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 PRINCETON, N. J. 
 
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 SAMUEL AQNEW, 
 
 OF PHILADELPHIA, PA. 
 
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 BV 800 .DA36 
 
 Dehon, Theodore, 1776-1817 
 
 Sermons on confirmation 
 
^ r/sz.. 
 

 r 
 
^ SERMONS 
 
 ON 
 
 CONFIRMATION; 
 
 AND 
 
 AN ADDRESS 
 
 DELIVERED AFTER ADMINISTERING THAT HOLY AND 
 APOSTOLIC RITE. 
 
 BY THE LATE - 
 
 RIGHT REV. THEODORE DEHON, D. D. 
 
 Bishop of the Dioceas of South-Carolina. 
 
 Published by permiasion of the "Protestant Episcopal Society for the 
 Advancement of Christianity in South-Carolina." 
 
 Second Edition. 
 
 STEREOTYPED BY A. CHANDLER. 
 
 NEW- YORK: 
 PUBLISHED BY T. AND J. SWORDS, 
 
 No. 127 Broadway. 
 
 PRINTED BY EDWARD J. SWORDSf, 
 
 No. 8 Thames-Street. 
 1831." 
 
District u/ ouuka-i^uioima. 
 
 BE II^ REMEMBERED, That on the third day ofMarcb^ 
 Anno Domini one thousand eight hundred and eighteen, in 
 the forty-second year of the Independence of the United 
 States of America, " The Protestant Episcopal Society for the 
 Adcancevient of Christianity in South Carolina,''^ deposited 
 in this otfice the title of a Book, the right whereof they claim, 
 in the words following, to wit: 
 
 "Sermons on Confirmation; and an Address delivered 
 after administering that Holy and Apostolic Rite. By the 
 Jate Right Rev. Theodore Dehon, D. D. Bishop of the Diocess 
 of South-Carolina. Published for the benefit of the Proies- 
 tant Episcopal Society for the Advancement of Christianity 
 in South-Carolina.'*' 
 
 In conformity to the act of the Congress of the United 
 States, entitled, "An act for the encouragement of learning, 
 by securing the copies of maps, charts, and books, to the 
 authors and proprietors of such copies, during the limes there- 
 in mentioned ;" and also an act, entitled " An act, supple- 
 mentary to an act, entitled anact for the encouragement of 
 learning, by securing the copies of maps, charts, and books, to 
 the authors and proprietors of such copies, during tlie times 
 therein mentioned, and extending the benefits thereof to the 
 arts of designing, engraving, and etching historical and other 
 prints." 
 
 JAMES JERVEY, 
 
 District Clerk of S. C. D. 
 
ADVERTISEMExNT. ..^ 
 
 Some time before the much lamented 
 death of Bishop Dehon, that Prelate 
 expressed to the Board of Trustees his 
 intention of giving the following Dis- 
 courses to the Protestant Episcopal Soci- 
 ety for the Mvancement of Christicmity in 
 South Carolina^ to be published in aid of 
 the funds of that Institution. This kind 
 intention has since been fulfilled by his 
 afflicted wldo^v. 
 
 The Right Rev. Author intended to 
 have revised and prepared these Dis- 
 courses for the press ; but the hand of 
 death unexpectedly arrested this design. 
 As the Board of Trustees are not suffi- 
 ciently acquainted with the late Prelate's 
 views on this subject, to venture upon 
 any alteration, they arc published as 
 
iV ADVERTISEMENT. 
 
 they were delivered by the author. In 
 presenting them, however, to the pubhc, 
 but more especially to the members of 
 the Protestant Episcopal Church in the 
 Diocess of South Carolina, the Board feel 
 an assurance that they will be read with 
 delight ; and, by the blessing of God, be 
 productive of good. 
 
SERMON I. 
 
 Hebrews vi. 2. 
 
 The doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on 
 of hands* 
 
 In nothing has our heavenly Father more 
 afFectingly commended his love to us, than 
 in his care to assure us of it. The whole 
 Christian economy is calculated to niani- 
 fist to the children of men, the solici- 
 tude of their Creator for their happiness 
 and salvation- The mission of his Son to 
 instruct them and die for them ; the institu- 
 tion of a Church, in which they may be 
 brought near to him, and nurtured as his 
 children by adoption ; the waters of baptism, 
 in which they may be washed from their sins 
 and their fears ; the banquet of his holy ta- 
 ble, at which they may feast upon tokens of 
 forgiveness and pledges of eternal life ; the 
 accommodation of his gracious promises to 
 the capacity, yea, to the weakness of our na- 
 ture, are so many demonstrations of his care 
 to beget in us a confidenco in his goodness^ 
 1* 
 
6 SERMON I. 
 
 and to fill us thereby with love, and peace, 
 and joy. This is signally true with respect 
 to the rite of Confirmation — a rite in which 
 the Deity, as it were, takes his adopted chil- 
 dren by the hand, to put them in possession 
 of the estate which he had purchased for 
 them with his blood, and in the contempla- 
 tion of which, we may take from the bod^ 
 the beautiful apostrophe with which its won- 
 derful formation inspired the Psalmist, and 
 apply it to the soul; "thou hast fashioned 
 me behind and before, and laid thine hand 
 upon me." 
 
 The rite of Confirmation is held by our 
 Church, as it is also represented by St. Paul 
 in the text and context, to be a first princi- 
 ple of the doctrine of Christ. For the due 
 administration of it, she has provided a very 
 instructive and solemn office, and enjoined 
 it upon the officers to whom the administra- 
 tion of it belongs, to endeavour that all her 
 children have opportunity to receive it. It 
 is made my duty, beloved brethren, as your 
 parish minister, to bring this rite to your 
 consideration ; and, in another relation to 
 you, to afford you, at a convenient time, 
 ipccasion to partakfc of its benefits. Puff 
 
ON CONFIRMATION. 7 
 
 posing soon, with God's permission, to dis- 
 charge this latter obligation, I would, as 
 preparatory thereto, endeavour to discharge 
 the former, by setting before you what I 
 think will comprise all you may be anxious 
 to know upon the subject ; the antiquity and 
 authority of it, its import, and the propriety 
 and utility of it ; attempting to obviate such 
 objections, and such only, as may seem to 
 have any foundation, or to be of any weight. 
 The import of this ordinance is the point 
 of greatest consequence. But to have you 
 more seriously interested in it, its antiquity 
 is first named. Were it a novelty sprung 
 up in this age of innovation, it would be 
 less worthy of your consideration ; for con- 
 cerning doctrines, or precepts, or rites, it 
 will, in all cases, hold good, that, wanting 
 age, they want that which is now essential to 
 the foundation, or first principles of the 
 Christian religion. But when this rite is 
 shown to be ancient as the Apostles' days, 
 and to have been observed in the Church in 
 every age since, it will present itself to you 
 in its proper venerable form, pointing to in- 
 spiration for its origin y and adducing time as 
 its advocate* 
 
8 SERMON I. 
 
 ** Laying on of hands" was a ceremony 
 used on divers occasions in the first years of 
 Christianity. Upon the sick, the Apostles 
 laid their hands when they would recover 
 them. In the ordination of any one to ei- 
 ther of the three orders of the ministry, im- 
 position of hands was used. And sometimes 
 in simple benediction, or in sending out 
 Evangelists upon their work, recourse v/as 
 had to this ancient and significant ceremony. 
 But " laying on of hands" is mentioned in 
 the text with ** baptism," and faith, and 
 three other things as fundamentals ; that is, 
 as elementary principles in the Christian life. 
 Now in the elements, or first principles of 
 any scheme of religion, all who would be 
 proficients therein, are interested. But the 
 *• laying on of hands" in ordinations, or in 
 benedictions, or in healing the sick, con- 
 cerned but a few, and those exclusively. 
 There must, therefore, have been some oc- 
 casion of using this rite, in which all Chris- 
 tians partook of it. Let us see if we can 
 find, in the sacred record, mention of any 
 such occasion. It is stated in the eighth 
 chapter of the Acts, that Philip, one of the 
 first Deacons, preached the Gospel to the 
 
. ON CONFIRMATIOxN. 9 
 
 Samaritans, and baptized those by whom it 
 was embraced. The Apostles were then 
 remaining at Jerusalem. When they " heard 
 that Samaria had received the word of God, 
 they sent unto them Peter and John ; who, 
 when they were come down, prayed for them 
 that they might receive the Holy Ghost. 
 For as yet he was fallen upon none of them ; 
 only they were baptized in the name of the 
 Lord Jesus. Then laid they their hands on 
 them, and they received the Holy Ghost." 
 We read, moreover, in the nineteenth chap- 
 ter of the same book, that when Paul, hav- 
 ing journeyed through the upper coasts of 
 Asia, came to Ephesus, he found there cer- 
 tain disciples who had been baptized into 
 John's baptism, and who told him, upon his 
 asking them whether they had received the 
 Holy Ghost since they believed, that they 
 had not so much as heard whether there 
 was any Holy Ghost. The great Apostle 
 preached unto them Jesus, in whose name 
 they were presently baptized. *' And when 
 Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy 
 Ghost came on them." These acts are 
 mentioned as if they were done of course, 
 in conformity with a usage of the Apostles, 
 
10 SERMON I. 
 
 for signifying and conveying to the recipients 
 their interest in that gift which Christ had 
 purchased, and having ascended up on high, 
 had received, for men, the gift of the Holy 
 Spirit. Here, then, is a proper confirmation ; 
 and the question arises, whether all Chris- 
 tians partook of this rite ? From the nature 
 of the thing, and the testimony and usages 
 of the Fathers of the first centuries, it is 
 reasonable to infer that they did. Of the 
 gift of the Spirit, which it signified, they all 
 had need ; being all heirs of tliat infirmity 
 and corruption which unfitted them to do, 
 or to think, that which was good, without 
 the help of God. It was declared to be 
 prepared for them all. " Repent, and be 
 baptized," said St. Peter to the multitude, 
 ** and ye shall receive the Holy Ghost ; for 
 the promise is to you, and to your children, 
 and to all that are afar off, even to as many 
 as the Lord our God shall call." 
 
 Of the graces and comforts which are the 
 fruits of the Spirit, our blessed Lord prayed 
 that not only his chosen disciples should par- 
 take, but all who, through their word, should 
 believe on his name. And there are facts 
 which ^videiw^e that, of the thing signified 
 
ON CONFIRMATION. 11 
 
 by Confirmation, all Christians did partici- 
 pate. The Apostles, in writing to them 
 assert, that they had received the Spirit ; 
 and the unity and strength, the patience and 
 perseverance w^hich they had collectively, 
 and the peace, and love, and joy, which 
 pervaded their bosoms individually, cannot, 
 consistently with Christian doctrine, be at- 
 tributed to any other source. As, therefore, 
 all needed and received the thing signified, 
 and must equally have needed to be assured 
 of their interest in it by the sign, it is pro- 
 bable they all obtained it after the same 
 manner in which it was conveyed in the par- 
 ticular cases which are recorded, viz. by 
 laying on of the Apostles' hands. These 
 holy men, who were the first Bishops of the 
 Church, as far superior in holiness as in zeal, 
 to all who have succeeded them, journeyed 
 continually from place to place, planting and 
 " confirming the Churches." The gifts and 
 graces of the Spirit appear to have abounded 
 in those Churches which they personally vi- 
 sited. And when St. Paul expresses his af- 
 fectionate wish to visit the Christians at 
 Rome, that he might impart to them some 
 spiritual gift, it is difficult to conceive, un- 
 
12 SERMON I. 
 
 less he would do it by some bodily act, why 
 the gift might not have been communicated 
 by message or by letter. It should seem, 
 then, that that was done generally to all 
 Christians which was done to the Samaritan 
 converts ; they received from the proper 
 minister, when they had been baptized, an 
 imposition of hands, to signify and convey 
 to them their strength and comfort in the 
 Holy Ghost. Without this supposition it 
 will be impossible to find in the Sacred Vol- 
 ume any trace of a laying on of hands, 
 such as the text, and the words connected 
 with it describe ; for unless it were partici- 
 pated by all Christians, it could not sustain 
 the character of a foundation or first prin- 
 ciple of the doctrine of Christ : and what 
 other laying on of hands is mentioned in the 
 Gospel which could have been so partici- 
 pated? The fathers of the earliest centuries, 
 who, living near the Apostles' times, are 
 most likely to have known the practice of 
 the first Christians, confirm this opinion. In 
 their day the ceremony of laying on of hands 
 was applied to all Christians after their bap- 
 tism ; and they declare this use of it to be 
 derived from the usage of the Apostles. Do 
 
ON CONFIRMATION. 13 
 
 you ask, says St. Jerome, where it is writ- 
 ten ? It is written in the Acts of the Apos- 
 tles. Indeed, it is not easy to conceive 
 how a rite should, at so early a period, have 
 been so universally received, if it had not 
 come to those who received it with the au- 
 thority of an apostolic institution. Confir- 
 mation, then, was the '' laying on of hands," 
 of which all partook after the reception of 
 baptism; and the only use of this ceremony, 
 which could be styled an element of the 
 Christian economy, and, consequently, that 
 alluded to in the text ; where we find it hav- 
 ing St. Paul's reverence and support, and 
 placed on the same ground, in the same rank 
 with repentance, and faith, and baptism, and 
 the resurrection of the dead, and eternal 
 judgment. This has been the most ancient 
 and general exposition of this celebrated pas- 
 sage of the Sacred Writings. The learned 
 Grotius could find no other satisfactory ex- 
 planation of it ; and the reforming Calvin, 
 in his commentary upon the passage, con- 
 fesses that this one place evi-lcntiy shows 
 that Confirmation was instituted by the 
 Apostles. 
 
 The only difiiculty in this part of the sub- 
 
14 SERMON I. 
 
 ject arises out of the supposition, that the 
 " laying on of hands," in the apostolic age, 
 was for the communication of the miraculous 
 powers which had been received from the 
 Holy Ghost. It is certainly true, that by im- 
 position of the Apostles' hands were con- 
 veyed to others those supernatural powers 
 with which the Apostles were endowed by 
 the Spirit on the day of Pentecost. And 
 this was an operation of the Comforter, 
 adapted to the exigencies of the Christians 
 at that particular juncture ; a surprising at- 
 testation to the truth of the Gospel, without 
 which it probably would not so successfully 
 have spread itself in the world ; certainly 
 not with such wonderful rapidity. But I 
 know not on what ground it is assumed that 
 none but the extraordinary gifts of the Holy 
 Ghost were conveyed by this rite. The or- 
 dinary influences of the Spirit were then 
 equally necessary to the formation and dis- 
 play of the perfection of the Christian cha- 
 racter ; and those fruits of goodness wlrich 
 can be brought to maturity only by his power, 
 were, in that age, produced in Christians in 
 extraordinary perfection. And he who had 
 been instrumental in conveying, more fre- 
 
ON COxNFIRMATIOxV. 15 
 
 quently than any other of the Apostles, the 
 Holy Ghost, informs us, that " to one is given 
 by the Spirit, the word of wisdom ; to ano- 
 ther, the word of knowledge by the same 
 Spirit ; to another, faith by the same Spirit ; 
 to another, the* gifts of healing by the same 
 Spirit ; to another, the working of miracles ; 
 to another, prophecy ; to another, discerning 
 of Spirits; to another, divers kinds of tongues; 
 to another, the interpretation of tongues. 
 But all these worketh that one and the self- 
 same Spirit, dividing to every man severally 
 as he will." After Christianity became es- 
 tablished, and the props of miraculous pow- 
 ers were unnecessary to its support, the or- 
 dinary and secret influences of the Spirit of 
 God rose in the comparative estimate to 
 the greater importance ; and these are now 
 essential requisites to the accomplishment 
 of his gracious will concerning us in Christ 
 Jesus. And can we doubt that he, who 
 adapts the productions of the earth to the 
 season, and the pleasures and dispositions 
 of man to his age, will adapt Che operation 
 of the ordinances which he hath approved, 
 to the necessities of those for whose benefit 
 they were instituted. That the miraculous 
 
16 SERMON I. 
 
 powers of the Holy iGrhost were not the only 
 fruit of Confirmation, in the view of those 
 who lived nearer to the age of Christian sim- 
 plicity than ourselves ; yea, that these pow- 
 ers were not to be expected when they were 
 no longer needed, but more useful benefits 
 sought, is evidently the decision of reason, 
 and was the declaration of the most eminent 
 of the ancient theologians. Does any man, 
 says the celebrated St. Augustin, does any 
 man now expect to hear them speak with 
 new tongues, who receive imposition of hands 
 as a mean to convey the Holy Spirit ? Or 
 when we laid our hand on these infants, did 
 any of you expect that they should speak 
 w^ith tongues ? And when they did not, were 
 any of you so perverse in heart as to say 
 they have not received the Holy Ghost ? By 
 the Holy Ghost, which is given only in the 
 Catholic Church by imposition of hands, our 
 forefathers would have us to understand what 
 the Apostle says, *' the love of God is shed 
 abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost, 
 which is given us." Other gifts and graces 
 than miraculous powers, may surely mani- 
 fest the presence of God's Spirit with men ; 
 and why they may not be the fruits of an 
 
ON CONFIRMATION. 17 
 
 observance of this ordinance, it will not be 
 easy to say. 
 
 . It may, however, be thought that this rite 
 was efficacious only in the hands of the Apos- 
 tles, who were so extraordinarily endowed, 
 and was designed to be used only in their 
 day. The passage of which the text is a 
 part, is irreconcilable with this opinion. For 
 if the doctrine of " laying on of hands" be 
 a foundation in the fabric of the Christian 
 rehgion, it must last as long as the religion 
 itself; if it be a first principle of the doc- 
 trine of Christ, it can never cease, but must 
 be received and found important to the 
 latest day, by all who embrace the Gospel. 
 They who hved near to the Apostles doubt- 
 less knew their sense of this matter. They 
 did not sufi'er the rite to be laid aside. They 
 assert, that it descended to the Church from 
 the Apostles ; and we find it in fact contin- 
 ued universally in the Church from their 
 day to the period of the Reformation. It 
 may be agreeable to you to hear some of 
 the testimonies to this effect. Tertullian, 
 writing upon baptism, says, after baptism 
 succeeds "laying on of hands," by benedic- 
 tion, calling for and invoking the Holy Spi- 
 2* 
 
18 SER3I0N I. 
 
 rit. Cyprian, speaking of the Confirmation 
 of the Samaritan converts, says, " the same 
 custom is now observed among us, that they 
 who are baptized in the Church may be pre- 
 sented to the Governors of it, that by our 
 prayer and imposition of hands they may 
 obtain the Holy Ghost, and be perfected 
 with the seal of Christ." Jerome demands, 
 " are you ignorant that now this is the cus- 
 tom of the Churches upon those who have 
 been baptized, afterwards to lay hands and 
 thus invoke the Holy Spirit. Do you ask 
 where it is written? In the Acts of the 
 Apostles. Although if there were no au- 
 thority of Scripture for it, the consent of 
 the whole world in this particular has the 
 force of a command." St. Augustin, writing 
 upon the Trinity, observes, " the Apostles 
 prayed that the Holy Spirit would come 
 upon those on whom they laid their hands. 
 They themselves did not give him. Which 
 custom, after their example, deriving it from 
 them, the Church observes to this c^ay." 
 St. Ambrose, commenting upon the words 
 of my text, says, "it means the imposition 
 of hands, by which the Holy Spirit is sup- 
 posed to be received; which, after baptism, 
 
ON CONFIRMATION. 19 
 
 is wont to be done by the chief priests, for 
 the confirmation of men in the unity of the 
 Church of Christ." We have parts of an 
 office for the administration of Confirmation, 
 which was used near fourteen hundred years 
 ago ; and it would be difficult to find, before 
 the Reformation, a Church in which Confir- 
 mation was not retained. At the Reforma- 
 tion it was preserved by all the Protestant 
 Churches, which kept the^Episcopal office. 
 The Lutheran Church, which did not hold 
 that office essential, nevertheless retained 
 Confirmation as of Apostolic origin, commit- 
 ting the administration of it to the priests; 
 and in Calvin's Church, the Church of Ge- 
 neva, which at first renounced it, it has been 
 restored, and an office provided for the admi- 
 nistration of it. To us it has come through a 
 very ancient Church, which never was with- 
 out it. And our Church, you know, hath 
 set forth her excellent Catechism for the 
 very purpose of preparing her children for 
 this ordinance ; and at baptism gives it in 
 special charge to sponsors to take care that 
 at a suitable time their wards receive it. 
 
 Now, concerning the authority of this rite, 
 after the account which has been given of it, 
 
20 SERMON I. 
 
 it is not necessary for me to utter many words. 
 There is an obligation upon all men to ob- 
 serve the institutions of the community to 
 which they belong, that have been established 
 by proper authority, and are of public utility ; 
 and this obligation has a peculiar force in the 
 Church of Christ. For an ordinance of our 
 religion which comes to us clothed with such 
 venerable antiquity, nature, moreover, dic- 
 tates that we manifest a sacred respect. But 
 when we rise to tlie Apostolic ago, and be- 
 hold it provided for and practised by the 
 twelve, we find it supported by the authority 
 of God. Our Lord passed with his Apostles 
 forty days after his resurrection, " speaking 
 of the things pertaining to the kingdom of 
 God." During this time he doubtless gave 
 them many instructions how they were to 
 proceed in all things which concerned his 
 Church. The beloved disciple tells us, that 
 very many things were spoken which are 
 not recorded. They are not written, be- 
 cause they concerned those only to whom 
 they were addressed. Enough is written, 
 that we may believe, and " believing, may 
 have life through his name." When about 
 to leave them and return to his Father, he 
 
ON CONFIRMATIOxN. 21 
 
 moreover promised to send the Holy Ghost 
 to them, that he might " bring all things to 
 their remembrance," and " guide them into 
 all truth." This promise was fulfilled on 
 the day of Pentecost, and we may be sure 
 that the things concerning doctrine, or go- 
 vernment, or worship, which the Apostles 
 established in the Church as of universal 
 obligation, they established according to the 
 instructions of their Mater, or by the inspi- 
 ration of this Spirit of Truth. Whatever 
 they placed in the foundations of Christianity, 
 as they have " the laying on of hands," had 
 divine approbation. Whatever they ranked 
 among the first principles of the doctrine of 
 Christ, had the authority of God. 
 
 Could any thing add to the obligation of 
 that which has the authority of God, there 
 will be found, when we come to treat of the 
 utility of this rite, some considerations which 
 cannot fail to attract to it our regard. It 
 will then be seen to have had its correspon- 
 dent in the Jewish Church, and its analogy 
 in the heathen world ; to have been prefi- 
 gured by the great visible descent of the 
 Holy Ghost upon the Apostles on" the day of 
 Pentecost, and to be commended to our ob- 
 
22 SERMON I. 
 
 servance by some instructive circumstances 
 of the baptism of our blessed Lord. But, 
 before we proceed to the pro})riety and utility 
 of the rite, its import should have our atten- 
 tion. Of this it is proposed in the next place 
 to treat. 
 
 2. Confirmation, you have seen, is the 
 *' laying on of hands," alluded to in the text. 
 This rite was, indeed, anciently called the 
 ** laying on of hands." Confirmation is a 
 name given it in later ages. But how came 
 the ceremony of " laying on of hands" to be 
 used in this business ^ What does it imply ? 
 Wherein consists its significance and value.'* 
 
 Let it be observed, that this is the most 
 natural and ancient way of indicating the 
 blessing of any person, and designation of 
 him to any honour, trnst, favour, atid pro- 
 tection. Thus Jacob, when, with parental 
 affection and prophetical authority, he would 
 bestow a benediction upon the two sons of 
 Joseph, and declare the favours and distinc- 
 tions which awaited them, laid his hands upon 
 their heads. Thus Moses, when he would 
 impart to Joshua a portion of his honour 
 according to God's command, did it by this 
 
ON COXFIRMATIOX. 23 
 
 ceremony. - And Joshua," says the record, 
 ^' was full of the Spirit of Wisdom, for Mo- 
 ses had laid his hands upon him." Thus 
 when a part of the same Spirit which was 
 in the great ruler of Israel, was to be taken 
 by God, and put into the seventy elders who 
 were to share with him his cares and honours, 
 It w^as done, the Jewish writers tell us, by 
 " laying on of hands." Moses, our master, 
 saith Maimonides, created the seventy el- 
 ders by imposition of hands, and the divine 
 Majesty rested on them ; and these elders 
 imposed hands on others, and others on 
 others. And they were found created unto 
 the house of judgment, of Joshua and of 
 Moses. Thus the Priests and Levites under 
 the Jewish dispensation, extended their hands 
 over the whole congregation, when they pro- 
 nounced upon them the blessing of God. 
 And thus our divine Master," the pattern of 
 all that is wise and becoming in human con- 
 duct, when he would declare his good will 
 towards the young children whom the peo- 
 ple had brought unto him, laid his hands on 
 them, and blessed them. This ceremony is, 
 mdeed, the natural expression of affection- 
 ate or authoritative benediction. The fa- 
 
34 SERMON I. 
 
 ther, the priest, the friend lifts his hands to 
 heaven in suppHcation of a blessing, and 
 then, causing them to descend and rest upon 
 the head of the object for whom he suppli- 
 cates, consigns him thereby to the enjoy- 
 ment of the blessing sought, and certifies to 
 him his faith that it will come upon him. 
 
 Now our heavenly Father deals with us as 
 with men. He has graciously accommodated 
 himself to our nature in all his transactions 
 concerning our salvation. A religion with- 
 out forms, proposing inward spiritual graces 
 without any outward visible signs or expres- 
 sions of them, would not be adapted to us 
 in our present condition, if, indeed, such a 
 religion would be suited to the condition of 
 any created beings in the universe. Man 
 has a body as well as a spirit ; senses as well 
 as a soul. And in nothing has God more 
 commended his care and condescension to 
 us, than in his regard to this constitution of 
 our nature, in the revelation he has given 
 us of our interests and duties. By outward 
 signs he manifests and certifies, even to our 
 senses, the wonders of his mercy ; and these 
 signs are taken from usages of our natural 
 life, which furnish instructive analogies, and 
 
ON CONFIRMATION. 25 
 
 are, in their spiritual application, both sim- 
 pie and impressive. The waters of baptism 
 are but a visible representation and assu- 
 rance of the cleansing of our nature from 
 the guilt of original sin, through the mercies 
 that are in Christ Jesus. In the Lord's Sup- 
 per there is a sensible representation of the 
 sacrifice by which our sins are taken away, 
 and sensible pledges of the favour of God, 
 and of our sustenance to everlasting life. 
 Yea, the preaching of the Gospel is a re- 
 presentation, by artificial methods, of the 
 truths it reveals ; for words are but signs of 
 the things expressed by them, fit and neces- 
 sary to be used by beings to whom the ear 
 is an avenue of knowledge, and speech an 
 instrument for conveying it. And it is diffi- 
 cult to conceive why men may not be in- 
 structed by the hand as well as the tongue ; 
 why the gestures of the former, as well as 
 the motions of the latter, may not be ren- 
 dered by him who made them both signifi- 
 cant of his mercy, and promotive of his 
 praise. If there be any spiritual blessings 
 which *' laying on of hands" might happily 
 signify or convey, there will be found, in 
 the account which has been given of the 
 3 
 
26 SERMON I. 
 
 ancient and natural use of this ceremony, 
 impressive reasons why the adoption of it 
 by our heavenly Father, in expressing to us 
 his mercies, would be very instructive and 
 full of comfort. Let us see whether there 
 are any such blessings. 
 
 What are the benefits which man seeks in 
 recurring to the Gospel ? They are all its 
 merciful proffers ; the pardon of sins ; adop- 
 tion anew into the favour of God ; the pro-: 
 mise of eternal life ; but chiefly after he has 
 been by baptism " regenerate and grafted 
 into the body of Christ's Church ;" tlte pro- 
 tecting and strengthening, the sanctifying 
 and comforting influences of the Holy Spirit. 
 Reason, in the wisest of the heathens, taught 
 them the necessity of divine assistance in 
 the pursuit of goodness. The Scriptures 
 tell us that we are not '' sufficient of our- 
 selves to think any thing of ourselves ; that 
 our sufficiency is of God." The experience 
 ©f every considerate man shows him, alas I 
 the frailty of his nature when he is left to 
 himself; his dej)endence for faith and holi- 
 ness upon the help oi' («od. The presence, 
 indeed, and efficacious influences of the Holy 
 Spirit, are that without which man sinks. 
 
GN CONFIRMATION. 27 
 
 the victim of his intirmities, into ignorance 
 and corruption, and spiritual death ; and 
 with which he rises in proportion to his mea- 
 sure of it, and the constancy of its opera- 
 tion, to a nearer and nearer resemblance to 
 the God who created him. This important 
 gift, with the other mercies of the Gospel, the 
 Almighty covenants with Christians, when 
 they are baptized, to bestow upon them ; and 
 no outward rite, more affecting, could he 
 have approved " as a means whereby" to 
 convey "the same;" no ceremony more 
 significant can be imagined as " a pledge 
 to assure us thereof," than the " laying on 
 of hands." How naturally this ceremony 
 may be applied to a use like this ! how adapt- 
 ed to it, it is in the view of God himself, is 
 impressively shown us in two occurrences 
 upon sacred record. The first is an event 
 in the life of Moses. When the glory of 
 the Divine Nature was to pass this ancient 
 servant of the Almighty, to protect and com- 
 fort him, lest he should be consumed in all 
 his infirmities by the display of the face of 
 God, we are told that he placed him first in 
 the cleft of a rock, which may not unaptly 
 represent baptism, whose waters were typi- 
 
28 sERsroN I. 
 
 fied by the waters which flowed from the 
 cleft of the rock which Moses smote ; and 
 afterwards, for his greater security, covered 
 him with his hand while he passed by. The 
 other is an occurrence in the life of the be- 
 loved disciple, on that interesting Lord^s 
 day which he passed in the isle of Patmos. 
 There appeared to him ** one like the Son 
 of Man." " And when he saw him," over- 
 whelmed, doubtless, by his greatness, and 
 the consciousness of his own imperfections, 
 he " fell at his feet as dead." And Jesus, 
 for it was probably he, who had come to his 
 disciple in exile, " laid his right hand upon 
 him, saying unto him. Fear not," So natu- 
 ral and significant is it even with God, to 
 express the bestowal of protection, benedic- 
 tion and favour, by the ** laying on of hands." 
 And what can man more earnestly desire 
 than such a sensible benediction from his 
 Father in heaven .'' How should the gift of 
 the Holy Ghost be more suitably conveyed 
 than by such an imposition of hands ? 
 
 But what do I say ? " Will God in very 
 deed dwell on the earth ? Behold the heaven, 
 and the heaven of heavens cannot contain 
 him f " And shall he appear in every instance 
 
ON COx\FIRMATION. 23 
 
 to certify to every man this his gift ? To us, 
 sinful beings, shall the God of Heaven come 
 to lay on us, individually, his hands ? Ah ! 
 beloved brethren, who could stand if he 
 thus appeared ? Before him the angels bow, 
 and the archangels veil their faces. At his 
 presence " the earth trembleth," and the 
 " mountains quake" at his apj)earance. He 
 looketh unto " the moon, and it shineth not, 
 and the stars are not pure in his sight." His 
 people hear his voice in Sinai, and they ex- 
 claim, *' Let not God speak unto us, lest we 
 die." Even Moses says, *' I exceedingly 
 fear and tremble." At the naked display of 
 the face of our Creator, it is to be feared, 
 we should, in this life, be consumed. We 
 must wait till v\'e have put off these simple 
 bodies, and all the imperfections of this 
 earthly state ; we must wait till the Son, our 
 Mediator, shall present us to the eternal 
 glory of the Father, covering us even then 
 with his own '' right hand," before we can 
 sustain the sight of Almighty God. " No 
 man shall see me, and live." 
 
 How, then, shall our Father in heaven 
 signify to us, and convey this inestimable 
 gift 1 Should he send iiis angels on this er~ 
 3* 
 
30 SERMON I. 
 
 rand of love ; should these '* ministering 
 spirits" of his kingdom descend in his be- 
 half, to lay on us their hands, to assure us 
 of his favour and help, there are evil conse- 
 quences from which it would not be easy to 
 secure our feeble nature. Man is prone to 
 be led by his senses. The idolatry of the 
 world shows how apt he is to offer his ho- 
 mage to the sensible sources of his benefits, 
 to rest his spirit upon representations of the 
 invisible God. Should angels bestow visi- 
 bly upon every man, the benediction of the 
 Almigbty, there would be great danger that 
 our admiration, and gratitude, and even our 
 worship, would be confined to these glorious 
 benefactors ; and thus we might be led to 
 render to creatures the honour which is due 
 to the Being who hath declared himself " a 
 jealous God," and sufters not his honour to 
 be given with impunity to any other. 
 
 Yet that which the great King of Heaven 
 does not descend to do himself to every per- 
 son, he may do effectually by instruments 
 and agents ; and with wonderful condescend 
 sion, he takes of the frail children of men, 
 to minister among men in things pertaining 
 to his kingdom. He hath appointed a Priest- 
 
ON CONFIRMATION. 31 
 
 hood in his Church ; and to those who suc- 
 cessively are ordained to it, he hath com- 
 mitted "the ministry of reconciHation," the 
 dispensing of his word and sacraments, and 
 the performance, in his name, of all visible 
 acts concerning your salvation. To them it 
 appertains to seal to every Christian in bap- 
 tism his participation of all the mercies re- 
 vealed in Christ, and especially of the pro- 
 mise of the Holy Spirit ; and when he comes 
 of age to need more particularly this portion 
 of his inheritance, by " laying on of hands,'* 
 to certify him of God's favour and gracious 
 goodness towards him ; to signify and convey 
 to him his strength and joy in the Holy Ghost. 
 Not that in them there is any extraordinary 
 virtue, Ah ! no. To use the language of 
 St. Paul, they, too, are men subject to like 
 passions with yourselves. It is the office, 
 brethren, and not the mortal man, that we 
 would have in your view in all our holy 
 functions. In taking from among men the 
 agents whom he employs in the works of 
 your salvation, God has graciously accom- 
 modated himself to the infirmities and con- 
 venience of your nature ; wisely guarding 
 you against the peril of having your attention 
 
32 SERMON I. 
 
 turned from him to any other beings as 
 sources of your blessings. The " treasure" 
 of Confirmation, as an inspired Apostle hath 
 said of all the benefits of the Christian mi- 
 nistry, you " have in earthen vessels, that 
 the excellency of the power may be of God, 
 and not of us." 
 
 You see, then, that in the ordinance of 
 " laying on of hands," they who minister 
 therein, do, in God's behalf, by this signifi- 
 cant act, confirm to Christians the mercies 
 of the baptismal covenant ; and more espe- 
 cially, as what they have then most need to 
 receive and be assured of, his heavenly be- 
 nediction, and the gift of the Holy Ghost. 
 Accordingly, in the excellent oftice provided 
 by our Church for the due administration of 
 this rite, they first pray that the Almighty 
 would " strengthen" those who are to re- 
 ceive it " with the Holy Ghost the Com- 
 forter ; and daily increase in them his mani- 
 fold gifts of grace :" and when they lay their 
 hands severally upon the heads of the reci- 
 pients, they do it, supplicating for each, that 
 ^'God would defend them with his heavenly 
 grace, that they may continue his for ever, 
 and daily increase in his Holy Spirit more and 
 
ON CONFIRMATION. 33 
 
 more, until they come unto his everlasting 
 kingdom." 
 
 But the gift of this, aiid of all the mercies 
 of the Gospel, is suspended by the Author of 
 them upon certain conditions. Evident it is, 
 in the nature of the thing, that they who 
 desire and seek the Holy Spirit, must have 
 repentance towards God, and faith in Jesus 
 Christ, and a sincere wish to walk in new- 
 ness of life. And these qualifications are 
 required by God, in Scripture, of all those 
 who would be partakers of his salvation. 
 While, therefore, in the ordinance of " lay- 
 ing on of hands" there is a confirmation to 
 those who receive it, of the precious mer- 
 cies which were obtained for them in bap- 
 tism, and a fulfilment of the promise of the 
 Holy Spirit, there is also by the recipients 
 a profession of Christianity ; a taking upon 
 themselves the obligations of the Christian 
 life ; a confirmation, on their part, of the 
 promises and vows which were made in their 
 names when they were baptized. On this 
 account it is, that the ministers of Confir- 
 mation^ in the office provided for the admi- 
 nistration of it, first demand of those who 
 are to receive it, whether they " do, in the 
 
34 SERMON I. 
 
 presence of God and of the congregation, 
 renew the solemn promise and vow that they 
 made, or that was made in their name, at 
 their baptism ; ratifying and confirming the 
 same ; and acknowledging themselves bound 
 to believe and to do all those things which 
 they then undertook, or their sponsors then 
 undertook for them ?" And to this inquuy 
 they every one answer audibly, " I do." An 
 answer, worthy to be pondered well before 
 it is given ; as upon the sincerity and intel- 
 ligence with which it is given, much of the 
 satisfaction must depend, which may be had 
 in observing this ordinance. 
 
 It appears, then, that Confirmation is ad- 
 ministered for the supply of the grace of 
 God in a way adapted to the present condi- 
 tion of our nature. On the part of the re- 
 cipients there is a profession of the Christian 
 faith, by a public and formal ratification, in 
 their own names, of the baptismal covenant ; 
 and an application for the help and benedic- 
 tion of God. God meets them by his mi- 
 nister, who, by the significant ceremony of 
 " laying on of hands," confirms to them, on 
 God's part, all the covenant of his mercies ; 
 assuring them especially of his Spirit and 
 
ON CONFIRMATION. 35 
 
 benediction, to help them to *' fight,'' under 
 their Redeemer's banner, " the good fight 
 of faith," and to attain " eternal life." 
 
 Not that they, to whom is committed the 
 administration of this rite, have power to 
 convey, arbitrarily, to whom they will, the 
 graces of the Holy Spirit. God only gives. 
 They are but instruments, by whom he acts. 
 And while, as ministers, they give you his 
 benediction, as men they need your prayers. 
 
 Neither are you to expect upon your re- 
 ception of this rite, any sudden change in 
 your nature, or extraordinary operation upon 
 your spirits. For "so is the kingdom, as 
 if a man should cast seed into the ground, 
 and should sleep, and rise night and day, 
 and the seed should spring and grow up, he 
 knoweth not how : producing first the blade, 
 then the' ear, after that the full corn in the 
 ear." Our duty is to be in the use of the 
 means of grace which God hath provided for 
 us, and leave to him the accomplishment of 
 his purposes. We may not immediately 
 perceive, upon receiving Confirmation, any 
 change in our knowledge or virtue. We may, 
 after the reception of it, fall, perhaps, into 
 transgression, and not be uniform in our 
 
36 SERMON I. 
 
 growth in grace. We may wonder, in the 
 spirit of the Syrian leper, how, by the in- 
 strumentaUty of such unhkely means, the 
 help of the Spirit of God should be com- 
 municated. But in those who, with right 
 dispositions, observe this ordinance, and faith- 
 fully endeavour afterwards to fulfil its con- 
 ditions, it is the part of faith to believe that 
 he will cause its design to be accomplished 
 in them who receive it, vanquishing by his 
 power and goodness the obstacles to their 
 salvation ; and in us who administer it, " not 
 having regard to our unworthiness, but to 
 the purposes of mercy which he hath ap- 
 pointed us to serve."* 
 
 * Archbishop Seeker. 
 
SERMON 11. 
 
 Hebrews vi. 2. 
 
 The doctrine of baptis?ns, and of laying on 
 
 of hands. 
 
 In discoiirshig from these words when they 
 were first introduced to your consideration, 
 It was projiosed to set before you, in the first 
 place, the antiquity and authority of Con- 
 firmaiion ; secondly, its import ; and, thirdly, 
 the propriety and utility of it. Under the 
 first head it has been shown, that Confirma- 
 tion is the 'Maying on of hands" alluded to 
 in the text, and, consequently, as ancient 
 as the Apostles' days, from whom it has de- 
 scended to the Church in every age since ; 
 and being reckoned by them among the first 
 principles of the Gospel of Christ, must be 
 considered as having the approbation and 
 authority of God. In treating under the 
 second head of the import of this rite, it 
 appeared that Confirmation is administered 
 for the supply of the grace of God in a way 
 adapted to the present condition of our na- 
 4 
 
3W SERftTON ir. 
 
 ture ; implying, on the part of the recipients, 
 a profession of the Christian faith, by a pub- 
 lic and formal ratification, in their own names, 
 of the baptismal covenant, and an applica- 
 tion for the help and benediction of God ; 
 and, on -the part of God, a confirming to 
 them, by the significant ceremony of " lay- 
 ing on of hands," all the covenant of his 
 mercies, assuring them especially of his Spi- 
 rit and benediction, to help them to " fight," 
 under their Redeemer's banner, " the good 
 fight of faith," and to attain " eternal life." 
 
 We are now to consider, in the last place, 
 the propriety and utility of this ordinance. 
 
 In the first place, its utility is very great 
 in bringing to our view the nature and obli- 
 gations of our baptism. Ah ! who hath pon- 
 dered sufficiently the great things which were 
 done for him when he was baptized " in the 
 name of the Father, and of the Son, and of 
 the Holy Ghost T' In that sacrament we 
 were made " members of Christ, children 
 of God, and inheritors of the kingdom of 
 heaven." It was the most momentous trans- 
 action which shall be done for us, individu- 
 ally, in this lower world. And yet how 
 many Christians grow up and pass through 
 
ON CONFIRMATION. 39 
 
 life without consciousness of these great be- 
 hests ! Though heirs, if they will be so, of 
 iinmortality and bhss in heavenly regiojis, 
 they live as if their only inheritance was the 
 few short years they pass upon this earth, 
 andthounsatisfying pursuits and fleeting plea- 
 sures in which they spend them. Though 
 made by baptism " little lower than the an- 
 gels" in their endowments and relations, 
 they choose their portion, and expend their 
 lives, as if God had made them little higher 
 t4ian the brutes. This often proceeds, in all 
 probability, from their not taking sufficiently 
 impressive views of what was done for them 
 wdien they were baptized. They are un- 
 acquainted with the greatness of their voca- 
 tion, with the treastires which belong to 
 them, with the glories which are within their 
 reach. Confirmation brings baptism to their 
 notice. It engages their attention to the 
 great things which God hath done for them, 
 whereof they should be glad ; and the solemn 
 things he requires of them, whereof they 
 should be mindful ; and thus is calculated to 
 make them early acquainted with their pri- 
 vileges and duties as Christians, of whiclv, 
 without this rite to point to the watei's iii 
 
40 ^ SERMON II. 
 
 which they were washed, and the mercies 
 which have been sealed to them, they might 
 pass through many stages of life, and even 
 descend into the grave, with* vague appre- 
 hensions, or in utter ignorance. But of such 
 an ignorance, the consequences in the world 
 to come may be eternally lamented. Even 
 in this world it subjects men to the greatest 
 privations in their most important concerns. 
 Without a knowledge of the value of their 
 baptism, they must be destitute of the true 
 spring of Christian exertion, and the highest 
 source of human joy. Their life will want 
 the Christian character, their happiness the 
 Christian foundation, their devotion the Chris- 
 tian spirit. They cannot, with understand- 
 ing, apply to themselves the grateful strain 
 in which the Psalmist describes the condition 
 of the redeemed ; "he brought me out of 
 the horrible pit, out of the mire and clay, 
 and set my feet upon the rock, and ordered 
 my goings ;" nor join in spirit and in truth 
 with the Church, in her hymn to the Author 
 of her salvation, "Day by day we magnify 
 thee, and we worship thy name ever world 
 without end." 
 
 Again, this rite is very proper and useful 
 
ON CONFIRMATION. 41 
 
 in affording young persons an ojiportunity to 
 make, publicly, a profession of the Christian 
 rehgion. So becoming and desirable, so rea- 
 sonable and beneficial is such a profession, 
 that nature dictated a correspondent practice 
 in the most cultiv ated nations of the heathen 
 world. In Persia, their youths were required, 
 when they came to man's estate, to take a 
 solemn oath that they would despise all filthy 
 lucre, bodily pleasure, and :i:ain glory ; that 
 they would be emulous of virtue, worship 
 God, and honour their parents; that they 
 would speak truth, do good, and never wil- 
 fully violate any of these tilings. Among 
 the Athenians, when their young men were 
 enrolled, according to the usage of their na- 
 tion, they bound themselves, by a solemn ob- 
 hgation, to observe the perpetual solemnities 
 and received customs of their country, and 
 to defend and reverence the religion in which 
 they were born. 
 
 What appeared so proper to enlightened 
 reason, seems also to have had the sanction 
 of divine approbation. Among the Jews^ 
 that people so highly favoured and so fully 
 instructed of God, we find a similar practice. 
 " When the Jewish children came to be 
 4* 
 
42 SERMON II. 
 
 thirteen years of age, and had learnt the 
 law and their prayers, they were presented 
 by their father before a holy assembly, and 
 there solemnly took upon themselves the ob- 
 servation of the law, and were thenceforth 
 to answer for their own faults. All which 
 was concluded with prayer for their increase 
 in good works." To this custom our blessed 
 Lord, who for our example was careful " to 
 fulfil all righteousness," is supposed to have 
 submitted himself, when at twelve years of 
 age, having, by his rare attainments, accord- 
 ing to a Jewish phrase, run before the com- 
 mand, he was found at Jerusalem, " in the 
 midst of the doctors, hearhig them, and ask- 
 ing them questions." And di^ the youthful 
 Jew study assiduously the shadowy religion 
 and voluminous law of his fathers, and re- 
 joice publicly to take upon himself that yoke 
 which it was so laborious and painful to bear ? 
 Yea, did the heathens, by a formal act, pro- 
 fess the dark, unsatisfying religions of their 
 country, and promise to reverence and de- 
 fend them f And shall Christians not openly 
 avow their attachment to the religion which 
 .bringeth unto them salvation, and sheds a 
 Ailear and benign light upon all the paths of 
 
ON CONFIRMATION. 43 
 
 life ? Shall they, to whom the Son of God 
 has come to instruct them, who have been 
 redeemed by his blood, and are taught the 
 way to eternal life by the words of his mouth ; 
 shall they neglect to choose him for their 
 Lord, and to devote themselves openly to 
 his service f In them who have been bap- 
 tized, it is not only reasonable and becoming 
 to do so — it is required of them. They owe 
 it to the Church who applied to them, in 
 heir infancy, the benefits of the baptismal 
 covenant, in the confident belief that when 
 they grew up they would acknowledge its 
 obligations. They owe it to their sponsors, 
 who, when they were unable to act for them- 
 selves, charitably took upon them these 
 obligations in their names, in the just ex- 
 pectation that " when they came of age they 
 would take them upon themselves." They 
 owe it to God the Father, Son, and Holy 
 Ghost, who demands that all men should en- 
 list openly under the banners of the Christ, 
 and not be ashamed of him before men, if 
 they would partake of his triumphs over sin 
 and death, and not have him ashamed of 
 them, when he " shall come in the glory of 
 the Father, and all the holy angels with him." 
 
44 SERMON il. 
 
 *^ The righteousness which is of faith," " what 
 saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in 
 thy moiith, and in thy heart ; that is, the 
 word of faith, which we preach ; that if thou 
 slialt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, 
 and shalt beheve in thine heart that God 
 hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be 
 saved. For with the heart man beheveth 
 unto righteousness ; and with the mouth 
 confession is made unto salvation." It was 
 probably to some such act by the excellent 
 Timothy that St. Paul alludes, when he re- 
 minds him with such powerful effect, in his 
 first Epistle to him, that he had " professed 
 a good profession before many witnesses ;" 
 and among the advantages of Confirmation 
 it is not the least, that it afibrds a suitable, 
 and, to the young, a very seasonable oppor- 
 tunity of publicly declaring tli^ir faith in, 
 and devotedness to, tlue religion in which 
 they were baptized ; the religion of their 
 fathers ; the religion of the Redeemer, who 
 alone hath " the words of eternal hfe ;" the 
 religion by which, if at all, mankind must be 
 reformed, and saved, and made happy ; and 
 to the knowledge of which it is a distinguish- 
 ing mercy that God hath vouchsafed to call 
 
ON CONFIRMATION. 45 
 
 .t all itsoflsprmg, its sons, and its daughters 
 were seen at their entrance upon the^caree 
 of active hfe making this profession. 
 
 *or, I add, in the third place, that it is 
 h'gUy useful, at the period when men's 
 mbits are beginning to be formed, to liave 
 their minds and hearts prepossessed by the 
 instructions of religion. Man is a religious 
 being; his interests and destinies are not 
 confined to this present world ; he is to exist 
 hrough eternity. Yet the things of this life 
 seize fast upon his attention, and have a 
 powerfijl influence upon his passions and con- 
 duct. He passes the first years of his existence 
 m a state in which there is every thing to 
 mislead his opinions and endanger his viitue. 
 The world is infectious. Few bring back 
 at eve immaculate the manners of the morn. 
 Ah. how many thoughts become rooted in 
 ti^ mind; how many habits are given to the 
 affections; how many biases are put upon 
 the conduct, in the years of youth, which it 
 
 A "V°".f' "'■"' '''''°"'"' ""^ '"°^t difficult 
 
 duty of the Christian, in after life, to correct 
 or destroy These evils proceed from want 
 of better knowledge or holier impressions 
 
46 SERMON II. 
 
 They would hardly find place if the ground 
 in which they appear were occupied with 
 plants of religious setting, and warmed with 
 the light of celestial wisdom, and watered 
 with the dews of heaven ; at least they would 
 not strike their roots so deep, and have so 
 strong a growth, as to become so difficult to 
 guide, so hard to extirpate. Confirmation 
 calls the attention to religion : it sets before 
 the youthful mind what God hath forbidden 
 as evil ; what he has revealed as true, and of 
 highest importance to them ; and what he 
 hath enjoined as good : it excites inquiry; 
 inquiry begets knowledge ; knowledge ob- 
 tained aEd professed under such solemn aus- 
 pices can hardly fail to produce' an increase 
 of piety ; and thus there is placed early in 
 the hearts of the young a light by which they 
 may discern the character and tendency of 
 their desires ; thus they are ftunished with 
 defence, as far as knowledge will go, against 
 the errors and immoralities to which they 
 cannot but be exposed, by the corruption of 
 their sinful nature, and the pollutions which 
 arc in the world. 
 
 Once more ; the comfort and encourage- 
 ment, the peace and animation, afforded by 
 
ON CONFIRMATION. 47 
 
 tins rite, are evidences of its utility. To be 
 assured that a thing is attainable is a power- 
 ful incentive to pursuit. To have success 
 guarantied to us is the greatest encourage- 
 ment to exertion. How animating is it, 
 when undertaking a difficult work, to have 
 the good wishes of our friends, the benedic- 
 tion of our parents, and assurance of the 
 prayers and assistance of those who are able 
 to help us. The course of virtue is an ar- 
 duous one. The objects which the Christian 
 pursues are great and glorious ; but between 
 him and the attainment of them, there are 
 distance, and many obstacles. Confirmation 
 brings to him all those encouragements. It 
 assures him that eternal life is attainable by 
 him, and guaranties the attainment of it to 
 lii& faithful pursuit, with the oath of God. 
 It gives him the benediction of his heavenly 
 Father, and the good wishes of all the bless- 
 ed Trinity in his undertaking ; and promises 
 the help of one who is mighty to save. In 
 it the Almighty says to him in effect, at his 
 entrance upon the service to which he is 
 called, " my presence shall go with youj 
 and I will give you rest." At any stage of 
 1ms journeying, he may look back to this co- 
 
48 SERMON II. 
 
 Tenant and benediction, and if he have en- 
 deavoured to observe his vows, *' though an 
 host should encamp against him, his heart 
 need not fear ; though" spiritual " war should 
 rise up against him, in them should he be 
 confident." If he be ready to say of his 
 adversaries, tlie evil passions of his heart 
 and the " crafts and assaults of the devil," 
 the temptations and sorrows of life, and the 
 terrors of death, these enemies are greater 
 and mightier than I, how shall I disfiossess 
 them f the voice of the Almighty may be 
 heard in this rite, saying, " Fear not, for I 
 am with thee ; be not dismayed, for I am 
 thy God." As in any undertaking, so in the 
 outset of the Christian Hfe nothing can be 
 more valuable than the knowledge of the 
 favour and benediction of the Most High. 
 He cheerfully pursues his object who knows 
 that the Almighty is his helper and friend in 
 the pursuit. This is especially the case in 
 approaching the Lord's Supper. As on the 
 one hand it is proper, that before Christians 
 partake of that heavenly food, they should 
 submit to the order and rules of the family 
 for whose sustenance and refreshment that 
 food is provided ; so, on the other hand, it 
 
ON CONFIRMATION. 49 
 
 is very desirable that a portion of that Spi- 
 rit which actuates the family should be 
 transfused unto their bosoms, jind they be 
 assured of their welcome, by being certified 
 of their participation in that favour which 
 the great Head of the family extends to all 
 the household. The usefulness and pro- 
 priety of this rite, in preparing Christians to 
 go to the holy table with those indispensable 
 requisites, a full trust in God's mercy, and 
 a quiet conscience, are so great, that the 
 Church has seen fit to order, that " there 
 shall none be admitted to the Holy Com- 
 munion until such time as he be confirmed, 
 or be ready and desirous to be confirmed.'* 
 This instance of the utility of this ordinance, 
 whether it be considered with respect to the 
 good order and reputation of the Church, or 
 to the peace and comfort of the Christian, 
 at that trying and timid period of his life, 
 when he is about to perform, for the first 
 time, his highest and most solemn duty, it is 
 not possible to estimate too highly. 
 
 But what is knowledge, what is animation, 
 
 without strength ! It is a difficult warfare in 
 
 which the Christian is e^ngaged. It is not 
 
 enough that he has been enlisted to "fight 
 
 o 
 
50 SERMON It. 
 
 manfully under the banner of the Redeemer ;" 
 he must be furnished with arms and strength 
 for the contest. It is not enough that he 
 have been separated and devoted in baptism 
 to the service of his Lord ; he needs the 
 Holy Spirit, of whose union with him Con- 
 firmation is the sign and means to strengthen 
 and protect, to help and defend him. And 
 the utility of this ordinance is in no respect 
 greater than in furnishing you with the wea- 
 pons of your warfare, at a time when your 
 enemies are most numerous, your danger 
 greatest, and your own strength least tried 
 and immature. This utility of the rite was 
 prefigured in the case of the Apostles. They 
 had been called to be his disciples by our 
 Lord himself; they had professed faith, and 
 repentance, and devotion to their Master ; 
 they had partaken of the symbols of his 
 body and blood, at the first celebration of 
 his Holy Supper ; he had said unto them, 
 " he that is washed needeth not save to wash 
 his feet, but is clean every whit, and ye are 
 clean." " Ye are clean through the word 
 which I have spoken unto you." Yet were 
 they " slow of heart to believe all that the 
 prophets had written." Their understand- 
 
ON CONFIRMATION. 51 
 
 ings were dull in apprehending the plan of 
 salvation which their Master w*as accom- 
 plishing. They were ambitious and emulous ; 
 and when Jesus fell into the hands of his 
 enemies, they all *' forsook him and fled." 
 Their Master knew their need of the Com- 
 forter to open their understandings and "abide 
 with them for ever ;" and he instructed them 
 not to go forth to their Christian work till 
 they were " endued with power from on 
 high." On the day of Pentecost they re- 
 ceived their large portions of this gift, which, 
 having ascended up on high, their Lord had 
 received for men ; and, behold, they who 
 before understood none of his sayings, now 
 cotnprehended clearly the great doctrines of 
 his salvation ; they who were timid and per- 
 plexed, became courageous and happy in 
 his cause ; exhibiting, through the aid of the 
 Spirit, not only miraculous deeds, but such 
 attainments also of faith and holiness, as 
 have been adduced, and with great power, 
 as evidences of the divine origin of the re- 
 ligion which they embraced. Let me turn 
 your attention to a higher example : — It is 
 that of our blessed Lord himself. Worthy 
 to be remembered by all his disciples is the 
 
iy^i SERMOxN II. 
 
 fact, that he entered not upon the labours 
 and trials of his life, and especially that he 
 went not forth to the temptation, to which, 
 for the full triumph of our nature over the 
 devil, and for the instruction of us all, he 
 condescended to submit himself, till he had 
 been baptized, and had received, after his 
 baptism, the Holy Ghost ; which, when he 
 had come from the water, and was praying 
 on the shore, " descended upon him like a 
 dove ;" visibly, for the satisfaction of others ; 
 really, for his own Confirmation, in his hu- 
 man nature. Herein, in the opinion of some 
 ancient fathers, was represented to us " the 
 doctrine of baptisms, and laying on of hands." 
 '' When he was washed by the hands of 
 John," says one of them, *' the order of the 
 mystery was settled." The Father fulfilled 
 what the Son had asked, and what the Holy 
 Ghost had foretold. The spiritual oil im- 
 mediately descended in the image of a dove, 
 and sate upon his head, and anointed him, 
 from whence he began to be called Christ, 
 because he was anointed of God the Father. 
 And that imposition of hands might not seen^ 
 to be wanting, the voice of God was heard 
 from the cloud, saying, " This is my beloved 
 
ON CONFIRMATIOIV. 53 
 
 Son, in whom I am well pleased." And, 
 blessed Lord, if thou vventest not into the 
 wilderness to thy conflicts with the enemy, 
 and to the sufferings of thy unparalleled life, 
 till thou wast fortified with the Spirit, what 
 are we " to fight our fight, to finish our 
 course, to keep the faith," without the Holy 
 Ghost ! Happy, surely, are the youths upon 
 whom, at the period when their passions 
 aie strong, the allurement to pleasure en- 
 ticing, and all the devious paths of life open- 
 ing before the:*-', thou vouchsafest to bestow 
 the restraining and protecting, the strength- 
 ening and consoling influences of the Spirit, 
 the Comforter. " It was expedient for us 
 that thou shouldest go away," that thou 
 mightest " send him unto us." And useful 
 to the young Christian, yea, to all men, is 
 the rite of thy Church, by which thou as- 
 snrest them, if they perform their vows, of 
 their participation of this important part of 
 thy Father's favour and gracious goodness 
 towards thy people. 
 
 Again ; this ordinanec of the Church is 
 useful to remove the objections which many 
 persons have to the charitable office of spon- 
 sors, and to facilitate the discharge of tlic 
 5* 
 
54 SERMON II. 
 
 sponsors' duties. It is, indeed, an office of 
 great responsibility. In general its duties 
 are too heedlessly assumed, too negligently 
 performed. Sponsors, whose wards are no 
 more in this life, are they reaping in the 
 other world fruits of your care ? Are they 
 bearing testimony before the throne of God 
 to your pious fidelity? Sponsors, whose 
 wards arc living, and ye who shall hereafter 
 be called upon to appear as sponsors, let the 
 prospect of frequent opportunities of fulfill- 
 ing the charge which is given you at the close 
 of the baptismal ofiice, invite and animate 
 you to a faithful attention to the duties you 
 owe to those little ones, whom you took at 
 the altar from the arms of Christ's ministers, 
 and bring them up for his kingdom. Do you 
 say it is a difficult work ? and are any deter- 
 red on account of the responsibility from 
 undertaking this most kind, and, in the an- 
 cient Church, most useful office? Where 
 CoTifirmatlon is statedly administered, it will 
 be for a shorter time, yea, only for the years 
 in which the wards cannot act for themselves, 
 that the obligations will rest upon you. Of 
 the bodies of the helpless infants, for whom 
 there were in reserve large estates, great 
 
ON CONFIRMATION. 55 
 
 honours, and high destinies, would any of 
 you refuse to take care, for a few years, till 
 they might enter upon their possessions? 
 How much rather, then, of the souls of the 
 little ones, for years as few ; whose destinies 
 are immortality ; whose inheritance, if they 
 are fitted for it, is the kingdom of heaven. 
 Surely, the magnitude of the interests of 
 children which are involved in the discharge 
 of a sponsor's duties, and the prospect of 
 being under the res])onsibility only for those 
 years in which the young are not of age to 
 take care of their own souls, will diminish 
 the aversion of Christians to sustain this im- 
 portant office, and increase their anxiety to 
 discharge its obligations. And this leads to 
 mention, as another benefit which this rite 
 is calculated to promote, the diligent use of 
 that vajuable means of religious instruction — 
 the catechising of children. In the Cate- 
 chism of the Church, they must be sufficiently 
 instructed before they are brought to be 
 confirmed. For the purpose of preparing 
 thfem for Confirmation, this incomparable 
 compend of Christian instruction is said to 
 be set forth. And the young who are taught 
 to understand, as well as repeat it, cannot 
 
56 SERMON II. 
 
 be ignorant of any of the essential princi- 
 ples of our holy religion. The expected 
 returns, at stated times, of opportunities to 
 bring the young to be confirmed, will, it may 
 be hoped, excite and encourage ministers, 
 and sponsors, and parents, to a full and faith- 
 ful use of this excellent means of promoting 
 the knowledge and virtues of the rising ge- 
 neration ; and will also, by presenting an 
 object of importance to their mind, engage 
 the young more intensely and assiduously in 
 this instruction. Of the importance of this 
 influence of the rite, it is impossible to give 
 a full expression. " Whom," says the pro- 
 phet, *' shall he teach wisdom, and whom 
 shall he make to understand doctrine ? Thctn 
 that are weaned from the milk, and drawn 
 from the breasts r" 
 
 Further, this ordinance is oniinently cal- 
 culated to promote the comfort and edifica- 
 tion of the Church. The soundness of her 
 faith will be most likely to be preserved 
 when her young members, as they advance 
 to her highest privileges, are well instructed 
 therein ; and all professing the same princi- 
 ples, promise to be its supporters. By ga- 
 thering them together, in their earlier years. 
 
ON CONFIRMATION. 57 
 
 under the same wing of the Almighty, unity 
 of Spirit may happily be promoted, and the 
 bond of peace and charity strengthened. 
 More of the Kedeemer's family, it may be 
 expected, will be induced by this ordinance 
 to go to his table with a full trust in God*s 
 mercy, and a quiet conscience ; and while 
 the good order and reputation of the Church 
 will be promoted by tire satisfactory evidence 
 which will be hereby obtained, of the suffi- 
 ciency of their knowledge and good inten- 
 tions, who are received to her holy com- 
 munion ; they who are about to sit down, for 
 the first time, at the sacrament of the sup- 
 per, will, at this timid and anxious period 
 of the Christian's life, be encouraged and 
 strengthened by the previous reception of 
 God's benediction and grace. The Pastors 
 of the Church will be comforted when they 
 behold those whom they themselves, or their 
 predecessors, baptized when they were in- 
 fants, taking, with competent knowledge and 
 devout intentions, their privileges, and their 
 duties upon themselves. Those who have 
 long been guests at the sacred board will 
 have a holy consolation, when they see young 
 communicants rising, many of them from 
 
58 SERMON II. 
 
 among their own children, in successive 
 grades, to take their places at the table of 
 the Lord, when they shall be called to his 
 table in heaven. They that are without, 
 will observe with admiration in the Church, 
 what the good Psalmist so earnestly desired 
 to have seen in the Church to which he be- 
 longed — its " sons growing up as the young 
 plants, and its daughters being as tlic polished 
 corners of the temple." The efforts of the 
 elder to prepare the younger for this ordi- 
 nance, by instructing them in the Gospel ; 
 and the readiness of the younger to devote 
 themselves in it to the honour and obedience 
 of God, w^ould, in all probability, bring down 
 upon the community, larger portions of the 
 blessing of heaven ; and in the Churches in 
 which many were found thus walking in the 
 fear of the Lord, and comfort of the Holy 
 Ghost, it could hardly fail but that there 
 should be a goodly increase of Christian 
 knowledge, piety, and virtue. Upon this 
 point I have the testimony of the Bishops 
 of our Church, in those parts of it in which 
 it is most flourishing — that they have found 
 nothing more useful in promoting its growth, 
 and pi'osperity, than the administration of 
 
ON CONFIRMATION. 59 
 
 this rite. It is, indeed, a remarkable testi- 
 mony to the utility of Confirmation, that 
 when the Ministry and Liturgy of the Church 
 from which we have received it, were, in a 
 time of unhappy ferment, abolished, many 
 of those who succeeded to places without 
 the office of those who were removed, took 
 upon them the administration of this ordi- 
 nance. 
 
 I add, lastly, that this rite is reasonable 
 and proper, as a becoming service to God. 
 He has a claim to the first devotion of our 
 hearts. Right and becoming it is, before 
 we enter on the world, to acknowledge him. 
 And especially when we have been made 
 his children by adoption and grace, he may 
 expect us to seek his help and benediction, 
 that we may glorify him with our bodies and 
 with our spirits, which are his. We may 
 believe that this service is pleasant and ac- 
 ceptable to God ; that our Father in heaven 
 is happy when we seek his spirit in favour. 
 For what man is there among you who is 
 not gratified when his children come to him 
 asking his blessing, and desiring his direc- 
 tion and aid, that they may do him good and 
 honourable service ? If ye,, then, are gra- 
 
60 SERMON II. 
 
 tified by the devotion of your offspring, is 
 he who implanted the paternal affections in 
 your bosom less affectionate to bis children 
 than you ? Of his readiness to bestow the 
 blessings which are sought in this rite, he 
 hath given us assurance, and affecting illus- 
 tration, in this beautiful appeal, by the mouth 
 of his Son : *' What man is there among you, 
 who, if his son ask bread, will he give him 
 a stone ? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him 
 a serpent ? If ye, then, being evil, know 
 how to give good gifts unto your children, 
 how much more shall your heavenly Father 
 give" the Holy Spirit " to them that ask it ?" 
 to them that ask it when they are setting out 
 on their journey through this perilous world ? 
 to them that ask it at his altar, in *' the 
 place which he hath chosen to put his name 
 there "?" to them that ask it with an unre- 
 served devotion of themselves to his service 
 and glory 1 to them that ask it in union with 
 his ministers and " the congregation of the 
 saints ?" to them that *' ask it in his Son's 
 name," at the moment when they are con- 
 firming their enlistment under his Son's ban- 
 ner, to fight against the enemies, whom he 
 would have them overcome ? If there be 
 
ON CONFIRMATION. 61 
 
 «pon earth a scene upon which " the High 
 and Holy One who inhabiteth eternity," looks 
 down with pleasure, he surely does upon 
 the comimnies of the young, when they are 
 gathered together to place themselves obe- 
 diently under the shadow of his wings, anx- 
 ious to be defended by him from every thing 
 which is displeasing to him ; and looking to 
 him, meekly, for assistance, that they may 
 be enabled to do his will, and become fitted 
 for that heaven which he wishes them to en- 
 joy. As he beholds them in their adoption 
 and devotion of themselves to his service, I 
 doubt not, to use a sentiment of one of the 
 most learned and pious divines of the English 
 Church, " he says of each of them, in a 
 proportionate degree, as he said of Jesus at 
 the moment when the Spirit like a dove de- 
 scended on him. This is my beloved child, in 
 whom I am well pleased." 
 
ADDRESS 
 
 DELIVERED IMMEDIATELY AFTER ADMINISTEniNG THE HOLT 
 AND APOSTOLICAL RITE OF C0NF1R5IATI0K. 
 
 My young Friends^ 
 
 There will be few occasions in the course 
 of your lives so interesting and important as 
 the present one. You have this day devoted 
 yourselves to the most high God, your Re- 
 deemer ; and he hath confirmed to you the 
 assurance that you are his adopted children, 
 and heirs of his kingdom. It is to you the 
 day of your entrance upon that great and 
 glorious estate, of which your parents and 
 sponsors were permitted to take possession 
 for you, when you were yet in your infancy ; 
 an estate containing the pardon of your sins, 
 tlie favour and affection of Almighty God, 
 the assistance of his grace and Holy Spirit^ 
 and the promise of eternal life ; and, there- 
 fore, very fitly denominated " a state of sal- 
 vation." At this, your entrance u]X)n the 
 possession of it in your ov/n names, the 
 
C4 ADDRE3S AFTER CONFIRMATION. 
 
 Church rejoices ; the angels of heaven have 
 been spectators, and are glad ; the blessed 
 Redeemer of our race receives gratification, 
 and takes you by the hand ; and the Almighty 
 Father of all beings condescends to bestow 
 on you his heavenly benediction. So great 
 is the import of what has now been done, 
 that you, as you rest upon it, and we, as we 
 contemplate it, should be penetrated with 
 admiration and gratitude, with humility and 
 joy ; and might well exclaim — " What hath 
 God wrought !" 
 
 ( This transaction, however, is not a mere 
 ceremony, which is now done, and is to have 
 no connexion with your future conduct. It 
 ought to consecrate your whole life, to give 
 direction to all the steps of it ; never to be 
 forgotten at any of its stages, nor remem- 
 bered but with thankfulness and godly fear. 
 You have taken upon you the vows of God. 
 The relations into which you are brought 
 are to be perpetual. You have acknow- 
 ledged obligations which are to be performed 
 daily. There is a covenant between you 
 and the Almighty, in which you have pro- 
 mised to believe, and to be holy. In virtue 
 of this covenant there is opened to you the 
 
ADDRESS AFTER CONFIRMATION. 65 
 
 prospect of the lilghest felicity of which your 
 nature is capable — even satisfaction in life, 
 peace in death, and immortality in heaven. 
 But your attainment of these blessings de- 
 pends upon the fulfilment, by the covenant- 
 ing parties in. the transaction of this day, of 
 their respective engagements. 
 
 Touching the Almighty, what he hath pror 
 mised he " will most surely keep and per- 
 form." He hath graciously condescended 
 to renew to you, in your Confirmation, the 
 assurance of the pardon of your sins, of the 
 aid of his Holy Spirit, and of eternal life. 
 Respecting the certainty and manner of ac- 
 complishing these things, it becomes you not 
 to scruple or to doubt. In this matter your 
 business is to believe, w^ith a steadfast reli- 
 ance on his word, that if you are faithful to 
 fulfil your vows, " he who hath begun a 
 good work in you, will perform it" unto 
 the end ; " for the gifts and caUings of God 
 are without repentance ;" '' with him is no 
 variableness, neither shadow of turning." 
 The power of your God is equal to his pur- 
 poses. His veracity is equal to his powei*. 
 " Hath he said, and shall he not do it f Hath 
 he spoken, and shall he not make it good? 
 6* 
 
66 ADDRESS AFTER CONFIRMATION. 
 
 He hath commanded to bless, and you are 
 blessed ;" and, unless you abandon the con- 
 ditions of the blessing, nothing can " reverse 
 h." 
 
 It is, therefore, respecting the fulfilment 
 of the engagements on your part made, that 
 you are to be always concerned, so long as 
 you continue in this lower world. You have 
 promised to the most high God, your Re- 
 deemer and best Benefactor, to renounce 
 whatever he has forbidden, to believe what- 
 ever he has taught, and to do whatever he 
 has commanded. As you look forward into 
 this path which you have entered, does it 
 seem to you an arduous way ? It is an ardu- 
 ous way. For man to be good and gain 
 heaven, is not a light business. But how 
 great, how encouraging, how animating are 
 your excitements to fidelity ? If you perse- 
 vere, the Holy Ghost will remain with you ; 
 you will have in life the favour of God, the 
 knowledge of forgiveness, and the conscious- 
 ness of holiness ; he who died for you will 
 see, with satisfaction, the fruit of his love ; 
 your parents and friends will be gladdened, 
 and society adorned and refreshed by the 
 beauty and fragrance of your virtues. When 
 
ADDRESS AFTER CONFIRMATION. 67 
 
 death shall approach, (for you all must die,) 
 to convey you from all you here hold dear, 
 to the tribunal of the Almighty, you will 
 have the only hopes by which man can be 
 comforted and sustained in that most awful 
 hour of human probation ; and from the tri- 
 bunal of judgment you will be taken to hea- 
 ven, there to be happy for ever with all the 
 good, with Jesus, and with God. If, on 
 the other hand, you become weary of the 
 path, and desert it for any of the entice- 
 ments of " the world, the flesh, or the devil,'* 
 your portion will be perplexity and dissatis- 
 faction in life ; cheerlessness, if not horror, 
 in death ; and everlasting banishment from 
 heaven, into regions of darkness and undis- 
 covered woe. What powerful motives are 
 found in this alternative, to the most care- 
 ful and constant performance of your Chris- 
 tian duties 'i What inducements to keep your 
 souls diligently, to pass the time of your 
 sojourning here in fear, to endeavour to be 
 righteous before. God, " walking in all the 
 commandments and ordinances of the Lord 
 blameless 1" 
 
 Study, then, my young friends, the holy 
 Scriptures. They are given by your hea* 
 
68 ADDRESS AFTER CONFIRMATION. 
 
 venly Father, to be a *' light to your feet, 
 and a lamp to your path ;" study, then, some 
 portion of them every day, that you may 
 regulate all the conduct of your lives by 
 them, for they contain for you the only cer- 
 tain instructions : in them we have the words 
 of " eternal life, and they are they which 
 testify of our Lord*" Use yourselves to 
 ask daily in private prayer, and to seek, by 
 a devout attendance on the services of the 
 sanctuary, the continuance and increase of 
 God's Holy Spirit. It is promised to you, if 
 you will seek it and use it faithfully ; and 
 without it you can do nothing. Remember 
 your obligation to respect yourselves, and 
 to abstain from all sin and wickedness, cou- 
 sMering " that your are the temples of God ; 
 and that the Spirit of God dwclleth in you.'* 
 As soon as you can, with a full trust in God's 
 mercy, and with a quiet conscience, go to 
 the holy table, to celebrate the Lord's Sup- 
 per ; and never neglect, in the course of 
 your lives, to attend, with the suitable pre- 
 paration and dispositions, on this most com- 
 fortable ordinance. It is in this sacrament 
 you must find the food which, from time to 
 time, will refresh and sustain your spiritual 
 
ADDRESS AFTER CONFIRMATiaN. 60 
 
 Jife ; and the medicine, frequently, which 
 will heal your sickness. To these helps, 
 from the mercy of God, fail not to add the 
 exertions of your own reason, and of all 
 your faculties, to be faithful and virtuous in 
 all the stations and relations of life, to which, 
 in his Providence, he shall call you. Cul- 
 tivate, in yniirsplvpa pepccially, that henevo- 
 lence, that readiness and desire to do good, 
 which is so conspicuous a part of Christian 
 virtue, and which, we have reason to believe, 
 it is particularly pleasant to our heavenly 
 Father to behold in his children. Meditate 
 upon the life of Jesus Christ, the pattern of 
 all tlxat is perfect in man ; and endeavour, by 
 the assistance of that grace which you have 
 received, to be made like unto him. " What- 
 soever things arc true, whatsoever things 
 are honest, whatsoever things are just, what- 
 soever things are pure, whatsoever things 
 are of good report ; if there be any virtue, 
 and if there be any praise," as become you 
 as his followers, " think on thes€ things." 
 Thus will you be rendered as perfect and 
 happy as man in this region of imperfection 
 and sorrow can be ; the way which seemed 
 arduous will be found by you, as you advance, 
 
70 ADDRESS AFTER CONFIRMATION. 
 
 to be the *' way of pleasantness ;" and the 
 path which you have chosen, to be the " path 
 of peace." While all other ways lead down 
 to the gates of hell, it will conduct you, at 
 last, to the inheritance in heaven. But if 
 you at any time quit it, Oh ! what shall I 
 say unto youl Repent immediately, and 
 
 return to it, that so iniquity may not be 
 
 your ruin. In dismissing you, to run your 
 career upon which you have entered, I can- 
 not but be filled with solicitude ; and the 
 same words which the wise king of Israel 
 addressed to his son, I now leave with you ; 
 '* And thou, Solomon, my son, know thou 
 the God of thy fathers, and serve him with 
 a perfect heart and with a willing mind ; if 
 thou seek him, he will be found of thee ; but 
 if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for 
 ever." 
 
 Christians of greater advancement who 
 have received Confirmation, pleasant it must 
 be to you to behold these young persons on 
 the same ground with you, starting in the 
 same course which you have for some time 
 pursued ; and you have done well in coming 
 to this rite, to animate them by your exam- 
 ple, and to manifest your own desire to " fulfil 
 
ADDRESS AFTER CONFIRMATION. 71 
 all righteousness." Instructed already in the 
 mercies of the Christian covenant, and ac- 
 customed, at your communions, to recognize 
 its obligations, it is not needful for me to 
 address to you many words. But there is 
 an admonition of Moses to God's ancient 
 people, so pertinent to your case, and to 
 the case of all who are associated with us 
 in this holy rite, that I cannot forbear to 
 bring it to your notice, and with it will 
 close this Address. ** Thou hast avouched 
 the Lord this day to be thy God, and to 
 walk in his ways, and to keep his statutes, 
 and his commandments, and his judgments, 
 and to hearken unto his voice : And the Lord 
 hath avouched thee this day to be his pecu- 
 liar people, as he hath promised thee, and 
 that thou shouldest keep all his command- 
 ments ; that thou mayest be an holy people 
 unto the Lord thy God, as he hath spoken." 
 
 FINIS. 
 
Princeton Theological Semmary-Speer 
 
 1 1012 01029 1831