Confirmation

Acts viii.CONFIRMATION. The Sacrament of Confirmation is that which makes us perfect Christians, and impresses an indelible Character upon us after Baptism, and imparts to us the spirit of Fortitude, whereby we are enabled to confess Christianity, even at the hazard of our Lives. It is frequently called by the Antients, laying on of Hands, because it is conferred by imposition of Hands. The administration of this Sacrament was in the beginning reserved to the Apostles, or the Bishops their Successors, who only are the ordinary Ministers of it. We see the practice of it in the Acts of the Apostles, where it is 14, 15, 16, &c.said, that the Apostles being informed, that the People of Samaria had received the word of God, and had been baptized by Philip the Deacon, S. Peter and S. John went thither, and laid their hands upon all the Faithful there, who immediately received the Holy Ghost. S. Paul speaks likewise of the effects of this Sacrament, saying to the Ephesians, Grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

Acts x. 44, 45, 46, &c. Acts viii. 9. 14, 16, 17, 18. 1 Cor. xii, xiii. Rom. xii. 6, 7. Ephes. iv. 7.In the Infancy of Christianity, the laying on of Hands by the Apostles, or Confirmation, was attended generally with miraculous Gifts and Graces, and with external Gifts of the Holy Ghost, such as that of Tongues, Prophecy, Miracles, and healing of Diseases. This is what manifestly appeared at the Baptism of Cornelius, the Holy Ghost descending upon those who like him desired Baptism, and by such an extraordinary Dispensation of Providence preventing Imposition of Hands. The Jews who came with S. Peter to Cæsarea, were amazed at it; and beheld those Gentiles with admiration, who spoke divers Languages, and glorified God as they did, who had been baptized, and received Imposition of Hands. And when the Apostles came to Samaria, to confirm the Faithful who imbraced Christianity on S. Philip’s preaching, they laid their Hands on them, and gave them the Holy Ghost. Hereupon Simon the Magician observing the wonderful effects wrought by their thus laying on their Hands, offered them a Sum of Money, to procure this surprising Power from them of conferring the Holy Ghost. Lastly, S. Paul in his Epistles speaks very often of these supernatural Gifts granted to the Faithful, by the laying on of Hands. And it appears by the Fathers¹, that this extraordinary Power continued in the Church so long as to the third and fourth Ages.

As to the manner of Confirming made use of by the Apostles, the Scripture speaks only of Prayer, and Imposition of Hands. The most antient of the Fathers, and the oldest Rituals, do likewise take notice only of the laying on of Hands. In the eastern Churches, the Bishops and Priests for a very long time, have confirmed by anointing with the holy Oyl; and in the Latin Church the Bishops, who only are the ordinary Ministers of this Sacrament, confer it by laying on of their Hands, and by anointing the Forehead with the holy Chrism, using at the same time this Prayer, I sign you with the Sign of the Cross, and confirm you with the Chrism of Salvation, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.

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