130 THE ORDER OF CONFIRMATION, OR LAYING ON OF HANDS UPON THOSE THAT ARE BAPTIZED AND COME TO YEARS OF DISCRETION. ¶ Upon the day appointed, all that are to be then confirmed, being placed, and standing in order, before the Bishop; he (or some other Minister appointed by Him) shall read this Preface following. To the end that Confirmation may be ministered to the more edifying of such as shall receive it, the Church hath thought good to order, That none hereafter shall be confirmed, but such as can say the Creed, the LORD'S Prayer, and the Ten Commandments; and can also answer to such other Questions, as in the short Catechism are contained: which order is very convenient to be observed; to the end, that children, being now come to the years of discretion, and having learned what their Godfathers and Godmothers promised for them in Baptism, they may themselves, with their own mouth and consent, openly before the 131 CHAPTER VI. THE ORDER OF CONFIRMATION. Sect. 1. The preface. 66 THE Church of England is careful to provide in all of her offices for an intelligent devotion on the part of her people. This desire has caused the addition of a Preface in the Service which is now to be considered. It is not found in the earlier services. Indeed its object is chiefly to explain the reason why the Church of England in revising her ritual, thought good to retain the later practice of administering Confirmation only to those who in some sense are come to years of discretion," instead of causing her children to be confirmed in infancy, according to the more primitive practice. The object of the Preface is not to prove the desirableness of Confirmation, but the desirableness of administering this ordinance at a particular age. The ceremony itself is retained because it is an apostolic ordinance necessary to the perfection of Christian life. The particular age is selected, when children-not having yet ceased to be children, but having become sensible of Church, ratify and confirm the same; and also promise, that by the grace of God they will evermore endeavour themselves faithfully to observe such things, as they, by their own confession, have assented unto. Then shall the Bishop say, Do ye here, in the presence of GOD, and of this congregation, renew the solemn promise and vow that was made in your name at your Baptism; ratifying and confirming the same in their Christian privileges and corresponding duties are now able to pledge themselves to a fulfilment of those duties which are a condition of the privileges being retained. God has commanded His Church to confirm the grace of Baptism by this subsequent ordinance. The Church, wishing to do all things to edification, determines to confirm this grace when the children are able to confirm their Baptismal vows. She had therefore ordered "that none hereafter shall be confirmed but such as can say the Creed, the LORD'S Prayer, and the Ten Commandments," and "this order" she now repeats "is very convenient to be observed." Sect. 2. The questioning. The children of the Church have been instructed in the Catechism that the promises made by their godparents in their behalf are binding upon themselves. The Priest has been continually in the habit of asking each of them: 66 Question. Dost thou not think that thou art bound to believe and to do as they have promised for thee ?" The catechised person has equally often |