the Catechism says, is a Bishop only. This means that, as a rule, no one else has the power of administering it. This is shown pretty clearly in the passage already referred to out of the Acts, which tells us that upon hearing that Samaria had received the word of God, two of the Apostles went down to confirm the new converts. And both the general usage of the Church, and the decrees of different Popes and councils,* prove the same thing. Yet it is certain, on the other hand, that a priest might administer this Sacrament, if, on account of the difficulty of access to a Bishop, the Pope should delegate to him power to do so. Yet, even in that case, the oil must have been blessed by a Bishop.

Subject. As to the subject of this Sacrament, every one who is baptised and has not yet been confirmed is admissible to it. Accordingly, it was at one time common to confirm infants immediately after baptism. This practice is still retained in some parts of the East, by special permission of the Holy See. But it is now the general custom not to confirm such as have not attained the use of reason, or at least not unless at the point of death. For it is thought that the graces of confirmation may be of most use, if freshly received at that time when the young Christian is going forth into the world to fight against those three great enemies which he promised in his baptism to renounce. Another great reason for deferring it till the recipients have come to the use of reason is, that they may be better instructed and prepared to receive it.

Obligation. Though confirmation may be lawfully and very beneficially received by all those who are baptised and prepared for it, yet it is not, like baptism, absolutely necessary for salvation. As it is, however, one of the means instituted by our Lord to assist us in our contest with our spiritual enemies, it cannot be neglected, when occasion offers for receiving it, without committing sin. Much more is this the case, if such neglect should be occasioned by contempt, or thinking lightly of so great

See especially Council of Trent, sess. vii. case 6.

a Sacrament. The Roman Catechism quotes what Pope Clement has said on this subject: 66 All should come without delay to be born again to God in holy baptism, and next to be sealed by the Bishop, that is, to receive the seven-fold gift of the Holy Spirit; since no one who omits this Sacrament-not because he has no opportunity of receiving it, but-wilfully or contemptuously, can become a full-grown Christian. Thus we have received from the Blessed Peter; and thus taught the other Apostles instructed by our Lord" (part ii. cap. 3).

Dispositions. As to the dispositions for receiving confirmation worthily, all that is necessary is to be in a state of grace. Where, as in old times, the Sacrament was received by infants, this was secured by their having been baptised. But now that it is not received except by those who have come to the use of reason, and are therefore capable of committing mortal sin, it might be received sacrilegiously, like any other Sacrament of the living. There is, therefore, a grave obligation to prepare for receiving it, by recovering the grace of God, if it has been lost by mortal sin. For the Holy Spirit Himself warns us, that "Wisdom will not enter into a malicious soul, nor dwell in a body subject to sin" (Wis. i. 4). Next in importance to this, it is required that those to be confirmed should be sufficiently instructed in Christian doctrine. It is required, if possible, that they should know not only the truths of religion that are absolutely necessary to salvation, but all that the Church enjoins to be learned, and that they should be especially instructed with regard to the nature of, and preparation for, the Sacrament they are about to receive. Indeed it has always been considered so essential, for those who received this Sacrament after having come to the use of reason, to be well furnished with Christian knowledge, that the Council of Trent, in its decree on this Sacrament, condemns the error of those who said it had anciently consisted in nothing else than this instruction of young people in Christian doctrine.

*

Lastly, it used to be customary always to receive this *For an exact statement of the particulars which all are bound to know, see Chapter III., on the Necessity of Faith, page 7.

Sacrament fasting; but this is not of obligation, and indeed, as it is often conferred in the after part of the day, it does not seem to be expected.

CHAP. XCV. On the Effects and Ceremonies of Confirmation.

EFFECTS. The next point to be explained is the particular effects of this Sacrament. Confirmation, in common with the rest of the Sacraments, increases habitual or sanctifying grace in our souls; but it has, besides this, three particular effects of its own. Its first effect is, that it increases and perfects the grace of baptism, and gives us the plenitude of the Holy Spirit. By baptism we are born again, but this birth leaves us "like new-born infants" (1 Peter ii. 2), with a certain weakness and tenderness of childhood about us; and here confirmation comes in to strengthen us, and render us fit to combat and endure hardness like good soldiers of Jesus Christ (2 Tim. ii. 3). And thus it perfects that work which is begun at our baptism. Hence the Bishop prays in administering this Sacrament, "Confirma hoc, Deus, quod operatus es in nobis:" "Strengthen and perfect, O Lord, that work which Thou hast begun in us." And it is from this principal effect that confirmation derives its name; and not, as some pretend, because those who had come to full age were instructed, and then went before the Bishop to make a profession and renewal of their faith. For the Roman Catechism tells us that no proof exists of such a custom. It is not merely a profession of, or instruction in, our faith, but it is a fresh gift of God in our souls.

How

completely this is the case, is proved by the words of our Lord to His Apostles. He had given them a commission to go forth into the world to preach the Gospel and to plant the Church, and yet so necessary was the fortifying grace of confirmation, that He instructs them not to enter upon their work until they had received it. "Stay you in the city till you be endued with power from on high" (St. Luke xxiv. 49). And the same thing is also proved

by the outward effects which the Sacrament wrought on the Apostles, as soon as they had received it. When our Lord was apprehended, all the disciples forsook Him and fled; and Peter was in such fear, that in his endeavour to escape the suspicion of being one of our Lord's disciples he denied Him. And after the Resurrection they were all together with closed doors, "for fear of the Jews." But as soon as they have received the gift of the Holy Ghost in confirmation, it is quite different. They stand boldly forward before the chief priests and rulers of the people, without being deterred by threats or by punishment. Their courage and boldness is expressly noticed, as causing much astonishment to the rulers and the people (Acts iv. 13). And this is the first and special grace of confirmation, that it gives strength boldly to profess the faith of Christ crucified, the holy sign of which is imprinted on our forehead in confirmation. And it is for this reason that this Sacrament is especially needed in times of persecution, or when we have to encounter any temptation, either against our faith, or the open profession of it. When it is said that in confirmation we receive the plenitude or fulness of the Holy Spirit, it is not meant that nothing more could be given us, but that we receive that measure which suffices to make us perfect Christians. We receive the grace that is then necessary for us, and a title to all those gifts and graces which shall be at any time necessary for us, for the maintenance and profession of our faith. These, of course, will vary in different persons. Our state of life, and other circumstances, may call for more particular exercise of one or another of the seven gifts of the Holy Ghost. But we receive them in confirmation in such a way, as to have the benefit of them whenever occasion more especially calls for them. In the early times of the Church those who were confirmed commonly received also some miraculous powers: the gifts of healing, of speaking or interpreting languages, or of prophecy. These are often referred to in the Acts of the Apostles and in the Epistles of St. Paul (see 1 Corinthians, chap. xiv.). But these gifts were given, not for the good of those who received them, but for the benefit of others, for whom

U

such miraculous exhibitions of God's power were necessary in the infant state of the Church. It is because these gifts are no longer necessary that we do not now receive them, while those graces or gifts which are necessary for our sanctification, God bestows on us now in confirmation, as much as on those who first received this Sacrament.

The second special effect of the Sacrament of confirmation is that, like the Sacrament of baptism, it imprints an indelible mark or character on the soul, typified by the sign of the cross imprinted on the forehead. It is for this reason that this Sacrament can never be repeated, even though it should have been received in mortal sin. Though in this case the grace of the Sacrament is not received, yet it is bestowed as soon as the obstacle is removed, by the soul being restored to the favour of God.

Ceremonies. It remains only to speak now of the ceremonies of confirmation. The Bishop first imposes his hands, or holds them over the heads of those who are to be confirmed, while he prays that God would send down the sevenfold gifts of His Spirit. These are, the spirit of wisdom, of understanding, of counsel, of fortitude, of knowledge, of piety, and of fear of the Lord (Isaias xi. 2). Each child is next brought up by the godfather or godmother, who lays his or her hand on the shoulder of the child, while the Bishop anoints him on the forehead with the holy chrism. This he does in the form of a cross, saying the words, "I sign thee with the sign of the cross, I confirm thee with the chrism of salvation, in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." Lastly, the Bishop gives a little blow on the cheek, to signify that, now having received the grace of the Holy Spirit to strengthen and support him, the person confirmed is to be ready, as "a good soldier of Christ Jesus" (2 Tim. ii. 3), to endure hard treatment, even to blows, in defence of that faith of which he has just made open profession.

The sponsors for confirmation ought to be different from those who stood for the child in baptism; and if there is only one, should be of the same sex as the person confirmed.