that he hath given them assurance of it, on the gracious terms of the Gospel. But that every one of them hath actually received, by complying with those terms since he sinned last, though we may charitably hope, we cannot presume to affirm; nor were these words intended to affirm it; as the known doctrine of the Church of England fully proves. And therefore let no one misunderstand this expression in the office, which hath parallel ones in the New Testament, so as either to censure it, or delude himself with a fatal imagination, that any thing said over him can possibly convey to him a pardon of sins, 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.

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After this commemoration, we go on to request for the persons before us, that God would strengthen them against all temptation, and support them under all affliction, by "the Holy "Ghost 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 Isaiah; by whom they are ascribed to our blessed Redeemer; but as the "same mind ought to be in us, which was in Christ "Jesus," a petition for them was used, in the office of Confirmation, fourteen hundred years ago, if not sooner. The separate meaning of each of the seven, it is neither easy nor needful to de. termine 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; that is a manner of speaking both common and emphatical. But each of them may be taken in a dis(5) Eph. i. 7. Col. i. 14.

(6) Isa. xi. 2.

(7) Phil. ii. 4.

tinct sense of its own. And thus we may beg for these our fellow-christians, a spirit of wisdom to aim at the right end, the salvation of their souls; and of understanding, to pursue it by right means; of counsel, to form good purposes; and of ghostly or spiritual strength, 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 lastly, we pray, that they may be filled with the spirit of God's holy fear;" with that reverence of him, as the greatest 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." 8

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 servant, by the recognition which he hath just made of his baptismal covenant, so he may continue his for ever, by faithfully keeping it and far from decaying, daily increase in his holy Spirit, that is, in the fruits of the Spirit, piety, and virtue, more and more; making greater and quicker advances in them, as life goes on, until he comes to that decisive hour, when his portion shall be unchangeable in God's everlasting kingdom.

And, along with the utterance of these solemn words, he lays his hand on each of their heads; a ceremony used from the earliest ages by religious persons, when they prayed for God's bles sing on any one; used by our Saviour, who when "children were brought to him, that he should "put his hand on them, and pray, and bless them,

(8) Psalm cxi. 10.

1

"was much displeased "9 with those who forbad it; used by the Apostles, after converts were baptized, as the text plainly shows; reckoned in the Epistle to the Hebrews among the foundations of the Christian profession; constantly practised and highly esteemed in the Church from that time to this; and so far from being a Popish ceremony, that the Papists administer Confirination by other ceremonies of their own devising, and have laid aside this primitive one; which therefore our Church very prudently restored. And the custom of it is approved, as apostolical, both by Luther and Calvin, and several of their followers, though they rashly abolished it, as having been abused.2 But I am credibly informed, that at Geneva it hath been lately restored.

The laying on of the hand naturally expresses good will and good wishes in the person who doth it; and in the present case is further intended, as vou 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 certainly feel the effects, provided, which must be always 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 sign as by any other, or as by any words to the same purpose. Further efficacy we do not ascribe to it: nor would have you look on Bishops, as having or claiming a power, in any case, 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

(9) Matt. xix. 13-15. Mark x. 13-16. (1) Heb. vi. 1. (2) See Camfield's two Discourses on Episcopal Confirmation, 8vo. 1682. p. 23-36.

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 office, any sudden 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 occasion requires them, of such divine assistance as will be needful for our support and orderly growth in every virtue of a Christian 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 solemnity: The first of these is the Lord's Prayer; a form seasonable always, but peculiarly now; as every petition in it will show to every one who considers it. In the next place, more especial supplications 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, so his fatherly hand may be ever over them, and lead them in the only way, the knowledge and obedience of his word to everlasting 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, inclinations and actions, (for neither will suffice without the other) in the ways of his laws, and in the words of his commandments, that, through his most mighty protection, both here and ever, we may be preserved in body and soul: 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 solemn blessing: which will certainly abide with you, unless, by wilful sin, or gross negligence, you drive it away. And in that case, you must not hope that your baptism, 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 it if you make a bad one. You do well to renew the covenant of your baptism in confirmation: but, if you break it, you forfeit the benefit of it. You do well to repeat your vows in the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper; it is what all Christians are commanded to do by their dying Saviour, for the strengthening and refreshing of their souls: It is what I beg all, who are confirmed, will remember, and their friends and ministers remind them of: the sooner 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 thoroughly honest 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 sins 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 case is not desperate; and let us not make it so, by thinking it is: for, through the grace of the Gospel, we may still repent and amend, and then be forgiven. But I beg you to observe, that, as continued health is vastly preferable to the happiest recovery from sickness; so is innocence