ON dination, it was referved to the highest, by Prayer and laying on of Hands, to communicate further Measures of the Holy Ghoft. It was indeed peculiar to the Apoftles, that on their Interceffion, his extraordinary and miraculous Gifts were bestowed: which continued in the Church no longer, than the Need of them did; nor can we fuppofe, that all were Partakers of them. But unquestionably by their Petitions they procured, for every fincere Convert, a much more valuable, though lefs remarkable Bleffing, of univerfal and perpetual Neceffity, his ordinary and faving Graces..

For thefe therefore, after their Example, trufting that God will have Regard, not to our Unworthiness, but to the Purposes of Mercy which He hath appointed us to ferve, we intercede now, when Perfons take upon themselves the Vow of their Baptifm. For this good End being now come amongst you, though I doubt not but your Minifters have given you proper Inftructions on the Occafion ; yet I am defirous of adding fomewhat further, which may not only acquaint more fully thofe, who are especially concerned, with the Nature of what they are about to do, but remind you all of the Obligations, which Chriftianity lays upon you. And I cannot perform it better, than by explaining to you the Office of Confirmation, to which you may turn in your Prayer Books, where it stands -immediately after the Catechifm.

There you will fee, in the first Place, a Preface, directed to be read; in which, Notice is given, that for the more edifying of fuch as receive Confirmation, it fhall be adminiftered to none but thofe, who can anfwer to the Questions of the Catechifm preceding: that fo Children may come to Years of tome Difcretion, and learn what the Promise made for them in Baptifm was, before they are called upon to ratify and confirm it before the Church with their own Confent, and to engage that they will evermore obferve it.

Prayers may be offered up for Infants with very good Effect. Promifes may be made in their Name by fuch

as

as are authorised to act for them: efpecially when the Things promifed are for their Intereft, and will be their Duty; which is the Cafe of thofe in Baptifm. But no Perfons ought to make Promifes for themfelves, till they reasonably well underftand the Nature of them, and are capable of forming ferious Purpofes. Therefore, in the prefent Cafe, being able to fay the Words of the Catechifm is by no Means enough, without a competent general Knowledge of their Meaning, and Intention of behaving as it requires them; which doubtles they are fuppofed to have at the fame Time. And if they have not, making a Profeffion of it, is declaring with their Mouths what they feel not in their Hearts at the Inftant, and will much lefs reflect upon afterwards it is hoping to pleafe God by the empty outward Performance of a religious Rite, from which if they had been wi.hheld, till they were duly qualified, their Souls might have been affected, and their Conduct influenced by it, as long as they lived.

Therefore I hope and beg, that neither Ministers nor Parents will be too eager for bringing Children very early to Confirmation: but firft teach them carefully, to know their Duty fufficiently, and refolve upon the Practice of it heartily; then introduce them to this Ordinance which they fhall not fail to have Opportunities of attending in their Neighbourhood, from Time to Time, fo long as God continues my Life and Strength.

But as there are fome too young for Confirmation, fome alfo may be thought too old: especially, if they have received the holy Sacrament without it. Now there are not indeed all the fame Reafons for the Confirmation of fuch, as of others: nor hath the Church, I believe, determined any Thing about their Cafe, as it might be thought unlikely to happen. But ftill, fince it doth happen too frequently, that Perfons were not able, or have neglected, to apply for this Purpose: fo whenever they apply, as by doing it they exprefs a

Defire to fulfil all Righteoufiefs; and may certainly receive Benefit, both from the Profeffion and the Prayers, appointed in the Office; my Judgment is, that they fhould not be rejected, but encouraged.

Only I muft intreat you to obferve, that when you take thus on yourfelves the Engagement of leading a Chriftian Life, you are to take it once for all; and no more to think of ever being confirmed a fecond Time, than of being baptized a fecond Time.

After dire&ing, Who are to be confirmed, the Office goes on to direct, How they are to be confirmed. And here, the Bishop is to begin with afking every one of thofe, who offer themselves, whether they do, in the Prefence of God and of the Congregation, renew in their own Perfons the folemn Vow of their Baptifm; acknowledging themselves bound to believe and to perform all thofe Things, which their God-Fathers and God-Mothers then undertook for them. On which, they are each of them to answer, with an audible Voice, I do.

Now the Things promifed in our Name, were, to renounce whatever God hath forbidden, to believe what He hath taught, and to practife what He hath commanded. Nobody can promife for Infants abfolutely, that they fhall do thefe Things; but only, that they fhall be inftructed and admonifhed to do them: and, it is hoped, not in vain. This Inftruction and Admonition, Parents are obliged by Nature to give ; and if they do it effectually, God-Fathers and GodMothers have no further Concern, than to be heartily glad of it. But if the former fail, the latter muft fupply the Failure, as far as they have Opportunity of doing it with any reasonable Profpect of Succefs. For they were intended, not to release the Parents from the Care of their Children, which Nothing can but for a double Security, in a Cafe of fuch Importance.

If Nothing at all had been promised in our Names, we had ftill been bound, as foon as we were capable

a Matth. iii. 15.

of

of it, to believe in God, and obey Him. But we are more early and more firmly bound, as not only this hath been promifed for us, but Care hath been taken to make us fenfible of our Obligation to perform it: which Obligation therefore, Perfons are called upon, in the Question under Confideration, to ratify and confirm. And great Caufe have they to answer, that they do. For doing it is a Duty, on which their eternal Felicity peculiarly depends: as a little Attention to what I am about to fay will clearly fhew you.

Our first Parents, even while they were innocent, had no Title to Happiness, or to Exiftence, but from God's Notification of his good Pleafure: which being conditional, when they fell, they loft it; and derived to Us a corrupt and mortal Nature, intitled to Nothing; as both the Difeafes and the Poverty of Anceftors often defcend to their diftant Pofterity. This bad Condition we fail not, from our firft Ufe of Reafon, to make worfe, in a greater or lefs Degree, by actual Tranfgreffions: and fo perfonally deferve the Displeasure, inftead of Favour of Him, who made

us.

Yet we may hope, that, as He is good, He will on our Repentance forgive us. But then, as He is alfo juft and wife, and the Ruler of the World; we could never know with Certainty, of ourfelves, what his Juftice and Wifdom, and the Honour of his Government might require of Him with Refpect to Sinners: whether He would pardon greater Offences at all; and whether He would reward thofe, whom He might be pleafed not to punish. But moft happily the Revelation of his holy Word hath cleared up all thefe Doubts of unaffifted Reafon and offered to the worst of Sinners, on the Condition of Faith in Christ, added to Repentance, and productive of good Works (for all which He is ready to enable us,) a Covenant of Pardon for Sins paft, Affiftance against Sin for the future, and eternal Life in Return for a fincere, though imperfect, and totally undeferving. Obedience.

The Method of entering into this Covenant is, be

ing

ing baptized in the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghoft: that is, into the Acknowledgment of the myfterious Union and joint Authority of thefe Three; and of the diftinct Offices, which they have undertaken for our Salvation: together with a faithful Engagement of paying fuitable Regard to each of them. In this Appointment of Baptifm, the washing with Water aptly fignifies, both our Promise to preferve ourselves, with the beft Care we can, pure from the Defilement of Sin, and God's Promife to confider us, as free from the Guilt of it. Baptifm then, through his Mercy, fecures Infants from the bad Confequences of Adam's Tranfgreffion, giving them a new Title to the Immortality, which he loft. It alfo fecures, to Perfons grown up, the intire Forgiveness of their own Tranfgreffions, on the Terms juft mentioned. But then, in order to receive thefe Benefits, we must lay our Claim to the Covenant, which conveys them: we muft ratify, as foon as we are able, what was promifed in our Name by others before we were able; and done for us then, only on Prefumption that we would make it our own Deed afterwards. For if we neglect, and appear to renounce our Part of the Covenant, we have plainly not the leaft Right to God's performing His but we remain in cur Sins, and Christ fhall profit us Nothing .

You fee then of what unfpeakable Importance it is, that we take on ourselves the Vow of our Baptifm. And it is very fit and ufeful, that we fhould take it in fuch Form and Manner as the Office prescribes. It is fit, that when Perfons have been properly inftructed by the Care of their Parents, Friends, and Ministers, they fhould with joyful Gratitude acknowledge them to have faithfully performed that kindeft Duty. It is fit, that before they are admitted by the Church of Chrift to the holy Communion, they fhould give public Affurance to the Church of their Chriftian Be

Gal. v. 2.

lief