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As the Bishop pronounces the blessing, each heart among us must surely respond, with the earnestness of one, who feels that he has an individual interest in it; for the words invoke upon the whole congregation the favour of that great and glorious Being, in whose name Father, Son, and Holy Ghost-we ourselves in years long past, first entered into covenant with God; then ratified it at our Confirmation as these children have done; and have since, from time to time, renewed it at the holy table of the Lord. Can there be one of the assembled numbers who does not add his own secret prayer, that "the blessing" thus invoked "of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost," may be vouchsafed to every heart; may be upon them" all; and with children and parents, the young and the aged, the rich and the poor alike, lead to peace in life; to hope in death; to joy in heaven; and so, "remain with them for ever." Nor must parents be discouraged in thus " taking care that their child be brought to the Bishop, to be confirmed by him," because some of those confirmed, may in after-life evidence little of their sense either of the obligations or the privileges then renewed. Suppose that some there be upon whom the good impression made by this solemn service be merely transitory; some even, who soon rush into all the dangers of a worldly course, forget their christian vows, and cast away their christian hopes-still, parents have done what their duty to God and their child imperatively

required of them: they have given to their children's minds a determined purpose, by giving heaven as their object, and have led them to One, who by his word and spirit can and will give strength to attain that object-even to a heavenly Father; a protector who can never be lost but by their own fault; a merciful Redeemer, able and willing to save to the uttermost ; and a holy Comforter, alway with them, to give peace here, and the hope of joy and glory hereafter. And the work is not the less holy because it does not in all cases seem equally successful; nor is the blessing attendant upon it less sure to the righteous, because some may, like faithless Israel of old, themselves trample it under foot. What if, under the Jewish dispensation many, after entering into covenant with God, fell from their hopes; did their falling away deter the faithful from that covenant, or weaken to them its blessing1? Was the guileless Nathaniel less blessed, because he shared the covenant of God with the Scribes and Pharisees-hypocrites? Was the penitent Peter less favoured of the spirit of grace, because he shared the cup of blessing with the falsehearted Judas? Or, in these days shall the unbelief of some make our faith of none effect? Rather let parents, in bringing their children to this holy ordinance, and thereby fulfilling a solemn duty, rejoice to know that God's blessing and favour always rest upon a humble and willing performance of an appointed duty. Besides, weak indeed must be the faith which carries us not on to the hope, that, as in the natural

1 The strict and complete observance by our blessed Saviour in his youth of all the ordinances of his Church, is for ever our guide and our encouragement. "Go we, and do likewise."

so in the spiritual world, the seed may be long dormant, yet not dead. It may quicken into life, even at the last hour; and though to delay due culture of the soul in which it is to spring, be an awful daring of Him, who is the Lord of life and death-a proud presumptuous boasting of that morrow which is not in man's power to secure yet we daily see, by how many varied ways the goodness of God fertilizes this seed. How often does some unlooked for providence, whether in good or ill; some season of sickness or sorrow, or some deliverance perhaps from impending evil; burst the death-like sleep of the soul, call into action the dormant powers of spiritual life, and lead it on to the exercise of its new powers, till grace triumphs! That this animating hope is well founded, the experience of life affords ample testimony. Though therefore your children will not long mingle with the world, ere they find its smiles enticing them from the fear of God and its frowns withdrawing them from his love; temptation from within and from without abounding; yet "as their day, so shall be their strength." What if they have many a hard lesson of humility to learn? the spirit of the meek and lowly Jesus is their teacher. What if their young and generous minds meet many an ungrateful return; benevolence slighted; proffers of kindness coldly repulsed? -the same spirit leads them to the Saviour's example; bids them bear their cross as He bore his, and follow Him in the hard and difficult path of self-denial and humility doing good to the unthankful and evil; and loving even those who hate them. Thus, let us never doubt, but that the prayer which the Church, on this occasion, so earnestly and affectingly offers up for

them, may at last be answered to their joy; and they themselves "daily increase in God's Holy Spirit more and more, till they come to his everlasting kingdom."

CHAPTER XXIX.

THE HOLY COMMUNION.

YOUR children, having by Confirmation ratified their baptismal vow, binding themselves afresh to the obligations, and renewing the privileges of the first of the two sacraments of our Church, are now admitted to become partakers of the second sacrament; the Supper of the Lord. Naturally anxious that they should duly prepare themselves for so solemn an ordinance, you read with them and explain to them the service appointed for it. You well know, in your own case, the value of its aid in preparing the soul for so holy a worship. Its purely evangelical view of the great doctrines of our faith-its sentiments, its warnings, its encouragements, in strict accord with the revealed word; its wise adaptation to the wants and wishes, the fears and hopes of the humble Christian in his approach to the more immediate presence of his God; its language whether of penitence or praise, of supplication or of thanksgiving, well expressing the full feeling of a devout and ardent worshipper; and its awakening character in every part-all have long been your own admiration, and instruction, and comfort. My hope is, that the following pages may haply assist your en deavours in impressing upon the minds of your children the same admiration, leading them to benefit by

the same instruction, and training them to rejoice in the same holy consolations.

The service opens with the Lord's prayer: and this, in a spirit of humility, well befitting those who approach his holy table '. Entering upon this solemn ordinance, every worshipper must feel his heart filled with the deepest reverence and awe. Hence it is that you rejoice to give utterance to those feelings by adopting the words we are taught and commanded by Christ himself. You offer them in humility, but in hope. You trust-and it surely can be no vain trust -that for his sake, who bade you use the very words in which it is framed, they will be accepted graciously by your Father who is in heaven! His name you have hallowed, and you pray that it may be hallowed still. You rejoice in Him your spiritual King-King of kings, and Lord of lords-and gladly here obeying his laws, you pray that in others also his kingdom may come, here and hereafter. To this end you begin on earth the work in which angels are unceasingly engaged in heaven-ever doing his will! and on the present occasion, proving your sincerity by performing the service which now calls you, according to his word. You look trustfully to Him, to preserve soul and body—“ give us this day our daily bread”—bread, spiritual and temporal. No unhallowed feeling fills your heart. When you pray-" Forgive us our trespasses -you declare that you "forgive those who trespass against you." And when you implore God-lead us not

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The peculiarly appropriate feelings which naturally arise to the mind, when offering in this affecting service the several petitions of the Lord's Prayer, will be more fully considered when the same Prayer is introduced again towards the close of the service.

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