as a mere moral creature-but the views of the gospel are ftill more exalted. Baptism is a rite of Divine appointment, to take children from a ftate of corruption, into a state of grace, and a covenant of mercy, to which the bleffings of heaven are annexed. The purifying element is an emblem of what the Holy Spirit does for us in the great work of regeneration.

III. By degrees, the child growing up, is to enter into life, and to take the conduct and management of himself. No one can deny this to be an important state. The first step or measure often determines the future life. It is now high time to add principle to practice, deliberation and choice to habit, and to usher your charge with proper advantage upon the stage of action.

THE church has made provifion for this too, in her office of CONFIRMATION. Attend to the natural language of fuch an institution, and nothing can be con

ceived

ceived more rational, or inftructive. The minister of GoD appears here with the authority of an experienced guide, who has travelled the road before, and challenges the young adventurers atten

tion.

66

"You are going now, (he virtually fays to every youth) to enter into "the world. You have as yet but seen it "at a fafe distance, under the watchful eye of guardian care. Greater dangers " await you fuch as you cannot con"ceive in the unfufpicious fecurity of "inexperience. To caution and refo"lution, the road is easy and plain; to

66

headlong confidence, full of precipices. Fix now once for all one general "refolution, and it will be your fafety. "Resolve under all temptations to keep “the track of virtue. In particular places "it may be difcouraging; yet it is the

66

only road to true happiness: in parti"cular places it may be perplexed, but if "you carefully confult thofe monitors, "whom you will meet with upon every

difficulty

"difficulty to direct you I mean the days appropriated to reflexion in the "ordinances of religion-you either will "not ftray, or continue long, out of the "true path. Paffion, and luft and evil examples will be here and there tempt

66

ing you into apparently smoother and "more delightful roads.-Believe not "their fuggestions; there is fraud in "their allurements; and destruction in "the paths they show you. Go on then, "and quit yourselves like men, and "the grace of God attend you, without

your

" which
"fervice!"*

refolutions can do

you no

IV.

CONFIRMATION was ufed by the apoftles (as we read. Acts vi. 6. 8. 17. 19. 6. Heb. vi. 2.) to convey the gifts of the holy spirit to baptized believers; and, as the graces of the fame fpirit, though not in the fame proportion, are always neceffary to a chriftian life, we may piously believe, that God will be ftill pleafed to fanctify so important an office with a confiderable portion of his bleffing.

IV. IT were well, if the office of moral inftruction ended here. But mankind want it in every stage. Some, in fpite of all moral provifions, come unprincipled into life: others, carried away by their paffions, or entangled in the engagements of business, forget or neglect the duties of their being. The first want inftruction; the latter admonition. What is then to be done? Should they be left to perish in the error of their ways? Is the lofs of creatures, defigned for happiness, of fo litlitle confequence? Or is advice of no fervice, where a man's own reason is difregarded? What foundation have we for fuch an opinion? Is not advice and instruction found useful in life, upon a thousand occafions of daily occurrence? The reafon of one man may see further than another's; it may throw in new views, or place known truths in a clearer and more convincing light. Men may be better difpofed for reflexi

on

on in some states, and times, and places, than others. And as they would not probably put themfelves, or would not at least properly perfevere, in fuch improving fituations, if left wholly to themselves; would it not be of advantage, to have fome stated occafions, appointed by fufficient authority, as checks upon thoughtleffness and diffipation, and calls to ferious and useful reflexion?

CERTAINLY it would: nothing has a clearer foundation in reafon, than the confecration of certain feafons, places, and other outward circumftances, as means and instruments of keeping up a sense of virtue and religion in the earth.

PARTICULARLY (for this point muft not be paffed over flightly — ) though the SABBATH be not of human appointment, yet we find, upon examination, a wonderful fitnefs and propriety in it to answer the above important purposes.

IT