READINGS FOR A MONTH PREPARATORY TO CONFIRMATION: COMPILED FROM THE WORKS OF WRITERS OF THE EARLY AND OF THE ENGLISH CHURCH. BY THE AUTHOR OF "AMY HERBERT," GERTRUDE," A FIRST HISTORY OF GREECE," &c. &c. LONDON: LONGMAN, BROWN, GREEN, AND LONGMANS. PREFACE. THE following papers may, it is trusted, be found useful to young persons amongst the educated classes, in their preparation for Confirmation. The original intention of the Compiler was to leave them without any addition; but at the request of a friend, a few Suggestions for SelfExamination, &c. have been added, under the idea of assisting those unaccustomed to the task, in the difficult but necessary inquiry as to the state of their own minds. The suggestions will, it is hoped, be generally used with the sanction of a Clergyman, who may be able to point out anything in them which may seem undesirable for individual cases. READINGS FOR A MONTH PREPARATORY TO CONFIRMATION. [NOTE.-In case it should, in any instance, be difficult to find sufficient leisure for an attentive perusal of all these papers previous to Confirmation, it may be well to say that the most important, by way of preparation, are the following: :- Baptism and Confirmation," "Review of Life," "To renounce the Devil," "The World," and "The Flesh," "The Creed," "Keeping the Commandments of God," "The Holy Communion." The others may be read afterwards.] BAPTISM AND CONFIRMATION. "And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost."- ST. MATT. xxviii. 18, 19. "He that believeth, and is baptized, shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.”. ST. MARK xvi. 16. 66 'Repent, and be baptized every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call."- ACTS ii, 38, 39. "After that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; which he shed on us abundantly, through Jesus Christ our Saviour."-TITUS iii. 4, 5, 6. 66 Baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away the faith of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience towards God), by the resurrection of Jesus Christ."-1 ST. PETER iii. 21. B |