misunderstand this expression in the office, which hath parallel ones in the New Teftament, so as either to censure it, or delude himself with a fatal imagination, that any thing faid over him can possibly convey to him a pardon of fins, for which he is not truly penitent. We only acknowledge, with due thankfulness, that God hath done his part: but which of the congregation have done theirs, their own consciences must tell them. After this commemoration, we go on to request for the persons before us, that God would ftrengthen them against all temptation, and fupport them under all affliction, by the Holy Ghoft the comforter, and daily increase in them his manifold gifts of grace: which gifts we proceed to enumerate in seven particulars, taken from the prophet Ifaiah; by whom they are ascribed to our bleffed Redeemer; but as the same mind ought to be in us which was in Chrift Jejus 1, a petition for them was used, in the office of confirmation, 1400 years ago, if not fooner. The separate meaning of each of the seven, it is neither easy nor needful to determine with certainty. For indeed, if no more was designed, than to express very fully and strongly, by various words of nearly the same import, a pious and moral temper of mind; this is a manner of fpeaking both common and emphatical. But each of them may be taken in a diftinct sense of its own. And thus we may beg for these our fellow-christians, a fpirit of wisdom, to aim at the right end, the falvation of their fouls; and of underftanding, to pursue it by right means: of counsel, to form good purposes; and of gboftly or spiritual ftrength, to execute them: of useful knowledge in the doctrines of religion; and true godliness, disposing them to a proper use of it. But chiefly, though laftly, we pray that they may be filled with the Spirit of God's holy fear: with that reverence of him, as the greateft, and purest, and best of beings, the rightful proprietor and just judge of all, which will effectually excite them to whatever they are concerned to believe or do. For the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom §. Having concluded this prayer for them all in general, the bishop implores the divine protection and grace for each one, or each pair of them, in particular: that as he is already God's professed child and fervant, by the recognition which he hath just made of his baptifmal covenant, fo be may continue his for ever, by faithfully keeping it: and, far from decaying, daily increase in bis Holy Spirit, that is, in the fruits of the Spirit, piety and virtue, more and more: making greater and quicker ad. vances in them, as life goes on, until he come to that decisive hour, when his portion shall be unchangeable in God's everlasting kingdom. And, along with the utterance of these folemn words, he lays his hand on each of their heads: a ceremony ufed from the earliest ages by religious perfons, when they prayed for God's blessing on any one ; used by our Saviour, who, when children were brought to him, that he should put his bands on them, and pray, and bless them, was much displeased || with those who forbad it; used by the apostles, after converts were baptized, as the text plainly shews; reckoned in the epiftle to the Hebrews among the foundations of the chriftian profeffion; conflantly practised, and highly esteemed in the church from that time to this; and so far from being a popish ceremony, that the papifts adminifter confirmation by other ceremonies of their own devising, and have laid afide this primitive one; which there. fore our church very prudently restored. And the custom of it is approved, as apoftolical, both by Luther and Calvin, and several of their followers, though they rashly abolished it, as having been abufed**. But I am credibly informed, that at Geneva it hath lately been restored. The laying on of the hand naturally ex. presses good will and good withes in the perfon who doth it: and in the present case is further intended, as you will find in one of the following prayers, to certify those, to whom it is done, of God's favour and gracious goodness towards them: of which goodness they will continually feel. the effects, provided, which must always. be understood, that they preserve their title to his care by a proper care of themselves. This, it must be owned, is a truth: and we may as innocently signify it by this fign as by any other, or as by any words to the fame purpose. Further efficacy we do not ascribe to it: nor would have you look on bishops as having or claiming a power, † Phil. ii. 5. Heb. vi. 1. Eph. i. 7. Col. i. 14. + Ifa. xi. 2. Matt. xix. 13-15. Mark x. 13-16 Diícourses on Epifcopal Confirmation, 8vo. 1682, p. 23-36. § Pfal. cxi. ros **See Camfield's two in any cafe, to confer blessings arbitrarily on whom they please; but only as petitioning God for that blessing from above which he alone can give; yet we justly hope, will give the rather for the prayers of those whom he hath placed over his people, unless your own unworthiness prove an impediment. Not that you are to expect, on the performance of this good of fice, any fudden and sensible change in your hearts, giving you, all at once, a remarkable strength or comfort in piety, which you never felt before. But you may reasonably promise yourselves, from going through it with a proper disposition, greater measures, when real occafion requires them, of such divine assistance as will be needful for your support and orderly growth in every virtue of a chriftian life. And now, the imposition of hands being finished, the bishop and congregation mutually recommend each other to God, and return to such joint and public devotions as are suitable to the folemnity. The first of these is the Lord's Prayer: a form feasonable always, but peculiarly now; as every petition in it will shew, to every one who confiders it. In the next place, more especial fupplications are poured forth, for the persons particularly concerned, to him who alone can enable them both to will and to do what is good; that, as the hand of his minister hath been laid upon them, fo his fatherly hand may ever be over them, and lead them in the only way, the knowledge and obedience of his word, to everlast. ing life. After this, a more general prayer is offered up for them and the rest of the congregation together, that God would vouchsafe, unworthy as we all are, so to direct and govern both our hearts and bodies, our inclinations and actions, (for neither will fuffice without the other) in the ways of bis laws, and in the works of his commandments, that, through bis most mighty protezion, bosh here and ever, we may be preferved in body and foul: having the former, in his good time, raised up from the dead, and the latter made happy, in conjunction with it, to all eternity. These requests being thus made, it only remains, that all be dismissed with a folemn blessing: which will certainly abide with you, unless, by wilful fin, or gross negli gence, you drive it away. And in that cafe, you must not hope, that your baptifm, or your confirmation, or the prayers of the bishop, or the church, or the whole world, will do you any service. On the contrary, every thing which you might have been the better for, if you had made a good use of it, you will be the worse for, if you make a bad one. You do well to renew the covenant of your baptifm in confirmation: but if you break it, you forfeit the benefit of it. You do well to repeat your vows in the facrament of the Lord's fupper: it is what all christians are commanded by their dying Saviour, for the strengthening and refreshing of their fouls: it is what I beg all, who are confirmed, will remember, and their friends and minifters remind them of: the fooner they are prepared for it, the happier; and by stopping short, the benefit of what preceded will be lost. But if you are admitted to this privilege also, and live wickedly, you do but eat and drink your own condemnation. So that all depends on a throughly honeft care of your hearts and behaviour in all respects. Not that, with our best care, we can avoid smaller faults. And if we entreat pardon for them in our daily prayers, and faithfully strive against them, they will not be imputed to us. But gross and habitual fins we may avoid, through God's help: and if we fall into them, we fall from our title to salvation at the same time. Yet even then our cafe is not defperate: and let us not make it so, by thinking it is: for, through the grace of the gofpel, we may still repent and amend, and then be forgiven. But I beg you to obferve, that, as continued health is vastly preferable to the happiest recovery from fickness; so is innocence to the truest repentance. If we suffer ourselves to transgress our duty, God knows whether we shall have time to repent; God knows whether we shall have a heart to do it. At best we shall have loft, and more than lost, the whole time that we have been going back: whereas we have all need to press forwards, as fast as we can. Therefore let the innocent of wilful fin preserve that treasure with the greatest circumspection; and the faulty return from their errors without delay. Let the young enter upon the way of righteousness with hearty resolution; and those of riper age persevere in it to the end. In a word, let us all, of every age, serioufly confider, and faithfully practise, the obligations of religion. For the Vows of God are still upon us, how long foever it be since they were *Pfalm Ivi. tas Arst made, either by us, or for us: and it is in vain to forget what he will affuredly remember; or hope to be safe in neglecting what he expects us to do. But let us ufe proper diligence; and he will infallibly give us proper afsistance, and confirm us all unto the End, that we may be blameless in the Day of our Lord Jesus Chrift*. Now unto him, who is able to keep us from falling, and to present us faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, to the only wife God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Ament. Secker. A. Because it was given me when I was made a christian. Q. Why are you here asked this name? A. To put me in mind of the faith I profefssed, and the vows that I made at my baptifm, when this name was given me. Q. Who gave you this name? A. My godfathers and godmothers in my baptifm; wherein I was made a member of Chrift, the child of God, and an inheritor of the kingdom of heaven. John i. 12, 13. • As many as received him, to them gave he power [privilege] to become the fons of God: which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." John iii. 5, 6. • Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh.' Q. What is it to be a member of Chrift ? A. It is to be a member of Christ's church, and thereby united to Christ as our head. Q. Why is a member of Christ's church faid to be a member of Christ? A. Because the church is called the body of Chrift, and Christ is called the head of that body. Q. Where is the church called the body of Chrift, and Chrift the head of the church? A. In Eph. i. 22, 23. • The church, which is his body.' Eph. v. 23. Chrift is the head of the church.' Q. How do you prove, that by baptifm you are made a member of Chrift's church? A. Because Christ appointed, and his apostles always used baptifm as the way of admittance into the church, Q. What is it to be a child of God? A. It is to be one whom God in an especial manner loves, as a father does his child, Q. Why are you first said to be a member of Chrift, and then a child of God? A. Because it is through Chrift that I am made a child of God. Q How do you prove from scripture, that by baptifm you were made a child of God? A. From Rom. viii. 15. Ye have re ceived the spirit of adoption, whereby we Q. Why did your godfathers and godmothers give you your chriftian name ? A. Because they presented me baptifm, and gave security to the church cry Abba, Father.' for my chriftian education. Q. What are the privileges you receive by being baptifsed? A. I am thereby made a member of Chrift, a child of God, and an inheritor of the kingdom of heaven. Q. Why are you faid to be made a member of Christ, a child of God, and an inheritor of the kingdom of heaven? A. Because I was not so born, but made fo by baptifm. Q. How do you prove this by scripture? A. By Eph. ii. 3. • And were by nature the children of wrath.' * 1 Cor. i. 8. Gal. iii. 26, 27. Ye are all the children of God by faith in Chrift Jefus: for as many of you as have been baptifed into Chrift, have put on Chrift.' Q. What is it to be an inheritor of the kingdom of heaven? A. It is to be so by promise, so that I may furely, by leading a chriftian life, have the poffeffion of an eternal inheritance. Q. How is this proved by scripture ? A. From Luke xii. 32. • Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleafure to give you the kingdom." Rom. viii. 16, 17. We are the children + Jude xiv. 25. of God: and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Chrift.' 1 John ii. 25. And this is the promife that he hath promised us, even eternal life." SECT. II. Of the Vow of Baptifm; or the Conditions required on our Part. Q. You have told me what privileges you have by being baptifed; but cannot you forfeit them? A. Yes, I may lose them, if I do not keep the promises made for me when I was baptifed. Q. What did your godfathers and godmothers then for you? A. They did promife and vow three things in my name. First, That I should renounce the devil and all his works, the pomps and vanity of this wicked world, and all the finful lufts of the flesh. Secondly, That I should believe all the articles of the christian faith. And thirdly, That I should keep God's holy will and commandments, and walk in the fame all the days of my life. Q. What is it that you here promife to renounce? A. I promise to renounce the three spiritual enemies to my present and future happiness; which are the devil, the world, and the flesh. Q. What is it to renounce them? A. It is inwardly to hate, and actually to reject them, so as not to follow, or to be led by them. Q. What mean you by the word devil? A. By that general word the devil, is meant all the fallen angels, who are under their prince combined for our ruin. Q. What is meant by renouncing him? A. The refusing all familiarity and contracts with the devil, whereof witches, conjurers, and such as refort to them are guilty, Q. What is meant by the works of the devil? A. All fin; particularly those sins which the devil himself is especially charged with; fuch as murder, cruelty, and malice; pride, envy, and lying, and seducing others to fin. Q. Why is fin called the work of the devil? A. Because he first sinned, then seduced men to fin, and doth fitill tempt to it. Q. What proof have you from fcripture of your obligation thus to renounce the devil and all his works? A. From I John iii. 8. He that committeth fin is of the devil; for the devil finneth from the beginning. For this pur 1 pose the fon of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.' I John v. 18. We know that whosoever is born of God finneth not; but he that is begotten of God, keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not.' 2 Tim. ii. 19. Let every one that nameth the name of Christ, depart from iniquity.' Q. What is the second enemy you are to renounce? A. This wicked world, with its pomps and vanities. Q. Why do you call it this wicked world? A. Because of the evil it tempts to, and the evil use it is put to by bad men. Q. What do you mean by pomps? A. Honour and worldly glory. Q. What is it to renounce the pomps of this world? A. It is to refrain from all immoderate defires of the honour and glory of this world, and from all pride and oftentation in what we enjoy of it. Q. How do you prove from scripture, that you are obliged thus to renounce the pomps of the world? A. From I John ii. 16. The pride of life is not of the Father, but is of the world.' Phil. ii. 3. Let nothing be done through vain-glory, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Q. What do you understand by the vanity of the world? A. I understand by it covetousness, and all ungodly and vain customs of the world. Q. What is it to renounce the vanities of the world? A. It is to reject all unlawful means of gaining riches; to refuse to follow the finful ways, customs, or fashions of the world, and to avoid all wicked company, which would lead us to them. Q. What proof have you of being obliged to avoid all covetous defires of the world? A. From I John ii. 15. • Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.' Luke xii. 15. Take heed, and beware of covetousnefs.' Q. What proof have you of your being obliged to refuse to follow the finful ways, customs, or fashions of the world? A. From Rom. xii. 2. Be not con formed to this world.' What Q. What proof have you of your being obliged to avoid all wicked company? A. From 1 Cor. V. 11. Now I have written unto you, not to keep company; if any man that is called a brother [christian) be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with fuch an one no not to eat. Eph. v. 11. Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.' Q. What do you understand by the finful lufts of the flesh? A. I understand by them, all unlawful pleasures to which we are provoked by our sensual inclinations; fuch as uncleannefs, drunkenness, &c. Q. What is it to renounce these ? A. It is to refist all defires of them, to tame and regulate my diforderly inclinations to them, and my corrupt nature inwardly delighting in them. Q. What proof have you of your being obliged to this? A. From Gal. v. 24. • They that are Chrift's have crucified the fleth, with the affections and lufts.' Rom. viii. 13. If ye live after the flesh, ye shall die but if ye through the fpirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.' 1 Pet. ii. 11. I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lufts, which war against the foul.' Q. What is the second duty you were at your baptifm obliged to perform? A. To believe all the articles of the christian faith. Q. What proof have you of your being obliged to do fo? A. From John iii. 36. 'He that believeth on the Son, hath everlasting life; and he that believeth not the Son, shall not fee life; but the wrath of God abideth on him." John xvii. 3. This is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou haft fent.' Mark xvi. 16. • He that believeth and is baptized, shall be faved; but he that believeth not, shall be damned.' Q. What is the third duty you promised at your baptifm to do? A. To keep God's holy will and commandments, and to walk in the fame all the days of my life. Q. What proof have you of your being obliged to this? ، A. From Matt. xxviii. 20, Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you.' Eph. ii. 10. We are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." Luke i. 74, 75. That we being delivered out of the hands of our enemies, might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life.' Q. Doft thou not think that thou art bound to believe, and to do as they have promised for thee? A. Yes, verily; and by God's help fo I will. And I heartily thank our heavenly Father, that he hath called me to this state of falvation, through Jesus Chrift our Saviour. And I pray unto God to give me his grace, that I may continue in the fame unto my life's end. Q. Why do you think yourself bound to believe and to do what your godfathers and godmothers promised for you? A. Because they acted in my stead, and what they promised was in my name. Q. Are you refolved to do what they promised for you ? A. Yes, by God's help; for otherwife I shall forfeit the bleffings of that state which I was by my baptifm admitted into. Q. What is that state? A. It is a state of falvation. Q. Why do you call it a state of falvation ? A. Because I have thereby all the means necessary to salvation. Q. How do you prove this from fcrip ture ? A. From Rom. i. 16. The gospel is the power of God unto salvation, unto every one that believeth.' 2 Tim. iii. 15. From a child thou hast known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wife unto falvation.' Q. How came you into this state of falvation? A. Our heavenly Father called me to it through Jesus Christ our Saviour, and inftated me into it by baptifm. Q. How do you prove this from fcripture? A. From Titus iii. 4, 5. The kindness and love of God our Saviour towards man appeared, not by works of righteoufnefs which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghoft.' R4 2 Tim. |