to piety, before sin has got possession of their affections, this being also the time of qualifying them to receive benefit by all our future labours, and of arming them against apostacy, heresy, schism, and other vices, to which we are subject in this state of trial."

"In short, I do not know how a clergyman could spend one month better, than by leading people, as it were, by the hand, into the design of Christianity, by some such easy method as this following, which, if deliberately proposed to every single person in the hearing of all the rest, (who should be obliged to be every day present and familiarly explained, not the most ignorant (suppos ing he had learned, as he ought, the Church Catechism but would be able to give a reason of the hope that is in him; and his faith being thus built upon a solid and sure foundation would, by the grace of God now imparted to him, in a greater measure withstand all future trials and temptations."*

ADDRESS

To those who are to be Confirmed.

“Your parents took care (as the Jews did by their children) to consecrate you to God and Christ as soon as * See Bishop Wilson's parochialia for many questions suitable

to be asked of those who are to be confirmed.

you were born. And this they did by baptism (as Jesus Christ had commanded) by which holy ceremony you were dedicated to God, who made you; to Jesus Christ, who redeemed you; and to the Holy Ghost, who sanctifieth all God's chosen servants.

"Thus you were translated (or taken) out of the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom, protection and government of Jesus Christ.* And being thus received into Christ's Church, you became a child of God, and an heir of the kingdom of heaven.

"But then you are to consider, that before you were admitted to this favour, your sureties promised for you, that when you should come to age, you should in your own person, and with your own free consent, renounce the devil and all his works, the world and all its wicked customs, and the flesh with all its sinful lusts; that you should believe in God, that is, receive the gospel as a rule of faith, and obediently keep God's commandments.

"You are now therefore called upon to do this before God, who knows all the secrets of your hearts; before God's minister, who will charge you very solemnly to be sincere: and before the congregation, who will be witnesses against you if you shall break your vows."

Watch over your hearts therefore and let them go along with your lips. The two short words I do, are soon said, but remember how much is comprehended in them. Whoever uses them on this occasion, says in effect as follows: "I do heartily renounce all the temptations of the devil; all the unlawful pleasures, profits and honour of this world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. I do sincerely believe, and will constantly not be ashamed to confess before men, all the articles of the Christian faith. I do firmly resolve to keep all God's commandments, all the days of my life; to love and honour him, to pray to him, and praise him daily in private; to attend conscientiously on the public worship and instruction he hath appointed; to approach his holy table as soon as his grace has quali

* Col. i. 13.

fied me for doing it worthily; to submit to his blessed will meekly and patiently in all things; to set him ever before my eyes, and acknowledge him in all my ways. I do further resolve, in the whole course of my behaviour amongst my fellow creatures, to do justly, to love mercy, speak truth, be diligent and useful in my station, dutiful to my superiors, condescending to those beneath me, friendly to my equals; careful through all the relations of life, to act as the nature of them requires, and conduct myself so to all men, as I should think it reasonable that they should do to me in the like case. I do resolve in the government of myself, to be modest, sober, temperate, mild, humble, contented: to restrain every passion aud appetite within due bounds, and to set my heart not on the sensual enjoyments of this transitory world, but on the spiritual happiness of the eter nal world. In a word, I do resolve to aim after that mind which was in my blessed master, to follow his steps, to imitate his example, that with him I may dwell in Heaven."

Such are the vows which you take upon you when you are confirmed, and it should be from a heart-felt conviction of your desire to fulfil them, that you should venture upon this solemn ceremony. Those who come in a trifling and thoughtless manner, and merely for form's sake, are not aware, that they are telling a lie unto God, when they make promises which they never fulfil, and perhaps never intend to fulfil.

"I must tell you farther," says Bishop Wilson, "that to root or keep out evil habits, and to get habits of virtue, and to live as becomes a Christian, is not so easily done as promised.

"You will be obliged to take pains, to watch and pray, and deny yourself, and even lay down your life, rather than deny your profession, or dissemble it.

"But then you will not think this too much, when you consider, that it is for your life, and that it is to escape eternal death.

"For Jesus Christ has made known to us, that this life is a state of trial, and only a passage to another life,

when God will take an account how all men have behaved themselves here, and appoint them a portion suitable to what they have done in the body, whether good or bad. When they that have done good shall go into life everlasting, and they that have done evil into everlasting misery.

"Now, that you may not despair of going through the work of your salvation, and getting the victory over all your enemies, Jesus Christ hath sent down his Holy Spirit, to be communicated by the laying on of hands,* to all such as are disposed to receive him: by which Almighty Spirit all your enemies shall be subdued, all your Tusts mortified, your corruptions rooted out, and your soul purified; so that when you die, you will be fit to be carried to the quiet and happy regions of paradise, where the souls of the faithful enjoy perpetual rest and happiness."

A PRAYER

That may be used by those who are to be Confirmed.†

O Lord, graciously behold me thy unworthy servant, who, according to the appointment of thy church, am going to dedicate myself to thee and thy service.

Possess my heart with such a lively sense of thy great mercy, in bringing me from darkness to the marvellous light of thy gospel; in giving me an early right to thy covenant, and an early knowledge of my duty; that with the full consent of my will, I may devote myself to thee; that so I may receive the fulness of thy grace, and be able to withstand all the temptations of the world, the flesh and the devil.

Continue me, O Lord, in the unity of thy church, and grant that I may improve all the means of grace vouchsafed me in this church, of which I am a member,

*Acts viii. 17.

+Bishop Wilson's Parochialia.

Preserve in my mind a constant remembrance of that love, and of those solemn vows, which I am going to renew before thee and thy church. That professing to be thy servant, I may ever walk as in thy sight, avoid all such things as are contrary to my profession, and follow all such as are agreeable to the same.

O Lord, who hast called us to be thy children by adoption, bring us in thy good time to thine everlasting kingdom, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.