Can. Ix.

and laudable custom, continued from the apostles' time, that all bishops should lay their hands upon children baptised, and instructed in the Catechism of the Christian religion, praying over them, and blessing them.

Q. How doth it appear that this rite was used by the apostles?

A. We have the Scripture itself for the evidence of the fact; for when the men of Samaria had been converted and baptised,

Acts vin.

and had received the word of God, the apostles St. Peter and St. John were sent to confirm those new converts, to lay their hands upon them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost. And the disciples at Ephesus, after they had been baptised in the name Acts xix. 5, 6. of Jesus, were confirmed by St. Paul,

who laid his hands upon them, and then they received the Holy Ghost. And further, the same apostle mentions as fundamentals, not only the doctrine of baptism, but Heb. vi 2. the "laying on of hands," by which

the ancient interpreters have always understood confirmation; which appeared so plain to Calvin himself, that it was his opinion, that this one place shews evidently that confirmation was instituted by the apostles.

In loc.

Q. How does it appear that confirmation was not confined to the age of the apostles?

A. Because this solemn rite is highly useful and beneficial to the spiritual wants of Christians in all ages, who stand in need of the influences of God's Holy Spirit to the great purpose of sanctification; and was as such accordingly practised by them in all the succeeding ages of the Church, as appears by the testimony of fathers and councils, who in this matter speak as witnesses of a catholic custom.

Q. Give me some testimonies of this practice.

A. Tertullian, who flourished about fourscore years after St. John, and who is very careful in relating the practice of the primitive Church, tells us, "That after baptism suc

Epist. 73.

De Bapt. c. 8. ceeds laying on of hands, by prayer calling for and inviting the Holy Spirit." And St. Cyprian, who flourished about sixty years after Tertullian, hath this remark upon the history of the Samaritan converts: "The same thing," says he, " is practised among us, that they who are baptised in the Church are presented to the governors of it, the bishops, that by our prayers and imposition of hands they may obtain the Holy Ghost, and be perfected with the seal of Christ;" which is by confirmation to attain the highest order of Christians. St. Jerome speaks full to the point: "If you ask," says he, "where

Dial. advers.
Lucif.

it is written, it is written in the Acts of the Apostles; but if there were no authority of Scripture for it, yet the consent of all the world in this particular is instead of a command."

Q. What are the effects of confirmation? A. In the primitive Church these effects were extraordinary gifts, such as were necessary then in the infant state of the Church; but upon the settlement of it, the Holy Spirit guides it by secret and invisible communications, which those receive who are qualified to partake of them in this regular and ministerial way; and they are those ordinary helps and assistances. which are necessary for the performing the conditions of our salvation, which we cannot work out without the influences of God's Holy Spirit. Q. Who is the proper minister of confirmation?

A. The administration of this rite was devolved by the apostles to their successors, the bishops of the catholic Church; for,

though Philip the deacon had liberty

Acts viii.

14, 15

both to preach and baptise, yet the apostles only had the power to confirm, as is plain by the history of the Samaritan con

verts and therefore this rite is ap

Acts viii. 18.

propriated to the bishops, as being successors of the apostles in the government of the Church, in all the primitive records of Christianity.

Q. What ceremony is used in confirmation?

A. The laying on of the hand of the bishop upon the head of the person to be confirmed a very ancient ceremony in giving of blessings, practised by the Jews, and made use of by our Saviour Himself, and adopted by the Acts viii. 17; apostles, with prayer for communicating the Holy Spirit in confirmation, and which gave name to the whole office, which is called "the laying on of hands."

Matt. xix. 13,

Heb vi. 2.

Q. What qualifications are necessary for the candidates of this holy ordinance?

A. Those who are brought to be confirmed ought to be thoroughly instructed in the nature of their baptismal vow, which they then renew, and of that obligation they lie under to perform it. They ought to be acquainted with the meaning of this holy rite, and whose office it is to administer it; they ought to have a competent degree of the knowledge of those Christian duties that relate to God, their neighbour, and themselves. And in order to these ends, it is advisable that they should some time before read over the confirmation-office.

Q. What particular preparation is necessary before confirmation?

A. The persons to be confirmed ought to examine themselves concerning those sins of omission or commission they have been guilty

of in thought, word, and deed; and to confess them to God, declaring their hearty sorrow and repentance for them, and earnestly begging God's pardon and forgiveness; to which they must add serious resolutions of living answerable to their Christian profession. And that their prayers and holy purposes may be effectual, they may do well to join fasting to them, that they may be the better disposed to receive the influences of God's Holy Spirit.

Q. Since you mention the necessity of making serious resolutions of living answerable to the Christian profession when you receive confirmation; pray what do you resolve in relation to those enemies that oppose your salvation-the devil, the world, and the flesh?

A. I resolve, by the grace of God, to be always upon the watch against those various ways in which each of them is likely to endanger my salvation; I resolve to use all fit and proper means to secure myself against those dangers, and particularly to fortify those weak places of my mind which my temper or circumstances of life render most exposed to them.

Q. What do you resolve in relation to the devil?

A. I resolve, by God's assistance, never to give my consent to any of those wicked thoughts which he may throw into my mind; nor to com