CHAP. III.

Of the Manner of Administering Confirmation, and the Ceremonies used in the Celebration of it.

SECT. 2.-The first Ceremony of Confirmation, was the Unction of Chrism

HAVING thus far considered both the subject of confirmation, or persons to whom it was administered, and the persons by whom it was administered, we are in the next place to take a view of the form and manner of its administration; in which we may observe four distinct ceremonies besides the consecration of the chrism, which were, the unction, the sign of the cross, imposition of hands, and prayer. The unction was commonly first in order, as we learn from that of Tertullian,' "As soon as we are come out of the water, we are anointed with the blessed unction."- "And then we receive imposition of hands, invocating the Holy Spirit by a benediction."

SECT. 2.-The Original of this Unction.

The first rise and original of this unction in the Church, is not exactly known, and the sentiments of learned men are various about it. The late famous writer, under the feigned name of Petrus Aurelius, in his Book called Orthodoxus against Sirmond, takes a great deal of pains to prove it an apostolical practice. But Habertus calls this a dream and a mad undertaking, against the general stream and current of learned men. And Estius says, "The common opinion is, that the Apostles in the beginning of their preaching, used no chrism in the administration of this sacrament," as

Tertul. de Bapt. cap. vii. Exinde egressi de lavacro perunguimur benedictâ unctione.-Ibid. cap. viii. Dehinc manus imponitur, per benedictionem advocans et invitans Spiritum Sanctum. 2 Habert. Archieratic. p.

702. Quod divininare quidam nos volunt, Apostolos in libro Praxapostolorum confirmâsse cum chrismate, id rationem fugit. Præfractè id contra summos theologorum persuadere nititur Petrus Aurelius in Orthodoxo contra Sirmondum. 8 Estius in Sent. lib. iv. dist. vii. sect. 7. Communior sententia est, Apostolos initio suæ prædicationis non usos fuisse chrismate in administratione hujus sacramenti.

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he calls it. So that what the Romanists now make the matter of their new sacrament is confessed to be without any foundation in Scripture. Bishop Pearson' is of opinion, that the use of it came into the Church shortly after the time of the Apostles. Basnage and Dailles think not till the third century, when it is first mentioned by Origen and Tertullian. Some indeed allege an author more ancient than either of these, which is Theophilus Antiochenus, who says, "that we are therefore called Christians, because we are anointed with the oil of God." But the unction he speaks of, is a spiritual and mystical unction; such as, he says, the whole air and earth under heaven is anointed with, viz. the unction of light and the Spirit of God. So that there being no author before Tertullian, who mentions the material unction, as used in confirmation, it is most probable it was a ceremony first begun about his time, to represent the unction of the Holy Ghost.

SECT. 3.-The Form and Manner of Administering it, together with the Effects of it.

But when it was once admitted, it was usually magnified as the symbol, and sometimes the instrumental cause of very great effects. The consecration of it was supposed to work a mystical change in its nature, answerable to the change wrought in the waters of baptism, and the bread and wine in the eucharist, which Cyril of Jerusalem compares together. It was this unction, as the completion of baptism, to which they ascribed the power of making every Christian in some sense partaker of a royal priesthood. Which is not only said by Origen in the passage last mentioned, but by Pope Leo, St. Jerom,8 and many others. To it they also ascribed

Pearson. Lect. in Act. v. n. 6. p. 69. 2 Basnag. Critic. in Baron. 8 Daill. de Confirm. lib. ii. cap. ii. p. 116, &c. 4 Origen

p. 76.

in Levit. Hom. 9. p. 156. Omnes, quicunque unguento sacri chrismatis delibuti sunt, sacerdotes effecti sunt, sicut et Petrus ad omnem dicit Ecclesiam, "vos regale sacerdotium." Theophil. ad Autolycum, lib. i. Bibl. Patr. G. L. tom. i. p. 110. Καλέμεθα χριςιανοί, ὅτι χριόμεθα ἔλαιον Θε8. 6 Cyril. Catech. Myst. iii. n. 3. Leo. Ser. iii. de Assumptione suâ. Vid. Prosper. Sentent. 342. Ambros. de Initiatis, cap. vi. Aug. Ser. iii. post xl. à Sirmondo editis, in appendice. tom. x. p. 847.

p. 3.

8 Hieron, cont. Lucif. cap. ii.

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the noble effects of confirming the soul with the strength of all spiritual graces on God's part, as well as the confirmation of the professions and covenant made on man's part. The author of the Constitutions1 makes it to be on man's part “ βεβαίωσις τῆς ὁμολογίας, και συνθηκών, the confirmation of the confessions and compacts," made with God in baptism; and on God's part, "the collation of the Holy Spirit," represented by this ceremony of anointing. Which is so frequently mentioned in every Greek writer upon this subject, that it is superfluous to refer any learned reader to them. It will be sufficient only to hint the forms of prayer, which they used upon this occasion; for these will evidently shew what spiritual effects they expected from this unction. Now of these we have two ancient forms remaining, a shorter and a longer, the one an express, and the other an implicit prayer. The shorter form was conceived in these words, Σφράγις δωρεᾶς Πνεύματος Αγίs, the seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit," as we find it in the first General Council of Constantinople, where they order such as were baptised by heretics, to be confirmed by the unction of chrism in this form of words. And so again, in the Council of Trullo3 and some private writers. Not to mention now, that this is the form still in use in the Euchologium of the present Greek Church. But beside this shorter form, which was only an implicit prayer, as if they had said, let this unction be unto thee the seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit, they had also some larger forms, which were more express prayers; one of which is in the author of the Apostolical Constitutions, under the title of “ an Εὐχαρισία περὶ το μυτικό μύρω, a thanksgiving or benediction to be used in the unction of the mystical chrism," where the bishop is ordered to anoint the party baptised, saying these words,5 " O Lord God, the Unbegotten, who hast no Lord, who art Lord of all, who madest the sweet savour of the knowledge of the Gospel to go forth among all nations, grant now, that this chrism may be effectual in this baptised person, that the sweet savour

1 Const. Apost. lib. iii. cap. xvii. lib. vii. c. xxii. i. can. 7. 8 Con. Trull. can. xcv,

Filio Prodigo. ap. Photium, Cod. 271. p. 1499.

2 Con. Constant. + Asterius Amasen. de ⚫ Constit. Apost, lib. vii.

c. xliv.

of thy Christ may remain firm and stable in him, and that he being dead with Him, may rise again and live with Him." Now this unction in the Greek Church, was not only in the forehead, but in several other parts of the body, all performed by the bishop in one and the same act; but the Latins divided the office in some places between the bishop and presbyters, as has been observed before. But whether united or divided, it was all reckoned the unction of confirmation: which is evident from that canon of the Council of Barcelona, which speaking of presbyters receiving the consecrated chrism from their bishops, which they themselves were to use, says expressly," that it was for confirming neophytes, or persons newly baptised." Which is a manifest proof, that that part of the ceremony of unction, which was committed to presbyters, was reckoned a part of confirmation: And so much of it might be committed to presbyters, acting in subordination to their bishop, as the rules of every Church allowed. For this part of confirmation being wholly of ecclesiastical institution, it was in the power of the Church to nake orders in all things concerning it, both in what manner, and by what persons she would have it performed. Which is the true reason of so much variety, as we have observed, in different Churches, in the administering this first ceremony of confirmation.

SECT. 4.-The Second Ceremony of Confirmation was the Sign of the Cross.

Together with this unction they usually joined the sign of the cross. For this ceremony they used upon all occasions, and therefore would not omit it in this solemn act of confirmation. Of this we have several clear proofs in Tertullian, Pope Leo, and others: which, because they have been already recited at large, in speaking of the use of the sign of the cross in baptism, I will not here repeat them; but only add, that the name consignation, which is so often used by the Latin writers to denote confirmation, seems to have

1 Con. Barcinon. can. ii. Stratum est, ut cùm chrisina presbyteris dicecesanis pro neophytis confirmandis datur, nihil pro liquoris pretio accipiatur, &c. 2 Book xi, chap. ix. s. 6. 3 Innoc. Ep. i. ad Decent. Martin Bracaren. can. lii.

c. 3. De consignandis verò infantibus, &c.

had its rise from this ceremony and custom of signing with the sign of the cross, when they gave the unction to persons baptised. And this in some measure answers to the Greek name Eppayìs, which many times, though not always, denotes the sign of the cross, as used in baptism or confirmation, or any other office of religion; of which I need not here be more particular.

SECT. 5.-The third and most noted Ceremony, Imposition of Hands; and fourthly, Prayer joined therewith.

The most noted ceremony in this whole affair, and that which most universally prevailed, was imposition of hands; a ceremony used in all sorts of benedictions, but more peculiarly applied to ordination, reconciling of penitents, and confirmation. The Latin writers commonly speak of confirmation under this title. But some think it was not in use among the Greeks, who, they say, only used chrism, and not imposition of hands in confirmation. But this is a great mistake: for the author of the Constitutions in the same chapter, where he rehearses the prayer of the mystical chrism, immediately subjoins, "This is the power of imposition of hands necessary for every one: for unless he that is baptised have this invocation of the holy priest, he only goes into the water as a Jew, and puts off the filth of the body, but not the filth of the soul." Therefore though this imposition of hands be not so frequently mentioned in the Greek writers, yet it is always to be understood, as chrism is in the Latin writers, where only imposition of hands is mentioned.

SECT. 6.-The Original of this Ceremony of Imposition of Hands.

The antiquity of this ceremony is by all ancient writers carried as high as the Apostles, and founded upon their example and practice. There are three passages in Scripture from which they generally deduce it: Acts viii. where mention is made of the Apostles laying hands on those whom

Presbyter non signet infantes, &c. Const. Apost. lib. vii. cap. xliv. Εκάτε γὰρ ἡ δύναμις τῆς χειροθεσίας ἐὰν γὰρ μὴ εἰς ἕκατον τέτων ἡ ἐπίκλησις γένηται παρὰ τὸ εὐσεβῆς ἱερέως τοιαύτη τίς εἰς ὕδωρ μόνον καταβαίνει ὁ βαπτιζόμενος, ὡς Ιεδαῖοι, &c.