? oOJ?FmM,I?0N. [BooE 6. Tie/?, ?f?a?. "He receives the kiss of peace to give him to understand that he has been blessed with the ruiness of divine grace, and with that peace which surpasseth all understanding." 7. Why adm?i?ered at Pentecost. "Because the apesdes were then strengthened and continned by the power of the Holy Ghost; and also to remind the faithful, by the recollection of ttmt supernatural event, of the number and magnitude of the mysteries contained in that sacred unction." r 8. The person conllrmed has one l?lf?er, if a boy, and one god- mother, if a girl; of whom the stone things are required as of those in baptism. 9. The nmne of the person is sometimes changed, and frequently s new one is added from the c31endar of saints. 10. The head of the confirmed person is bound Found with ? linen bandage, which in some pisces remained for seven dsys; in o0?ers, for twenty-four hours. Now in many diocesses this is omitted; but, imme- (listely 8/'?er confirmstion, the front is wiped by the priests. Ix. Did the Church of Rome observe the rite of confirmation as a form?l? ceremony to initiate members into the church, we would have no controversy with them on this point; but as they attach to it sacra- mental qualities, and therefore give it quite a new character, we must oppose it as unsound and unscriptural. 1. The following is the principal passage of Scripture on which they i?_titu?e the sacrament of confirmation: "Then laid they lmnds on them, and they received the Holy Ghost," Acts viii, 17. That there is no ground for the sacrament of confirmation in this passage of Scripture will be plain from the following considerations: 1. These were mira- culous gifts of the Holy Ghost, as the gift of tongues, of prophesying, he&ling, &c., which were bestowed on the disciples, whereof the im- position of hands was a sign at that time: but it is impossible to ground an ordinary and perpetual sacrament upon an extraordinary example; and that they were such visible graces of the'Spirit is manifest, because Simon Magus saw that the Holy Ghost was given them by laying on of hands. 2. The Holy Ghost was obtained by their prayers, (ver. 15,) and not only by laying on of hands. 3. To make a sacrament, it is not enough to have a visible sigu, and to show some spiritual grace bestowed therewith; for then the spittle and clay that Christ used must also be sacraments; for here are outward signs, and some effect fol- lowed; yet beck, use there was no institution of Christ, nor any com- mandment to use them, neither these nor the imposition of hands can be s sacrament. 4. The extraordinary gifts which the apostles be- stowed by imposition of hands are now ceased; the ceremony, there- fore, has also ceased. In short, Romanists are bound to show such mimenisus signs as the apostles did, in order that they might prove their position; and until they can show such, we must reject their sacrament of con6rmation. 2. ]?very sacrament must have its appointment from Christ, consist- ing both of an outward sign and words of institution. But this ordi* nance of theirs has none of these. The sign which they use is oil. Their words of' consecration are, "I sign thee with the sign of the cross, anoint thee with the chrism of health, in the name of the Father, 1 oigitizeo by Goodie
�
