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It was engaged for us, lastly, by our god- SERM. fathers and god-mothers, that we should keep God's holy will and commandments, and walk in the same all the days of our life.

To these scriptures also, we must have recourse, to know what this will and these commandments are; and, when we know them, we shall find them so reasonable in themselves so calculated to make us happy here and so certain to conduct us to heaven, when we die-that we shall be convinced that we are deeply interested to obey them. On the whole, then, the things promised for us are greatly for our own good, and tend, if we keep them, to make us happy both here and hereafter. Hence, if we are rational beings, we become bound to perform them; and as, hitherto, we have engaged to do so only by others, we become bound, likewise, when we come to years of discretion, to engage for ourselves.

G4

SERM. selves.
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And surely it is adviseable that

this be done in a public manner, in the face of the world that we may give a signal proof, to our friends and neighbours, that we are desirous to regulate our lives by the gospel of Jesus Christ,

Now an opportunity is given you of doing this at the confirmations, which are held from time to time for that purpose; there you may openly profess, before one of the heads of our church, and before all those amongst whom you live, that you approve of the engagements entered into in your name, by your god-fathers and god-mothers; that you confirm' and take them upon yourselves;-and that you will endeavour, as much as you possibly can, to maintain them. If, when you are at a proper age, you neglect this, you forfeit all the privileges which are procured by baptism-since you plainly show that, if you had had a choice, you would not have

been

been baptized;

otherwise, you would's ERM.

glady embrace the opportunity of confirming' it. Christ taught the absolute necessity of baptism, and ordered his apostles to go into the world, baptizing every one whom they converted to Christianity. No doubt then can exist, whether we ought to be baptized or no;—and if so, no doubt can exist, whether we ought to be confirmed:-our baptism was, on our parts, involuntary-it was performed by others; by confirmation alone, can we make it our own.

The first part of confirmation, then, is taking on ourselves the promise made in our name, by our sureties, at our baptism; the second part is the having the bishop lay his hands on our heads, and pray over us that we may receive God's assistance in our endeavours to keep them: in other words, that we may increase continually in the gifts of God's holy spirit.

You

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SERM. You remember that the scripture informs

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you that the apostles used to lay their hands on the heads of those who had been baptized, and by that means communicated to them what are called the gifts of the Holy Ghost; the most conspicuous of these gifts were miraculous; the persons, over whom the apostles thus prayed, were enabled to do various things above the power of human beings: we are not to suppose that this was the case with all; but the remainder of them received, what was still more valuable, such a portion of heavenly grace, that their ignorance was removed, their hearts purified, and they were put in a way, if they were not wanting to themselves, of attaining the kingdom of God. The successors of the apostles, that is, the heads of the different churches, have, I believe, in all ages, continued this practice of praying over the baptized, that these last-mentioned gifts

of

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of the Holy Spirit may descend upon SERM. them. The miraculous gifts are now no more, because Christianity can propagate itself without them-which was the purpose for which they were intended; but the common gifts, though inferior in outward show, are, as I observed before, superior in real value. These gifts, we have reason to hope, will be conferred upon us at our confirmation, provided that we take upon ourselves the promises made at our baptism, with that firm resolution of keeping them, which we ought to do. In order, then, to prepare yourselves properly for confirmation, you ought to endeavour to make yourselves masters of the meaning of those promises which you then take upon yourselves, and of those privileges which you then attain; and you ought, likewise, to offer up your constant and ardent prayers to the Almighty-that he would so improve your understanding that

you