expect, or rather how can we do otherwise than provoke his wrath and indignation against us, if we approach him with a lie in our mouths? But, it may be profitable to consider here the solemn promise which is made at Confirmation : and in order to this, let us consult the service. When the young persons are arranged before the Bishop, after suitable address, he puts this question to them all :

Bishop. "Do ye here, in the presence of God and of this congregation, renew the solemn promise and vow, that was made in your "name at your Baptism; ratifying and confirm

ing the same in your own persons, and ac"knowledging yourselves bound to believe and to do all those things which your Godfathers and Godmothers undertook for you?"

And every one shall audibly answer, "1 do.". Thus we deliberately promise to fulfil the vows which were made for us in our infancy. Consider how much is implied in the words, "I do;" and the dreadful consequence of saying them without any real intention or meaning If you "make the answer which is directed, without sincerity, it is lying to God: if you make it ❝ without attention, it is trifling with him. Watch

over your hearts therefore, and let them go along

with your lips.

The two short words, I do,

are soon said, but they comprehend much in them. Whoever uses them on this occasion, saith in effect as follows :

"I do heartily renounce all the temptations ❝ of the devil; all the unlawful pleasures, profits, and honours of the world; all the immoral gra<tifications of the flesh. I do sincerely believe " and will constantly profess all the articles of the Christian faith. I do firmly resolve to keep all God's commandments all the days " of my life; to love and honour him to 66 pray to him and praise him daily in private; to attend conscientiously on the public worship "and ordinances which he hath appointed; to "set him ever before mine eyes, and acknowledge

:

him in all my ways. I do further resolve in the course of my behaviour amongst my fellow-creatures, to do justly, love mercy, speak "truth, be diligent and useful in my station;

careful through all the relations of my life to "act as the nature of them requires; and con"duct myself so to all men, as I should think it "reasonable that they should do to me in the

like case.

Further yet, I do resolve, in the

* government of myself, to be modest, sober, << temperate, mild, humble, contented; to re

strain every appetite and passion within due bounds; and to set my heart chiefly, not on sensual enjoyments of this transitory life, but on the spiritual happiness of the future end"less one. Lastly I do resolve, whenever I fail in any of these duties, as I am sensible I have and must fear I shall, to confess it before "God with unfeigned concern, to apply for "his promised pardon in the name of his "blessed Son, to beg the promised assistance "of his Holy Spirit; and in that strength, "not my own, to strive against my faults, and watch over my steps with redoubled ❝ care."

• These substantial duties are the things to which you bind yourselves when you pronounce the awful words « 1 do." Utter' them with the truest seriousness; and say to yourselves each of you afterwards, as Moses did to the Jews, Thou hast avouched the Lord this day to be thy God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his statutes, and to "hearken to his voice: and the Lord hath "avouched thee this day to be His; that thou

E

shouldest keep all his commandments, and be holy unto the Lord thy God as he hath ❝ spoken." Deut. xxvi. 17, 19. It is a certain truth, call it therefore often to mind,

and fix it in your souls, that if breaking a solemn promise to men be a sin, breaking • that which you make thus deliberately to God, would be an unspeakably greater sin.”— Secker.

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3. It should be performed with prayer. is of great importance that we should undertake this and every other act of religion with pray

er.

Except we pray to God for his blessing, there is no reason to expect it; for he hath said that he will be enquired of for these things. This is reason enough why we should pray, that God hath commanded it, and hath promised," that if we ask wis"dom of him, he will give it to us liberally and without upbraiding." And it is absolutely necessary, that we should know our own weakness, and our utter inability to do any thing good as of ourselves. The apostle says, that "we ❝ cannot even think a good thought of ourselves "but all our sufficiency is of God, who worketh ❝in us, to will and to do of his good pleasure.'

Now the assistance of God's Holy Spirit is given in answer to prayer, according to that promises "If ye being evil know how to give good gifts "unto your children, how much more shall your

heavenly Father give his Holy Spirit to them "that ask him?" And, therefore, how can we perform our part aright on the day of confirmation, except we pray to God for his grace to enable us to do so? If we undertake it without on our own strength, and but if with an humble sense of

prayer, we depend

cannot prosper; our own weakness we pray to God for his promised grace, he will not only put into our minds good desires, but enable us to bring those desires unto good effect. Let us remember, then, to carry with us a sense of our utter insufficiency, and let us seriously apply to God in prayer for his blessing. I am afraid that most of those who go to be confirmed, never pray to God dither before or after that solemn ordinance. Perhaps they think they are too young to pray; but this is a great mistake; for God loves to hear children pray; and it is never too early to lift up the heart and voice to him. Do you ask what you are to pray for? Pray for that seriousness of mind that has been just recommended;