IX.

which confirmation was conceived to afford; an expedient CHAP. was contrived for their solace and satisfaction, viz., that the presbyter or minister, who was qualified by the bishop to baptize, should have liberty to anoint the neophyte, but with these two cautions: first, that the chrismal unguent should be first consecrated, as was the use of those times, by the bishop. Secondly, that he would anoint without imposition of hands. By this course the bishop parted from the shell, and kept the kernel, reserving to himself the true Apostolical ceremony of imposing of hands, and also the sole power of consecrating the unguent, to teach presbyters their distance, and eminence of their order. This course thus settled, the bishops kept their wonted usage of confirming at Easter and Pentecost in their cathedral cities; and for such as were baptized abroad in the country, their manner was, to give notice of their intentions of being at some convenient place, upon a day prefixed, and to summon all persons whom it 260 concerned to resort to them, there to be confirmed. Now to make proof of what I have delivered, I shall need no more than the first canon of the first Arausican synod3: nullum ministrorum qui baptizandi recepit officium sine chrismate usquam debere progredi; quia inter nos placuit semel chrismari; "that no minister who hath taken the office of baptizing, ought to go abroad without chrism; for we have agreed it should be used once." This chrism the minister was to have of the bishop of his diocese, presbyters being interdicted themselves to consecrate it, by the sixth canon of the council of Carthage decreeing, ὥστε χρίσμα ἀπὸ πρεσβυτέρων μὴ γίνεσθαι, i. e. "that chrism be not made by a presbyter." In case of necessity, if the party baptized was not anointed, then the bishop at confirmation was to be warned of it, as it followeth in the same canon: de eo autem qui in baptismate quacunque necessitate faciente non chrismatus fuerit, in confirmatione sacerdos commonebitur; "but concerning him who shall happen not to be anointed in baptism, in regard of some necessity, the bishop must be put in mind of it." But why so? That he may forbear confirming him, as Aurelius supposeth? No, but that he may anoint him, which else he would not; for the bishop's fashion was only to impose hands without [Apud Balsam., p. 603.]

A.D. 441. Labbe, tom. iv. p. 702.]

с

IX.

CHAP. unction, unless he was told the party was not anointed before. True it is, Aurelius contends for two unctions, one baptismal, the other confirmatory, that by the presbyter, this by the bishop. This he endeavours to prove, first, by the last sentence of this canon, ut necessaria habeatur chrismatio repetita, i. e. "that repeated unction be held necessary." Secondly, by a decretal of Innocent the First, presbyteris seu extra episcopum, seu presente episcopo baptizant, chrismate baptisatos ungere licet, sed quod ab episcopo fuerit consecratum, non tamen frontem ex eodem oleo signare, quod solis debetur episcopis cum tradunt spiritum paracletum, i. e. "presbyters, be the bishop absent or present when they baptize, may anoint whom they have baptized, but not their foreheads with the same unguent, which only belongs to bishops when they give the Holy Ghost." The words of both are express enough; the question is, whether they be the words either of that council, or this pope; and I conceive it without question they are not. As for the canon, Sirmondus the jesuit concludeth it thus; ut non necessaria habeatur repetita chrismatio, i. e. "that repeated chrismation be not held necessary." This particle non reverseth all, and Sirmondus pleads that in his edition he had followed the best and most ancient copies. But Aurelius says no; and this is not only become a dispute, but a serious quarrel betwixt this Sorbonnist and that jesuit, a quarrel that hath provoked between them a great volume to decide it. Having heard them both, I must pronounce for Sirmondus, that the negative syllable must stand, and that there was then at that moment but one anointing in use, which both authority and reason will confirm. Authority, Jeromes, who lived near that time: non abnuo hanc esse Ecclesiarum consuetudinem, ut ad eos qui longe in minoribus urbibus per presbyteros et diaconos baptizati sunt, episcopus ad invocationem Spiritus Sancti manum impositurus excurrat, i. e. "I deny not but the custom of the Churches is this, that the bishop rideth forth into the country, for an invocation of the Holy Ghost, and imposition of hands upon those who, far off, in country towns, have been baptized by presbyters and deacons." He doth not say the bishops were

d [Opp., tom. ii. p. 415, sqq.]

e [Labbe, tom. iii. p. 3.]

f [Opp., tom. iv. p. 251, sqq.] Adv. Luciferian.

IX.

to anoint, but only to impose hands; and yet afterward he tells CHAP. us the presbyters were to baptize with chrism. Again, it is evident by reason, there being then no supposed necessity enforcing the use of episcopal chrismation, which came in long after upon another, not then dreamt on, account; for before confirmation came to be entertained under the notion of a genuine Sacrament, which was not till near a thousand years after Christ, no other ceremony was required to the necessity of it, than laying on of hands; but when it took a degree higher than the ancient Church meant it, when it became, in the corrupt opinion of superstitious men, to gain the 261 reputation of a Sacrament, it was observed, that imposition of hands only would not constitute it such, unless also chrism for the element and material principle thereof were regranted it. And this is the true original of the two chrismations, baptismal or presbyterian, and confirmatory or episcopal, now in use in the Romish Church. Now as what hath been said in defence of Sirmondus's edition of that canon, I conceive is sufficient to overthrow the opinion of Aurelius to the contrary, so also may it serve to render Pope Innocent's decretal counterfeit, as indeed most are, if not all. And were this decretal that pope's, and popes the men they are cried up for, it was a strange boldness in this council to decree, inter nos placuit semel chrismari, "we are agreed that chrism be used once," when Innocent had before ordered it should be twice.

G

Then the bishop shall cross him on the forehead.] This signing was a constant consectary of unction, and therefore the unction having been translated, this also should have followed by way of concomitancy.

And whensoever the bishop shall give knowledge.] Such was the primitive practice, as is evident by that testimony of Jerome lately cited.

H The names of all the children of his parish.] It is not here, nor any where else, so far as I am yet informed, declared by our Church at what years the children shall be confirmed. The practice of late hath been, as soon as they could say their Catechism, which seemeth to be the direction of our Church, and so varieth according to the docibility of the children. About the midnight of popish superstition, viz.,

IX.

CHAP. anno 1230, Edmundus Cantuariensis, in speculo Ecclesiæ, as he is cited by Vicecomes", delivers the then English practice to be this; infra quinque annos ad ultimum postquam natus fuerit infans potest confirmari; "within five years after his birth a child may be confirmed." In elder antiquity, little do I find, only that the child was a catechumen at seven: so the first interrogatory put to Timotheus Alexandrinus1, mentions, παιδίον κατηχούμενον ὡς ἑτῶν ἑπτὰ, “ a child catechised of about seven years of age."

And there shall be none admitted, &c.] The participation of I the blessed Eucharist was anciently an immediate consequent of confirmation or baptism: his obluta plebs dives insignibus, ad Christi contendit altaria, dicens, et introibo ad Altare Dei, saith St. Ambrose, speaking of the white vestments; “the now baptized flesh, decked with this bravery, maketh haste to the Altar of Christ, saying, And I will go up to the Altar of God."

It is here said, that none shall communicate until they can say their Catechism and be confirmed.] But shall they be admitted to the Eucharist always when they can say their Catechism and have been confirmed? This rubric seemeth to imply as much; but then withal it may be interpreted to intend that confirmation be delayed until children come to years of better understanding, that is, nigh unto fourteen.

h De Confirmatione, lib. i. c. 14. i Apud Balsamon. De Mysteriis, c. 8.

13

CHAPTER X.

(A) THE FORM OF SOLEMNIZATION OF MATRIMONY.

X.

First the bans must be asked three several Sundays or holy- CHAP. days in the time of service, the people being present, after the accustomed manner.

And if the persons that would be married dwell in divers parishes, the bans must be asked in both parishes, and the curate of one parish shall not solemnize matrimony betwixt them without a certificate of the bans being thrice asked from the curate of the other parish. (B) At the day appointed for solemnization of matrimony, the persons to be married (C) shall come into the body of the church, with their friends and neighbours: and there the priest shall thus say.

Dearly beloved friends, we are gathered together here in the sight of God, and in the face of His congregation, to join together this man and this woman in holy matrimony, which is an honourable estate, instituted of God in paradise, in the time of man's innocency, signifying unto us the mystical union that is betwixt Christ and His Church: which holy estate Christ adorned and beautified with His presence and first miracle that He wrought in Cana of Galilee, and is commended of St. Paul to be honourable among all men, and therefore is not to be enterprised nor taken in hand unadbisedly, lightly, or wantonly, to satisfy men's carnal lusts and appetites, like brute beasts that have no understanding : but reberently, discreetly, advisedly, soberly, and in the fear of God, duly considering the causes for which matrimony was ordained. One was the procreation of children, to be brought up in the fear and nurture of the Lord, and praise of God. Secondly, it was ordained for a remedy against sin, and to aboid fornication, that such personsa that habe not the gift of

[1 B. of Edw. VI. "as be married might live chastely in matrimony and keep themselves."]