candidates at the same time, and blessed them, ought not to be blamed, or considered invalid.

SECTION II.

CONFIRMATION OFFICE.

The office of confirmation begins with a preface or address, in which the bishop, or some person appointed by him, reminds the candidates for confirmation of the promises made by their sureties, which they must now themselves renew. This preface, and the following question of the bishop, in which he inquires whether the candidates for confirmation renew the solemn promises and vows made for them at baptism, are probably peculiar to the English office of confirmation; but it would be difficult to find any fault in them; and as we know that the office of baptism in the primitive Gallican church commenced with a preface or address, and there were always questions and vows made in that office, it seems very consistent with ancient customs to place an address and question in the cognate office of confirmation.

After the reply of the candidates in the affirmative, the office proceeds with some versicles and responses, which in ancient times formed the beginning of the office in the English church of Salisbury.

Answer. Henceforth, world without end.

Bishop. Lord, hear our

prayers.

Answer. And let our cry come unto thee.

Resp. Ex hoc nunc et usque in sæculum.

Vers. Dominus vobiscum.

Resp. Et cum spiritu tuok.

The following prayer is one of very great antiquity, and is found in the sacramentary of Gelasius, of Gregory, and of many of the western churches. Originally it was accompanied by the imposition of hands; that is, the bishop held his hands raised over the heads of all who were to be confirmed, while he repeated it, as we may perceive by the sacramentary of Gelasius, and the old ordo Romanus, and also by the sacramentary of Leofric bishop of Exeter, where it is entitled, Ad manús impositionem1. As the following prayer is found in the sacramentary of Gelasius, we may say that it is at least as old as the year 494; but it is probably much more ancient. The invocation of the Holy Spirit, or prayer for his grace, seems essential to this rite, and we may justly conclude that the following prayer is one of the most important parts of the whole office. In every ritual now extant in the world, whether of the western or eastern churches, we find a similar form to that of the English ritual, which has been used by our church for above twelve hundred years.

The Bishop. Let us pray. Almighty and everliving God, who hast vouchsafed to regenerate these thy servants by water and the Holy Ghost,

k Man. Sarisb. fol. 156.

Oremus.

Omnipotens sempiterne Deus, qui regenerare dignatus es hos famulos tuos ex aqua et Spiritu Sancto, quique dedisti

1 MS. Leofr. fol. 286.

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.

eis remissionem omnium peccatorum immitta in eos septiformem Spiritum Sanctum Paraclitum de cœlis: spiritum sapientiæ et intellectus; spiritum scientiæ et pietatis; spiritum consilii et fortitudinis; et imple eos spiritu timoris Dominim.

The solemn invocation of the Holy Spirit is followed by the imposition of hands, which is given to each individual while the bishop repeats a benediction. As I have before observed, this imposition of hands does not seem, in early times, to have been given to every distinct individual in the Roman church; nor have we any account of it in the other churches of the west; but the rituals of Chaldea and Alexandria both direct the priest or bishop to give the imposition of hands to every separate person; though the former does not prescribe any particular benediction in each case, but one general prayer after the individual imposition of hands". In the Alexandrian ritual, as in the English, there is first a general prayer for the Holy Spirit, and after

m Manuale Sarisb. fol. 156. Miss. Leofr. fol. 286. Sacram. Gregorii a Menard. p. 74. Muratori, Sacram. Gelasii, tom. i. p. 571. Compare Martene de Antiq. Eccl. Rit. tom. i. p. 249. where it is copied from the

pontifical of Egbert, abp. of York, in the eighth century. See also the other orders which he gives.

n Assemani Cod. Lit. tom. iii. p. 138.

wards a particular benediction, accompanied with the imposition of hands on each individualo.

Then follows the Lord's Prayer. I do not find that the churches of Constantinople, Alexandria, Rome, Milan, or any others in the west, have ever used it in this place. But it is unnecessary to defend the use of this prayer on any occasion, as no orthodox Christian can object to it. However, in the patriarchate of Antioch it has long been customary for the people to recite the Lord's Prayer after confirmation has been administered P. The church of England has used it in this place since the review of the ritual in A. D. 1661.

The collect which follows the Lord's Prayer has been used, with some variation, for many centuries in the churches of England: we find it in the manual of Salisbury, and in a manuscript pontifical of Egbert, archbishop of York, in the middle of the eighth century; from which last I transcribe the following original.

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

o Assemani Cod. Lit. tom. iii. p. 82, 84.

Deus, qui Apostolis tuis Sanctum dedisti Spiritum, et per eos, eorumque successores, cæteris fidelibus tradendum esse voluisti; respice propitius ad humilitatis nostræ famulatum, et præsta ut eorum earumque corda, quorum vel quarum hodie frontem delinivimus et signo crucis confirmavimus, Spiritus Sanctus adveniens, tem

P Assemani Codex, Rituale Syrorum, p. 156, 171, 178.

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.

plum gloriæ suæ dignanter inhabitando perficiat. Perq.

The collect which succeeds is a most excellent form, but I am not aware that it is very ancient, or that it can be traced in the primitive formularies of the English church, or of any other. The benediction at the conclusion is directed by the manual of Salisbury; and we find very long benedictions used at this place by the English church in the eighth century, according to the pontifical of Egbert, archbishop of York'.

The blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, be upon you, and remain with you for ever. Amen.

Benedicat vos omnipotens Deus Pater, et Filius, et Spiritus Sanctus. Amens.

The rubric at the conclusion is also derived from the ancient practice of the English church.

¶ Manuale Sarisb. fol. 156. Pontificale Egberti ap. Martene de Antiq. Eccl. Rit. tom.

i. p. 249.

r Pontif. Egberti ut supra. s Man. Sarisb. ut supra.