The Book of Common Prayer / and The Scottish Liturgy

by Episcopal Church in Scotland

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 maybe 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 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 your own persons, and acknowledging yourselves bound to believe and to do all those things, which your Godfathers and Godmothers then undertook for you?

And every one shall audibly answer,

I do.

The Bishop.

Our help is in the Name of the Lord;

Answer. Who hath made heaven and earth.

Bishop. Blessed be the Name of the Lord;

Answer. Henceforth world without end.

Bishop. Lord, hear our prayers.

Answer. And let our cry come unto thee.

Bishop.

Let us pray.

Almighty and ever-living God, who hast vouchsafed to regenerate these thy servants by Water and the Holy Ghost, and hast given unto them forgiveness of all their sins: Strengthen them, we beseech thee, O Lord, with the Holy Ghost the Comforter, and daily increase in them thy manifold gifts of grace; the spirit of wisdom and understanding; the spirit of counsel and ghostly strength; the spirit of knowledge and true godliness; and fill them, O Lord, with the spirit of thy holy fear, now and for ever. Amen.

Then all of them in order kneeling before the Bishop, he shall lay his hand upon the head of every one severally, saying,

Defend, O Lord, this thy Child [or this thy Servant] with thy heavenly grace, that he may continue thine for ever; and daily increase in thy Holy Spirit, more and more, until he come unto thy everlasting kingdom. Amen.

Then shall the Bishop say,

The Lord be with you.

Answer. And with thy spirit.

And (all kneeling down) the Bishop shall add,

Let us pray.

Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, in earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; And forgive us our trespasses, As we forgive them that trespass against us; And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from evil. Amen.

And this Collect.

Almighty and everliving God, who makest us both to will and to do those things that be good and acceptable unto thy divine Majesty; We make our humble supplications unto thee for these thy servants, upon whom (after the example of thy holy Apostles) we have now laid our hands, to certify them (by this sign) of thy favour and gracious goodness towards them. Let thy fatherly hand, we beseech thee, ever be over them; let thy Holy Spirit ever be with them; and so lead them in the knowledge and obedience of thy Word, that in the end they may obtain everlasting life; through our Lord Jesus Christ, who with thee and the Holy Ghost liveth and reigneth, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

O almighty Lord, and everlasting God, vouchsafe, we beseech thee, to direct, sanctify and govern both our hearts and bodies, in the ways of thy laws, and in the works of thy commandments; that through thy most mighty protection, both here and ever, we may be preserved in body and soul; through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

Then the Bishop shall bless them, saying thus,

The Blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy
Ghost, be upon you, and remain with you, for ever. Amen.

And there shall none be admitted to the holy Communion, until such time as he be confirmed, or be ready and desirous to be confirmed.

| AN ALTERNATIVE ORDER FOR THE | |MINISTRATION OF CONFIRMATION | |AS CANONICALLY SANCTIONED IN THE SCOTTISH CHURCH | | | The circumstances of this Church requiring on many occasions | such modifications of the Order of Confirmation as may render | it appropriate to candidates who had not godfathers and | godmothers at their baptism, the Bishop may substitute for the | Preface in the Order of Confirmation in the Book of Common | Prayer a suitable address, and may substitute for the question | Do ye here, etc., the three following questions: | | Dost thou renounce the devil and all his works, the vain pomp | and glory of the world, with all covetous desires of the same, | and the carnal desires of the flesh, so that thou wilt not follow | nor be led by them? | | Answer. I do. | | Dost thou believe in God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven | and earth? And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord? And that he | was conceived by the Holy Ghost; born of the Virgin Mary; that he | suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead and buried; | that he descended into hell, and the third day did rise again from | the dead; that he ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right | hand of God the Father Almighty; and from thence shall come to | judge the quick and the dead? | | And dost thou believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy Catholic | Church; the Communion of Saints; the Forgiveness of sins; the | Resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting? | | Answer. I do. | | Dost thou promise that thou wilt endeavour to keep God's holy | will and commandments, and to walk in the same all the days of thy | life? | | Answer. I do. | | The Bishop. | | Our help is in the Name of the Lord; | | Answer. Who hath made heaven and earth. | | Bishop. Blessed be the Name of the Lord; | | Answer. Henceforth world without end. | | Bishop. Lord, hear our prayers. | | Answer. And let our cry come unto thee. | | Bishop. | | Let us pray. | | Almighty and everliving God, who hast vouchsafed to regenerate | these thy servants by Water and the Holy Ghost, and hast given | unto them forgiveness of all their sins: Strengthen them, we | beseech thee, O Lord, with the Holy Ghost the Comforter, and | daily increase in them thy manifold gifts of grace; the spirit | of wisdom and understanding; the spirit of counsel and ghostly | strength; the spirit of knowledge and true godliness; and fill | them, O Lord, with the spirit of thy holy fear, now and for ever. | Amen. | | Then all of them in order kneeling before the Bishop, he shall | lay his hand upon the head of every one severally. | | The Bishop, when administering Confirmation, may at his | discretion, with concurrence of the Clergyman, use the | following form in addition to that prescribed in the Book | of Common Prayer: | | N. I sign thee with the sign of the cross [here the Bishop | shall sign the person with the sign of the cross on the | forehead] and I lay my hands [or hand] upon thee, in the | Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. | | Defend, O Lord, this thy Child [or this thy Servant] with thy | heavenly grace, that he may continue thine for ever; and daily | increase in thy Holy Spirit, more and more, until he come | unto thy everlasting kingdom. Amen. | | Then shall the Bishop say, | | The Lord be with you. | | Answer. And with thy spirit. | | And (all kneeling down) the Bishop shall add, | | Let us pray. | | Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name, Thy | kingdom come, Thy will be done, in earth as it is in heaven. | Give us this day our daily bread; And forgive us our trespasses, | As we forgive them that trespass against us; And lead us not into | temptation, But deliver us from evil. Amen. | | And this Collect. | | Almighty and everliving God, who makest us both to will and | to do those things that be good and acceptable unto thy divine | Majesty: We make our humble supplications unto thee for these thy | servants, upon whom (after the example of thy holy Apostles) we | have now laid our hands, to certify them (by this sign) of thy | favour and gracious goodness towards them. Let thy fatherly hand, | we beseech thee, ever be over them; let thy Holy Spirit ever be | with them; and so lead them in the knowledge and obedience of | thy Word, that in the end they may obtain everlasting life; | through our Lord Jesus Christ, who with thee and the Holy Ghost | liveth and reigneth, ever one God, world without end. Amen. | | O almighty Lord, and everlasting God, vouchsafe, we beseech | thee, to direct, sanctify and govern both our hearts and | bodies, in the ways of thy laws, and in the works of thy | commandments; that through thy most mighty protection, both | here and ever, we may be preserved in body and soul; through | our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen. | | Then the Bishop shall bless them, saying thus, | | The Blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy | Ghost, be upon you, and remain with you, for ever. Amen.