and miraculous gifts were bestowed; which continued in the Church no longer than the need of them did; nor can we suppose, that all were partakers of them. But unquestionably by their petitions they procured, for every sincere convert, a much more valuable, though less remarkable blessing, of universal and perpetual necessity, his ordinary and saving graces.

For these, therefore, 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 persons take upon themselves the vow of their baptism. For this good end being now come amongst you, though I doubt not but your ministers have given you proper instructions on the occasion, yet I am desirous of adding somewhat further, which may not only acquaint more fully those, who are especially concerned, with the nature of what they are about to do, but remind you all of the obligations which Christianity 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 Catechism.

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There you will see, in the first place, a preface directed to be read, in which notice is given that "for the more edifying of such as shall receive "confirmation," it shall be administered to none but those, who can answer to the questions of "the Catechism preceding;" that so "children 66 may come to years of some discretion, and learn "what the promise made for them in baptism was, "before they are called upon to ratify and con"firm it before the Church with their own con"sent, and to engage that they will observe it.”

Prayers may be offered up for infants with very good effect. Promises may be made in their name by such as are authorized to act for them;

especially when the things promised are for their interest, and will be their duty; which is the case of those in baptism. But no persons ought to make promises for themselves till they reasonably well understand the nature of them, and are capable of forming serious purposes. Therefore

in the present case, being able to say the words of their Catechism is by no means enough, without a competent general knowledge of their meaning, and intention of behaving as it requires them; which doubtless they are supposed to have at the same time. And if they have not, making a profession of it, is declaring with their mouths what they feel not in their hearts at the instant, and will much less reflect upon afterwards; it is hoping to please God by the empty outward performance of a religious rite, from which if they had been withheld, 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 first teach them carefully to know their duty sufficiently, and resolve upon the practice of it heartily; then introduce them to this ordinance; which they shall not fail to have opportunities of attending in their neighbourhood, from time to time, so long as God continues my life and strength.

But as there are some too young for confirmation, some also may be thought too old; especially if they have received the holy Sacrament without it. Now there are not indeed all the same reasons for the confirmation of such, as of others; nor hath the Church, I believe, determined any thing about the case, as it might be thought unlikely to happen. But still, since it doth happen too frequently, that persons were not able, or have neglected to apply for this purpose; so whenever

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they apply, as by doing it they express a desire to fulfil all righteousnss ;" and may certainly receive benefit, both from the profession and the prayers, appointed in the office; my judgment is, that they should not be rejected, but encouraged.

Only I must entreat you to observe, that when you take thus on yourselves the engagement of leading a Christian life, you are to take it once for all; and no more to think of ever being confirmed a second time, than of being baptized a second time.

After directing 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 asking every one of those, who offer themselves, whether they do, "in the presence of God and of

the congregation, renew in their own persons the "solemn vow of their baptism; acknowledging themselves bound to believe, and to perform all "those 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 promised in our name, were to renounce whatever God hath forbidden, to believe what he hath taught, and to practice what he hath commanded. No body can promise for infants, absolutely, that they shall do these things; but only, that they shall be instructed and admonished to do them; and, it is hoped, not in vain. This instruction and admonition, parents are obliged by nature to give; and if they do it effectually, god-fathers and god-mothers have no further concern, than to be heartily glad of it. But if the former fail, the latter must supply the failure, as far as they have opportunity of doing it with any reasonable prospect of success. For they were

(1) Matth. iii, 15.

intended, not to release the parents from the care of their children, which nothing can but for a double security in a case of such importance.

If nothing at all had been promised in our names, we had still been bound, as soon as we were capable of it, to believe in God, and to obey him. But we are more early and more firmly bound, as not only this bath been promised for us, but care hath been taken to make us sensible of our obligation to perform it: which obligation, therefore, persons are called upon, in the question under consideration, to ratify and confirm. And great cause 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 say will clearly show you.

Our first parents, even while they were innocent, had no title to happiness, or to existence, but from God's notification of his good pleasure: which, being conditional, when they fell, they lost it; and derived to us a corrupt and mortal nature, entitled to nothing; as both the diseases and the poverty of ancestors often descend to their distant posterity. This bad condition we fail not, from our first use of reason, to make worse, in a greater or less degree, by actual transgressions; and so personally deserve the displeasure, instead 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 always just and wise, and the ruler of the world; we could never know with certainty, of ourselves, what his justice and wisdom, and the honour of his gove nment, might require of him with respect to sinners: whether he would pardon great offences at all; and whether he would reward those, whom he might be pleased not to punish. But most happily the revelation of his holy word hath cleared up all these doubts of unassisted reason;

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 past, assistance against sin for the future, and eternal life in return for a sincere, though imperfect, and totally undeserving obedience.

The method of entering into this covenant is, being baptized in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost: that is, into the acknowledgment of the mysterious union and joint authority of these three; and of the distinct of fices, which they have undertaken for our salvation; together with a faithful engagement of paying suitable regard to each of them. In this appoint. ment of Baptism, the washing with water aptly signifies, both our promise to preserve ourselves, with the best care we can, pure from the defilement of sin, and God's promise to consider us as free from the guilt of it. Baptism, then, through his mercy, secures infants from the bad consequences of Adam's transgressions, giving them a new title to the immortality which he lost. It also secures, to persons grown up, the entire forgiveness of their own transgressions, on the terms just mentioned. But then, in order to receive these benefits, we must lay our claim to the covenant which conveys them: we must ratify, as soon as we are able, what was promised in our name by others before we were able; and done for us then, only on presumption that we should make it our own deed afterwards. For if we neglect, and appear to renounce our part of the covenant, we have plainly not the least right to God's performing his: but we remain in our sins, and "Christ shall profit us nothing." 2

You see then of what unspeakable importance

(2) Gal. v. 2.