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lect. I am willing to hope the best for all men. But our hopes and opinions are one thing, and the promise of Christ is another. I am willing to extend the possibility of salvation to the utmost limits of reasonable supposition. But our suppositions are not to be taken for the Word of God. All these questions, therefore, I leave to the truly judicious remark of Hooker, where he saith, (ib. 603.) If Christ himself, who giveth salvation, do require baptism, it is not for us that look for salvation, to sound and examine him, whether unbaptised men may be saved; but seriously to do that which is required, and religiously to fear the danger which may grow by the want thereof.'

Our next lecture will be devoted to the ordinance of confirmation, in which I hope to shew its peculiar use and importance in the advancement of true religion. Meanwhile, my brethren, although the way in which I have thus far led you, may have been longer and more toilsome than I could have wished, yet let me hope that the clearer apprehension of religious truth will be regarded as a sufficient reward for all the labor of its acquisition. The improvement to be desired from the present argument should be manifested by us all, first, in the increase of our gratitude to that blessed Redeemer, who has established for our sake, the precious sacrament of our regeneration; and, secondly, in the exalting of our esteem and reverence for that holy ordinance of baptism, with which such privileges of adoption and grace are connected. May we live as those should do, who are thus solemnly consecrated to the service of the Almighty, and find, at last, that we are indeed members of Christ, children of God, and inheritors of the kingdom of heaven.

LECTURE IV.

HEBREW VI. 2.

THE DOCTRINE OF BAPTISMS, AND OF LAYING ON OF HANDS, AND OF RESURRECTION OF THe dead, and OF ETERNAL JUDGMENT.

In this quotation from the writings of St. Paul, we find the laying on of hands, which from the days of the primitive Church, has also been called confirmation, placed next in order after baptism, and reckoned among the principles of the Gospel. And in order that you may have a distinct view of its design and character, I shall first state what the ordinance is; secondly, our authority for it; thirdly, the objections adduced against it by our Christian brethren of other denominations; and lastly, the course contemplated by the Church for its due administration. And I hesitate not to promise to every candid mind, a reasonable measure of satisfaction in the result, if the argument be attentively followed to its close.

1. In answer to the first point of enquiry, What is the ordinance of confirmation? I reply that it is a religious rite, in which we make a public profession of our faith, and receive thereupon, a solemn benediction, accompanied by the laying on of the Bishop's hands, preparatory to our admission to the table of the Lord.

2. Our authority for this ordinance, is the same which we adduce for all the peculiarities of our system, namely, that the Apostles established it in that Church to which the promise of Christ was given-the Church of their own plant

ing. Of this there is abundant testimony, besides that which is furnished in the text; and as it is always desirable to shew the beautiful consistency which reigns throughout the word of God, I shall commence with the Old Testament evidence to prove the antiquity of the custom of pronouncing a blessing, accompanied with the laying on of hands.

The oldest instance on record is that of Jacob, putting his hands on the heads of Ephraim and Manasseh, when he gave them his patriarchal benediction, although it was doubtless practised on such occasions long before. It was used in connexion with the appointment of rulers and magistrates by Moses, who laid his hands upon the elders of Israel, and also upon his successor Joshua. And in the blessing pronounced by the High Priest upon the whole congregation, he stretched out his hands in the same attitude, as the proper accompaniment to the act of benediction.

In the new Testament we find our Saviour exemplifying the same custom, for he laid his hands upon the little children that were brought to him, and blessed them. And one of the signs promised to those who should believe, was that they should lay hands on the sick, and they should recover. It was surely, therefore, no novelty, but a most venerable and ancient usage which the Apostles established in the Church, when they applied the laying on of hands, not only in the solemn work of ordaining to the ministry, but also in the act of blessing those who had been previously consecrated to Christ, as the children of God in Baptism.

That such was their practice, we know assuredly from two distinct passages in the Book of the Acts. The first occurs in the eighth chapter, where we read that Philip, the deacon, went down to Samaria, and preached the Gospel with great success, and baptised a great number, both men and women. And when (v. 14.) the Apostles which were

at Jerusalem, 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 baptised in the name of the Lord Jesus.) Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.'

We see here that the declaration of Peter on the day of Pentecost, 'Repent and be baptised every one of you for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost,' was connected with two religious acts: the first was the Sacrament of Baptism to which was attached the remission of sins, and the grace of adoption; the second was the ordinance of confirmation in which the Apostles prayed for a farther manifestation of Spiritual influence, through the laying on of their hands. We see, also, that although the Deacon Philip baptised the Samaritan converts, yet he was not authorised to lay his hands upon them; but this second ordinance was administered by the Apostles Peter and John. It is in accordance with this example, that the Church does not allow the administration of confirmation by the hands either of Deacon or Priest, but confines it to the highest order of the ministry, namely, Bishops.

Another instance appears in the nineteenth chapter of the same Book, (5 and 6 v.) where we read that certain disciples being found by St. Paul at Ephesus, he asked them whether they had received the Holy Ghost since they believed, and learning that they had not even heard the full doctrine. of the faith, nor received Christian baptism, he preached to them the whole Gospel, and they were baptised. 'And when Paul laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them, and they spake with tongues and prophesied.' Now we may safely assume it as the fact, in this case also,

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