solemn re-dedication of themselves by the baptized, confirming in their own persons the vow taken for them by their Sponsors. It was accordingly ordered that they should first be instructed and examined in the faith, like candidates for Adult Baptism, and that they should publicly renew their vow. The age of Confirmation was still longer delayed with a view to these requisites, and it was ordered that, as a rule, only the confirmed should be admitted to the Holy Communion. This use of the ordinance, however, though of infinite practical value, is still only a secondary use, and a comparatively modern development. In the Medieval Service Books the Service of Confirmation was simple and brief. It included prayer for the sevenfold gifts of the Holy Spirit, and anointing, with the sign of the Cross, and with an appropriate prayer and Benediction. But except in the custom of the elevation of the hands of the Bishop at the opening prayer, the Imposition of hands itself seems, strangely enough, to have disappeared from the Service. In the Prayer Book of 1549 the Imposition of hands was brought once more into its right prominence, the sign of the Cross also retained, but the use of the Chrism (retained in the Baptismal Service) was in this Service discontinued. In 1552 the Service was brought to its present form, excepting the opening Exhortation and question (added in 1662). As it stands, it brings out emphatically the two aspects of the Service the blessing of God as marked by the imposition of hands (comp. Gen. xlviii. 9-20; Mark x. 16) expressly associated with the sevenfold gifts of the Spirit, and implying establishment and progress to full-grown Christian character and privilege-and the solemn self-dedication to God by renewal of the Baptismal Vow, trusting in this blessing of God, and opening the soul to receive it. The PREFACE was inserted in 1662, taken in substance from the Rubric of 1549 and the succeeding editions; which Rubric was, however, much fuller in its exposition of the idea of Confirmation, as now administered. For it not only, like our present Preface, recognised the importance of so arranging that those who come to be confirmed may be able intelligently to renew their vow; but it also dwelt on the gift to them of "strength and defence against all temptations to sin, and assaults of the world and the devil," as specially seasonable at an age when children "begin to be in danger to fall into sundry kinds of sin." It was also stated that this custom had the authority of Church practice; and, lest any should be uneasy at the postponement of the rite, it was declared that those who are baptized "have already all things necessary to their salvation, and, if they depart out of this life in their infancy, are undoubtedly saved." The Vow, although it was at all times implied, was first explicitly inserted in 1662, with a view to more solemnly impressing on those confirmed the reality and obligation of the Baptismal Covenant. It bears considerable resemblance to a corresponding form in Her. mann's Consultatio. The VERSICLES, translated from the old Service, are taken (as usual) from the Psalms (Ps. cxxiv. 7; cxiii. 2; cii. 1), expressing successively confidence, thanksgiving, and prayer. The PRAYER, also translated from the old Service, and itself of immemorial antiquity, is notable, first (a), as expressing in the clearest terms confidence in the benefits of regeneration and forgiveness, as given in Baptism; next (b), as bringing out the true idea of Confirmation, viz., the "strengthening" and the "increase" of the spiritual life, already implanted, to full maturity; lastly (c), as dwelling on the sevenfold gifts" of the Spirit. The description is quoted from Is. xi. 2, 3, thus referring especially to the outpouring of the Spirit on the "Rod of Jesse,' which in measure is OR LAYING ON OF HANDS UPON THOSE THAT ARE BAPTIZED AND COME TO YEARS OF DISCRETION. Upon the day appointed, all that are to be then confirmed, being placed, and standing in order, before the Bishop; he (or some other Minister appointed by him) shall read this Preface following. To the end that Confirmation may be ministered to the more edifying of such as shall receive it, the Church hath thought good to order, That none hereafter shall be Confirmed, but such as can say the Creed, the Lord's Prayer, and the Ten Commandments; and can also answer to such other Questions, as in the short Catechism are contained: which order is very convenient to be observed; to the end, that children, being now come to the years of discretion, and having learned what their Godfathers and Godmothers promised for them in Baptism, they may themselves, with their own mouth and consent, openly before the Church, ratify and contirm the same; and also promise, that by the grace of God they will evermore endeavour themselves faithfully to observe such things, as they, by their own confession, have assented unto. Then shall the Bishop say, Do ye here, in the presence of God, and of this congregation, renew the solemn promise and vow that was made in your name at your Baptism; ratifying and confirming the same in your own persons, and acknowledging yourselves bound to believe, and to do, all those things, which your Godfathers and Godmothers then undertook for you? And every one shall audibly answer, I do. Οι The Bishop. UR help is in the Name of the Lord; Answer. Who hath made heaven and earth. Bishop. Blessed be the Name of the Lord; Answer. Henceforth, world without end. Bishop. Lord, hear our prayers. Answer. And let our cry come unto thee. The Bishop. Let us pray. hand upon the head of every one severally, saying, DEFEND, O Lord, this thy Child [or this thy Servant] with thy heavenly grace, that he may continue thine for ever; and daily increase in thy holy Spirit more and more, until he come unto thy everlasting kingdom. Amen. Then shall the Bishop say, The Lord be with you. Answer. And with thy spirit. And (all kneeling down) the Bishop shall add, And this Collect. ALMIGHTY and everliving God, who makest us both to will and to do those things that be good and acceptable unto thy divine Majesty; We make our humble supplications unto thee for these thy servants, upon whom (after the example of thy holy Apostles) we have now laid our hands, to certify them (by this sign) of thy favour and gracious goodness towards them. Let thy fatherly hand, we beseech thee, ever be over them; let thy Holy Spirit ever be with them; and so lead them in the knowledge and obedience of thy Word, that in the end they may obtain everlasting life; through our Lord Jesus Christ, who with thee and the Holy Ghost liveth and reigneth, ever one God, world without end. Amen. ALMIGHTY Lord, and everlasting God, vouchsafe, we beseech thee, to direct, sanctify, and govern, both our hearts and bodies, in the ways of thy ALMIGHTY and everliving God, who laws, and in the works of thy com hast vouchsafed to regenerate these thy servants by Water and the Holy Ghost, and hast given unto them forgiveness of all their sins; Strengthen them, we beseech thee, O Lord, with the Holy Ghost the Comforter, and daily increase in them thy manifold gifts of grace; the spirit of wisdom and understanding; the spirit of counsel and ghostly strength; the spirit of knowledge and true godliness; and fill them, O Lord, with the spirit of thy holy fear, now and for ever. Amen. Then all of them in order kneeling before the Bishop, he shall lay his mandments; that, through thy most mighty protection both here and ever, we may be preserved in body and soul; through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen. Then the Bishop shall bless them, saying thus, THE Blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, be upon you, and remain with you for ever. Amen. And there shall none be admitted to the holy Communion, until such time as he be confirmed, or be ready and desirous to be confirmed. given also to those who are His; but it adds to that description the words "of true godliness," thus making up the sacred number seven. The three pairs of gifts seem to correspond to the intellectual, the moral, and the devotional aspects of life, and all are clenched by the " spirit of holy fear" (or reverence). 66 THE IMPOSITION OF HANDS.In 1549, after prayer that God would mark them His for ever by the sign of the Cross, and "confirm and strengthen them by the inward unction of the Holy Ghost," the words of administration were, "I sign thee with the sign of the Cross, and lay my hands upon thee, in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost;" "the Peace of the Lord abide with you." In 1552 the present form was substituted, which is a Prayer of Benediction for God's defence of the child by His heavenly grace, that he may both continue and increase for ever in His grace till he comes to glory; and is followed by the Dominus Vobiscum. THE AFTER-SERVICE. - The LORD'S PRAYER was inserted in 1662, according to the usual plan of all the Church Services, to open the concluding Prayers. The FIRST COLLECT following, composed in 1549, and suggested by a prayer in the Consultatio, first claims for Confirmation an Apostolic origin, and a symbolic character as a seal of God's favour to His children; and then prays that God's own hand may be over them, and His Spirit always with them, leading them through knowledge and obedience to eternal life. The SECOND COLLECT is one of the Occasional Collects of the Communion Service, having no special appropriateness to the Service, except that it dwells on its leading idea of preservation and progress under God's Spirit. The concluding RUBRIC, embodying ancient directions on the subject, lays down as a matter of Church Order, that Confirmation shall precede Holy Communion; but as it allows those "who are ready and desirous to be confirmed" to come to the Holy Table, it does not appear to make this absolutely necessary, when ever there is the right spiritual preparation, THE OCCASIONAL OFFICES. ALL these, except the Commination Service, are taken with variation and simplification from the Ancient Manual, and they embody the religious consecration of the chief phases of natural life. The Baptismal and Confirmation Services have already hallowed its beginning; the succeeding Services deal with Marriage, Childbirth, Sickness, and Death, thus covering the whole of human life from the cradle to the grave. All, and especially the Burial Service, contemplate a condition of things, in which all Englishmen, being regarded as members of the English Church, were considered as having a right to her ministrations, and as being subject to her authority and discipline. Of these the former condition still remains, but the latter has passed away. Hence, singularly impressive and beautiful as they confessedly are, they are in parts inappropriate to some of those for whom they are still used. THE FORM OF SOLEMNIZATION OF MATRIMONY. The Service is taken in substance from the old Office in the Sarum Manual, omitting the formal Benediction of the Ring, and the special form of the Nuptial Mass immediately following the Service. In the old Service the opening Exhortation, the questions and answers, the words of betrothal, and the words on putting on the ring were always in English. Some of the hortatory portions are borrowed, as usual, from Hermann's Consultatio. There has been no change since 1549, except the omission of the "tokens of spousage, as gold and silver," presented with the ring, and the change into a recommendation of the original order, that the newly married persons should receive the Holy Communion at the time of Marriage. Of all our Services it preserves most of the old substance and form. It divides itself naturally into two parts-(a) the Marriage Service proper, performed in the body of the Church; (b) the succeeding Service at the Holy Table, evidently intended as an introduction to the Holy Communion following. (A) THE MARRIAGE SERVICE PROPER. On the publication of the BANNS, see Notices after the Creed in the Communion Service. The original direction simply ordered the Banns to be asked, taking the place in the Service as known. In 1662 the direction was "immediately be fore the sentences for the Offertory." The present Rubric is in accordance with a later Act of Parliament, which leaves it, however, doubtful whether the direction for publication after the Second Lesson was not intended to apply to the Evening Service only. The alternative to the use of Banns is the LICENCE of the Bishop, ordinary or special, which was evidently intended to be used only under exceptional circumstances. The HOURS OF MARRIAGE are limited (see the Ixii. Canon of 1604) to the hours between eight and twelve in the morning; partly, no doubt, to secure publicity and sobriety, partly, perhaps, in view of the administration of the Holy Communion which was to follow. In the following SEASONS marriages were prohibited in the Manual:-(a) Advent to the octave of Epiphany, (b) Septuagesima to the octave of Easter inclusive, (c) Rogation Sunday to Trinity Sunday. This list includes the chief Festal Seasons and Fasts of the Christian year. The OPENING EXHORTATION. -The first and last sentences are from the old Service, the rest chiefly from the Consultatio. It opens (a) with a very emphatic declaration of the sacredness of Marriage, as belonging to unfallen humanity by Divine Institution (Gen. ii. 24; Matt. xix. 5); hallowed as a type of the mystical union between Christ and His Church (Eph. v. 22-33); honoured (even in its festive aspect) by Our Lord's presence and first miracle at Cana of Galilee (John ii. 1-11); and declared to be "honourable among all men "" (Heb. xiii. 4). Of these the first and second are the really important points, indicating the position of Marriage in humanity as first created, and as redeemed by Christ, and thus declaring against the excessive admiration of celibacy, which represented marriage as merely a condescension to weak ness. In the second part (b) it strikes a lower key, dwelling chiefly on the physical uses of marriage (in words plain-spoken almost to coarseness) before it passes to the higher moral relation of "mutual society, help, and comfort" which it creates. It ends (c) with the final repetition of the charge already given at the publication of the Banns, to declare cause, if there be cause, against the marriage. It thus (d) leads on to a most solemn adjuration of the same tenour to the persons coming to be married, pronouncing marriage against God's law to be no marriage. The BETROTHAL.-The questions and the words of betrothal are taken almost exactly from the old form, and retain much of the old quaintness of tone. The pledge is first, on both sides, a pledge of mutual love, honour, and support; next, on the man's side, of comfort and protection; lastly, on the woman's, of service and obedience. This pledge St. Paul does not hesitate to hallow as the type of the relation between Christ and the Church, imitating the self-sacrificing love of Christ to the Church, and the free loyalty of the Church to Her Master. In this the man |
