CONFIR

tuos, ex aqua et Spiritu Sancto, quique dedisti eis remissionem omnium peccatorum: immitte in eos septiformem Spiritum, MATION. Sanctum Paraclitum, de cœlis. Amen. Spiritum sapientiæ et intellectus. Amen. Spiritum scientiæ et pietatis1. Amen. Spiritum consilii et fortitudinis. + Amen. Et adimple eos Spiritu timoris Domini. + Amen. Et consigna eos signo sanctæ crucis confirma eos chrismate salutis in vitam propitiatus æternam. Amen.

Tunc inquisito nomine cujuslibet et pollice chrismate uncto, pontifex faciat crucem in singulorum fronte, dicens: Signo te N. signo crucis et confirmo te chrismate salutis. In nomine Patris, et Fi+lii, et Spiritus Sancti. Amen.

Sequatur psalmus. Ecce sic benedicetur homo qui timet Dominum. Benedicat tibi Dominus ex Syon, ut videas bona Jerusalem omnibus diebus vitæ tuæ. Gloria Patri. Sicut erat. Vers. Emitte Spiritum tuum et creabuntur. Resp. Et renovabis faciem terræ. Pax tibi. Oremus.

:

Oratio. Deus, qui apostolis tuis Sanctum dedisti Spiritum, quique per eos eorum successoribus cæterisque fidelibus tradendum esse voluisti: respice propitius ad nostræ humanitatis famulatum et præsta ut horum corda quorum frontes sacrosancto chrismate delinivimus, et signo sanctæ crucis consignavimus, idem Spiritus Sanctus adveniens templum gloriæ suæ dignanter inhabitando perficiat. Per Dominum: in unitate ejusdem.

Benedicat vos omnipotens Deus: Pa+ter, et Fi+lius, et Spiritus Sanctus. Amen.

Et si ejus ætas id deposcat communicat eum episcopus, dicens : Corpus Domini nostri Jesu Christi custodiat corpus tuum et animam tuam in vitam æternam. Amen.

Hoc facto injungatur ab aliquo sacerdote quod compatres et commatres orent aliquod certum pro statu domini Episcopi, et pro animabus patris et matris, et pro animabus omnium fidelium defunctorum, et quod tertia die vadant cum pueris ad ecclesiam ad chrismalia2 deponenda, et sic recedant in nomine Domini.

1 This word is added to the gifts of the Spirit, enumerated in Isa. xi. 2, to make the number seven. The prayer is of great antiquity: probably much older than the

Sacramentary of Gelasius (494).

2 The chrismalia were the linen bands tied across the foreheads of the newly-confirmed.' Maskell, p. 36, note.

CONFIR

MATION.

Ceremonies of Confirma

In the first English Prayer-Book the order of the old service was very much retained, omitting, however, the use of chrism. After the versicles and the first prayer, it proceeded thus :

'Minister. Sign them, O Lord, and mark them to be tion. (1549). thine for ever, by the virtue of thy holy cross and passion. Confirm and strength them with the inward unction of thy Holy Ghost, mercifully unto everlasting life. Amen. Then the Bishop shall cross them in the forehead, and lay his hand upon their head, saying, N. I sign thee with the sign of the cross, and lay my hand upon thee: In the name of the Father, &c. And thus shall he do to every child one after another. And when he hath laid his hand upon every child, then shall he say, The peace of the Lord abide with you. Answer. And with thy spirit.'

The present
Office.

This was omitted at the revision in 1552, and our present benedictional prayer was inserted, 'Defend, O Lord, this child with thy heavenly grace,' &c.

6

The Collect, Almighty and everlasting God, who makest us,' &c. was composed in 1549, from the collect which preceded the laying on of hands in Archbishop Hermann's Order of Confirmation1.

The Service was brought into its present form at the last revision in 1661. Being separated from the Catechism, its title was: 'The Order of Confirmation, or laying on of hands upon them that are baptized, and come to

1 'Almighty and merciful God, heavenly Father, which only workest in us to will and to perform the things that please thee, and be good indeed; we beseech thee for these children......Increase in them the gift of thy Spirit, that ever going forward in the knowledge and obedience of thy Gospel, in thy congregation, they may continue to the end.......So give these children

the thing that we pray thee for, through thy Son Christ, that when we shall now lay our hands upon them in thy name, and shall certify them by this sign that thy fatherly hand shall be ever stretched forth upon them, and that they shall never want thy Holy Spirit to keep, lead, and govern them in the way of health...' Hermann's Consultation, fol. 191.

MATION.

years of discretion,' instead of the words (1604), ‘and able CONFIRto render an account of their faith according to the Catechism following. What had previously been an explanatory rubric before the Catechism, was turned into a preface to be read at the opening of the service of Confirmation and instead of questions from the Catechism1, the solemn demand of personal acknowledgement of the baptismal vow is addressed to the candidates, to be answered by each one for himself. The whole service is to be said by the bishop, except only the preface. The Lord's Prayer was at the same time inserted after the action of laying on of hands; and also the collect, ‘O Almighty Lord,' &c., before the concluding blessing.

the rite.

Confirmation occupies an important position in the Meaning of economy of the Church, which is pointed out in the last rubric2, that it is the admission to full communion. Baptism is administered to infants through the faith and charity of others: but knowledge at least of the elements

1 Before this revision a rubric had directed the curate of every parish, in sending the names of the children to the bishop, to specify which of them could say the Articles of the Faith, the Lord's Prayer, and the Ten Commandments, and also how many of them could answer to the other questions contained in this Catechism. In Hermann's Consultation (fol. 186), the parish priests are directed, certain days before the coming of the visitors, 'to prepare the children, whom they purpose to offer to Confirmation, to make their confession of faith, and profession of Christian communion and obedience decently and seemly, which must be done of them after this sort.' Then follows a long catechism; and then (fol. 190),— 'After that one of the children hath rehearsed a full confession of

his faith, and hath professed the
obedience of Christ before the
whole congregation, it shall be suf-
ficient to propound questions to
the other children after this sort:
Dost thou also, my son, believe
and confess, &c. Here it shall
suffice, that every one answer thus
for himself: I believe and con-
fess the same, and yield up my-
self to Christ, and his congregation,
trusting in the grace and help
of our Lord and Saviour Jesus
Christ.'

2 This is taken from the rubric
in the Sarum Manual, Ritus Bap-
tiz. Maskell, p. 31: Item nullus
debet admitti ad sacramentum cor-
poris et sanguinis Christi Jesu ex-
tra mortis articulum, nisi fuerit
confirmatus, vel a receptione sacra-
menti confirmationis fuerit rationa-
biliter impeditus.'

MATION.

CONFIR. of Christian truth, and an intelligent promise of Christian obedience, is required in those who come to the Lord's Supper. At the age which is now generally fixed upon for this ordinance, more information is required than the mere ability to repeat the Catechism. This is left to the discretion of the curate, who is to present to the bishop such persons within his parish as he shall think fit: the earlier rubric, however, may still be received, so far as to point out the least amount of knowledge which the curate can accept in a candidate for Confirmation. Other qualities, in the absence of higher knowledge, must be sought in a desire to be admitted to the Holy Communion.

Marriages forbidden at certain sea

sons.

SECT. III. The Form of Solemnization of Matrimony.

There is no doubt that marriage has been solemnized with religious rites from the earliest times of the Christian Church1. Being also an occasion of rejoicing, it was forbidden in the 4th century, together with other festivities, during the solemn fast of Lent2; and in the 11th century, at many other seasons also3. The only seasons now prohibited, not indeed by law, but by custom and propriety, are Lent and any occasion of a public fast 4.

Easter; during fourteen days before the Feast of St. John Baptist, during the fasts of the Four Seasons, and on all vigils: Concil. Salegunst. (Selengsted in Franconia, 1022) can. 3; Mansi, XIX. 397.

4 The following clause was proposed to the Convocation (1661), but was not inserted in the PrayerBook:-'By the ecclesiastical laws of this realm there be some times in the year wherein marriages are not usually solemnized, as from Advent Sunday until eight days after the Epiphany; from Septuagesima Sunday until eight days

MONY. Publication

The rubrics of the publication of banns', in the earlier MATRIPrayer-Books, directed that they should be asked three several Sundays or holy-days in the time of service, the of Banns. people being present, after the accustomed manner2. In 1661, the time of service was explained to be immediately before the sentences of the Offertory3; and the form was also provided in which it should be done.