and also promise, that by the grace of God they will evermore endeavour themselves faithfully to observe such things, as they, by their own confession, have assented unto."

This expresses very clearly the nature and intention of Confirmation, and, as I should think, shews its reasonableness. For if children were merely baptized while Infants, and a certain number of promises made for them, and they were afterwards to hazard the chance of being reminded of them or not, it is not improbable that half of those who are baptized would never hear or think of them again. Now, as the Church has ordained, by first learning the Catechism, and being taught what their baptismal vows were, and then being brought to the Bishop to renew those vows, a most effectual method has been adopted of bringing up young children in the ways of Christian knowledge, and of Christian holiness.

The Bishop then asks every one present whether he is willing, in the presence of God, to renew the several promises made for him in his Baptism, and to acknowledge himself bound to believe, and to do, what his Godfathers and Godmothers then undertook for him.

My beloved brethren, let me impress deeply on the minds of all of you the solemn answer

that is then made to the Bishop, in the presence of God, and of His assembled Church. It consists but of two short syllables; but, at the same time, it contains a world of most solemn meaning "I DO."

"I do" promise to "renounce the devil and all his works, the pomps and vanity of this wicked world, and all the sinful lusts of the flesh."

"I do" promise to "believe all the articles of the Christian Faith." And,

"I do" promise to keep "God's holy will and commandments, and to walk in the same all the days of my life."

If there be any present in this Congregation, who have attended the ordinance of Confirmation without thinking of the Repentance, the Faith, and the Obedience, to which they pledged themselves when they repeated the two simple words "I DO," may God grant that they may think of them now in good earnest, and endeavour to make the same resolutions now, with prayer to Almighty God for His strength, and

assistance.

After a few alternate ejaculations, the Bishop prays to God to strengthen the persons who come to Confirmation with an increase of His Holy Spirit, and then, after a most ancient prac

tice, he solemnly lays his hand upon each one of them, and pronounces a most holy blessing

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DEFEND, O LORD, THIS THY CHILD WITH THY HEAVENLY GRACE, THAT HE MAY CONTINUE THINE FOR EVER; AND DAILY INCREASE IN THY HOLY SPIRIT EVERMORE, UNTIL HE COME UNTO THY EVERLASTING KINGDOM. AMEN."

Surely, my brethren, this is very holy-it is very reverend-it is very Scriptural. There is nothing formal, nothing unmeaning, nothing superstitious, in a young child being brought to his spiritual Pastor in Christ, and having a solemn form of blessing pronounced over him.

And how ancient, and scriptural, is the form of laying the hands on those over whom a blessing is uttered. Jacob laid his hands on the heads of his grandsons Ephraim and Manasseh, when he besought "the Angel which redeemed them from all evil to bless the lads." Moses stretched out his hands over the Israelites when he blessed them. So did Aaron-so did David

-and so did Solomon. And so also did the Lord Jesus Christ when young children were brought to him; "he laid his hands upon them, and blessed them." It is, as I said, a very ancient and scriptural form therefore of praying to God for a blessing upon the young people who come to take upon themselves their Baptismal

vow and profession, and publicly to declare their willingness to enrol themselves among the number of "Christ's faithful soldiers and servants."

The Lord's Prayer is then used; and two other Prayers are offered up, in which God's help is asked for, to "direct, sanctify, and govern, both the bodies and souls" of those who have been confirmed, and the usual blessing is then pronounced, with which the Service closes.

As Baptism answers to the Circumcision practised among the Jews, by which a child was entered into Covenant with God when eight days old; so Confirmation may be said to resemble a practice which the Jewish writers tell us was customary among them for children at the age of twelve years to go up to Jerusalem, to be examined by the Jewish Doctors as to their proficiency in the Law. It was probably on this occasion, as we read in the second chapter of St. Luke, that our Lord went up to Jerusalem with his parents when he was twelve years old, and so much astonished all present "by his understanding and answers." We do not find this practice expressly ordered in the Jewish Law; yet, as it was most probably adopted by the Jews, we find that they did not hesitate to do many things which are not directly ordered in the Old Testament. And so, of course, may we; so long, as I said, we do not

practise things forbidden by the Scriptures, or plainly opposed to them, and so long as we do things "decently, and in order," and tending "to edification." This, as I trust, you will see the rite of Confirmation to be-a rite indeed that has most probably been adopted and continued in the Church from the time of the Apostles.

In concluding what I have to say to you on this subject, suffer me to observe,

1. How careful has the Church been for the religious education of its members. It takes the helpless child from its mother's breast, dedicates it to God in Baptism, obtains a solemn promise from its Sureties that it shall be brought up as a Christian, provides it an admirable system of Christian instruction in the Catechism, and then, at a suitable age, makes it take upon itself the Christian profession. My brethren, if you have a religious spirit, and, as I should think, even common candour, you must allow all this to be pre-eminently excellent, and well calculated to bring up all our members in the knowledge of God-in the knowledge and love of our Lord and only Saviour Jesus Christ. If the people will neglect their parts as far as children are concerned, may God help them and mend them, but you must acknowledge that the Church has care