the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; in the incarnation, the Catholic Church, &c. Has your faith been entire, firm and lively? Have you doubted in any matter of faith, delivered by God's church? Have you professed it, and never blushed to profess it, before a sinful generation of men? Has your faith shewed itself in charity and good works? This, O christian, is your task, this your obligation, this your way to eternal life.-Reflect again on the promises you there made, and your engagements to God, to renounce the Devil and all his works and pomps. This ceremony at baptism has in all times been observed by the church, and deserves your serious attention. What is it to renounce the Devil, but to profess that you will no louger be a slave of the Devil, but the servant of God? What is it, but to withstand all temptations, and the evil suggestions he raises in your heart? O my soul, how often have you given ear to him, how often even consented and delivered yourself up to him, as Eve did to his voice in Pa radise? O how often has he deceived you, and made a mockery of you, and drawn you into the same misery with himself? Repent and return again to the Lord your God. What is it to renounce his works, but to renounce all sin, even the least ? Sin is a work of the Devil; sin took its rise from him; sin made him, and all his followers miserable. O think of those works of darkness you have been guilty of, whether it has been pride, cove fusness, luxury or gluttony; whether concupiscence of the flesh, concupiscence of the eyes, or pride of life. Repent as far as you are guilty, and return to the Lord your God.What is it to renounce his pomps, but all the vanity and foolish delights the world proposes to you; as honours, riches, grandeur, or long life? O how often have you put earth in balance with heaven? How often preferred the riches of this world to the riches of divine grace! How often time to eternity! O fool! repent, and return again to the Lord your God. Renew your promises once more, and humbly beg of God he would add a second grace to the first, that as he made you a christian, he would forgive what is past, and preserve and protect you in the true life of a chris

tian, which is the only thing that will bring you to life everlasting. Remember the white robe that covered you; carry it unstained before the judgment seat. Remember the light put into your hand; prepare your lighted lamp with the five prudent virgins, to meet the Spouse, when he shall come and call you at death. Remember the indelible character which was imprinted in your soul by baptism; this is God's mark, which will ever remain, to testify the alliance you then made with the three divine Persons, in whose name you were baptized, to be no longer your own, nor of the Devil, nor of the world, but to be his servant. Remember this. and keep your baptism without reproof.

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Of the Sacrament of Confirmation.

HAT is confirmation? A. It is a sacrament

9. W by which the Holy Ghost is given to such

as are baptised, to strengthen them in their faith, and make them perfect christians. Q. What is the matter of it? A. Imposition of hands with unction of chrism. Q. What is the form of it? A. The invocation of the Holy Ghost, and these words: I sign thee with the sign of the cross; 1 confirm thee with the chrism of salvation, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Q. Who is the minister of it? A. Ă Bishop only. Q. What sin is it not to receive this crament, when we may have it? A. A mortal sin, ifert be out of contempt or any gross neglect, especially in a persecuting country.

INSTRUC. The sacrament was instituted by our Saviour, who promised to send the Holy Ghost to his disciples, to be their Almighty Comforter and support under all tribulations. St. John xiv. 16. This was fulfilled on Whitsunday, when the Holy Ghost descended on the Apostles and Disciples in Jerusalem ; for the promise was not only to the Apostles, but to you and your children, said St. Peter to the Jews; and to all who are afar off, whom our Lord shall call, Acts ii. 39, 40. that is to all the faithful. Accordingly, the Apostles were solicitous that those who were baptized,

should be confirmed by their hands, that they might receive the Holy Ghost: And when they heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them; and they laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost, Acts viii. 17. This was the sacrament of confirmation, which the Apostles knew they were commanded by Christ to administer to the new-baptized; for if it were not of divine institution, they had never presumed to give the Holy Ghost, by the imposition of their hands. In like manner we read, that St. Paul laid his hands on the new-baptized at Ephesus, and the Holy Ghost came upon them. Acts xix. 5, 6. The same sacrament was given to all believers, even from the infancy of the church to this present time, by the bishops who succeeded the Apostles, and with the same blessed effect, as to the seven-fold grace of the Holy Ghost.

The sacrament of confirmation follows baptism, to confirm the work which was there begun. In baptism, we are born children of grace; in confirmation, we are strengthened to maintain what we there professed. In the first, we are as infants, with all the tender weakness suitable to our spiritual birth; in the second, we become as perfect men and soldiers, able to profess and defend our faith, before tyrants and persecutors, by that virtue and strength we receive from the Holy Ghost, who is herein given to us. If now, this sacrament be not so absolutely necessary to salvation as baptism; yet, in consideration of our human weakness, it is necessary to conquer all difficulties we meet with in, this mortal state, and therefore cannot be omitted without a great sin, when opportunity serves.

As all the sacraments have their proper matter and form; so the matter of this sacrament, according to the opinion of good divines, is imposition of hands and chrism. As to the form it is expressed in the invocation of the Holy Ghost, and these words, I sign thee with the sign of the cross, &c. What we are bound to believe, and what the church has always believed, is, that the bishops, in like manner as the Apostles, do give the Holy Ghost, by the sacrament of confirmation, to such

as are first baptized; but whether the chrism, with the words above, or the imposition of hands, by the bishop, with the prayer that accompanies it, or both together, be the essential matter and form of this sacrament, the church has not yet determined; though of the chrism St. Paul seems plainly to speak, where he says, God hath confirmed us; God hath anointed us, and sealed us, and given us the pledge of his spirit in our hearts. 2 Cor. i. 22.

The only ordinary ministers of confirmation are bishops. None but the Apostles administered it, that we read of; none of an inferior order to bishops; for when Samaria had received the faith, by the preaching of St. Philip the deacon, St. Peter and St. John were sent from Jerusalem to confirm them. The same we are taught by a perpetual tradition; and the Council of Trent so defined it, according to the decree of Eugenius the Fourth, sent to the Armenians, after the Council of Florence: for as we are hereby entered soldiers to combat for our faith, it belongs to none, but those who are in the higher offices of the church, to enter us.

The sacrament of confirmation is administered after the following manner: 1. The bishop extends his hands over those who are to be confirmed, with a prayer that they may receive the seven-fold grace of the Holy Ghost. This is the imposition of hands mentioned in holy scripture. 2. With his thumb he anoints them on the forehead with chrism, making a cross thereon, with these words: I sign thee with the sign of the cross; I confirm thee with the chrism of salvation, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. 3. He gives every one a light blow on the cheek, with these words: Peace be with thee. The outward unction of chrism signifies the inward grace of the sacrament; and chrism, being a richer substance than water, may signify, that the grace of confirmation is the perfection of that of baptism.

The balsam also, which preserves from corruption, and is an aromatick, signifies, that the grace of the Holy Ghost preserves from sin, and is a sweet perfume

in the church of God, according to that of St. Paul, We are the sweet odour of Christ in all places. 2 Cor. ii. The cross on the forehead signifies, that we are never to blush at the gospel, but to profess it openly before tyrants; and the stroke on the cheek signifies, that we must expect to undergo the stroke of persecution for it; but this is attended with great peace of mind, For the peace of God is above all sense. Philip iv. 7.

The dispositions required for this sacrament are, 1. A right understanding of it. 2. A conscience free from all mortal sin; you must either receive it in your baptismal innocence, the best state of all, or recover your lost innocence again by the sacrament of penance. 3. Retirement in prayer and contemplation, and works of piety, in imitation of the Apostles, the blessed Virgin Mary, and the Disciples, who were in this disposition, when the Holy Ghost came upon them in Jerusalem. Lastly. A heart disengaged from too great love of the world; Love not the world; for if you do, the love of the Father, (the Holy Ghost) will not make his abode in you. 1 John ii. 15.

As to the effects of this sacrament. 1. It imprints a character, which is a spiritual mark in the soul, which will never be defaced, but remain therein to our future glory or confusion: for as by baptism we are marked christians, so by confirmation we are marked christian soldiers; and therefore, if we combat well for our faith againat persecutors, it will be a glory to us; far otherwise, if we desert the cause. 2. By this sacrament is communicated to our souls, the seven-fold grace of the Holy Ghost; as wisdom, which draws us from the world, to the love and enjoyment of God: understanding, to submit to all the mysteries of our faith, and to know and penetrate the excellency of them: counsel, whereby we choose what is to the glory of God, and good of our souls: fortitude, to withstand the Devil and all his agents: knowledge, to discern the right from the wrong: piety, to walk with delight in God's service: fear, to adore God in all his attributes, and dread to offend him. These are the virtues that lead the christian through all dangers of this life, unto eter