N. B.-The Profits of this little Book, if any, will be ap

propriated to the Funds of THE CALCUTTA AUXILIARY BIBLE SOCIETY.

THE design of this little work will be suf

ficiently understood by inspection of the title page. Every serious parent who has presented his child to be baptised, knows that it is his duty to bring up the child in the nurture and admonition of the Lord and that, without christian instruction, one of the most solemn ordinances of our holy religion will degenerate into a mere form.

The Questions now printed together, were originally published separately, for the use of a small class of children, assembled for weekly instruction at the Old Church, Calcutta. Each clause of the Creed, &c. formed, in succession, the subject of one examination, and was usually the substance of the sermon on the preceding Sunday, thrown into a catechetical form. This will explain the introduction of some ques. tions, which do not strictly belong to the places where they occur.

The sermon on Confirmation, prefixed as an introduction to the work, was preached in Cambridge, on occasion of a Confirmation held in that town, by the late Bishop of Ely.

In this country, where we are deprived of the benefit of episcopal visitations, and our children cannot be confirmed according to the rites of the Church of England, the author begs leave to remind the reader, that all the principal advantages of confirmation may be secured by the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper.

Let the child, after previous instruction and admonition, be prepared for attending the Lord's Supper, exactly as he would be prepared for Confirmation: Let him know that in this public manner, he solemnly confirms the promises made for him in baptism, and dedicates himself to the, service of Christ. If we are thus conscientious in the discharge of our duty as christian parents, we have reason to hope, that God, even our own God, will give us his blessing.

Calcutta, December 31, 18114

T. T.

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SERMON,

ON THE NATURE AND IMPORTANCE

ог

CONFIRMATION.

ECCL. V. 4, 5.

When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed. Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.

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MONGST the many serious and affecting exhortations of the wise man, there is something

peculiarly instructive in the opening of this chapter. He here inculcates seriousness in the discharge of those duties which, perhaps, of all others, are treated by the generality of mankind with the greatest levity; viz. hearing the word of God, prayer, and other religious exercises. "Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house " of God; and be more ready to hear than to "give the sacrifice of fools; for they consider

B

not that they do evil. Be not rash with thy ❝ mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to "utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth; therefore let

hy words be few." How little are these solemn admonitions considered by a large portion of those who assemble together for divine worship!

He then enforces the discharge of religious vows, and solemnly cautions us against trifling with God and our own souls in matters of such great importance. When thou vowest a vow

unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath "no pleasure in fools; pay that which thou hast vowed. Better is it that thou shouldest "not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and "not pay."

A vow is a solemn promise to God, by. which we bind ourselves to do or forbear certain. things. Such engagements were in general entered upon voluntarily, and related to things which depended on the zeal of the individuals concerned; and were not strictly regulated by the law of God; they were often free-willofferings of their persons, property, or services, to God, arising from the fervor of religious.