ORIGINAL PREFACE.

Own

IN the preparation of candidates for Confirmation, the duty has fallen upon me, during the twelve years of my ministry at Brighton, of preparing young persons of the educated class, almost exclusively. And in their case it seemed to me, from the first, that a course of preparation was desirable much fuller and more elaborate, in reference to many important points of inquiry, naturally and properly connected with that ordinance, than in the case of persons less educated :—indeed, that instruction should be given to them upon every such point on which they might reasonably wish, or be supposed to need, instruction. So in regard to the ordinance itself;-its origin, history, and our Church's doctrine concerning it. So, too, in regard to the evidences, as well as duties, of the Christian faith: to which faith, in the course of our Confirmation Service, the candidates are called solemnly, and (it is presumed by our Church) intelligently, to profess their allegiance. Accordingly, throughout my Brighton ministry, it has been my endeavour always so to frame my Confirmation course of preparatory instruction; and substantially, for the most part, as in the Lectures following. Had these public Church Lectures indeed been the only instructions given, it is probable that the subjects there discussed, and arguments connected with them, would, in part at least, have been too difficult for many even of educated young persons, at the early age of fifteen or sixteen, thoroughly to enter into. But by combining with the public Lectures catechetical instructions of a more private character, in which there

has been the opportunity of conversing familiarly with the candidates, grouped in smaller classes, on those several subjects, and explaining whatever might have been felt by one or another to be obscure or difficult, the result has been generally to a considerable extent satisfactory. By the larger number of candidates I have had reason to believe that the main points of the instruction given have been, in fine, sufficiently understood; and that they have been laid up afterwards for good purpose, as I would trust, in their minds and in their hearts.

Not remembering to have seen, or heard of, any Manuals of Confirmation of a similar character, the idea had long rested vaguely in my mind of sometime publishing my Lectures. Thus, I thought, there would be for such as might desire it, of the many young persons to whom it has been my privilege so to minister, a lasting memorial of the instructions given them at that most interesting epoch of life: and, moreover, that a useful help would thus be offered to those of my younger brethren in the ministry on whom the duty might develve of preparing similarly educated classes of candidates for confirmation; supposing them to entertain views accordant with my own as to the range, and kind, of instruction desirable in such cases. More especially did the publication seem to me likely to be useful, with this latter object in view, because of the tendencies to erroneous and even superstitious teaching on the subject which were becoming, I feared, increasingly prevalent of late among the younger clergy of our Church. The idea and purpose which had been thus long time before vaguely entertained by me was brought to a point a few months since by the sudden death of a beloved and honoured brother, in the midst of his labours of love in this same town, and career of more than common usefulness: by which mysterious providence his well-known intention was frustrated of revising and publishing, for the benefit of his attached flock` and many many friends, one or two volumes of his

admirable sermons." * From his silent grave there seemed to sound forth the voice in my ears, "What thou thinkest to do, as a work of ministerial usefulness, do quickly; for there is no work, nor device, nor wisdom in the grave, whither thou goest."

Before carrying out this purpose, however, into execution, it was necessary, of course, first to ascertain whether my impression was correct as to the fact of the ground not having been already preoccupied by other writers on the same subject. Accordingly I procured, a little while since, and have now sufficiently acquainted myself with the contents of, nine or ten published Manuals on Confirmation, larger or smaller, which I had heard spoken of as among those of best repute, and most widely circulated.+ And I found thereupon, just as I had expected, that not only was the ground altogether open and unoccupied before me, but also that my general impression as to the erroneous and superstitious teaching prevalent on the subject was only too well warranted.

Indeed I am forced in duty to add, and it is with deep regret I do so, that in some of these Manuals, written by authors of justly respected name and character, there occur errors (alike in respect of doctrine, argument, and statements of fact) so serious as to seem to call imperatively for the publication of what may be judged likely, wherever it is read, to serve as a corrective. I refer more particularly to the Manuals respectively by Dr. Wordsworth and Dr. Goulburn. It is very painful to me to have anything to do with controversy in a work like the present; especially where

* Unrevised by his master hand, however, and under the disadvantage of being posthumously edited, it is intended by the survivors of the family that a volume of sermons by my lamented brother, the Rev. H. V. Elliott, shall soon be published.1

Viz. those by Dr. Wordsworth, Dr. Goulburn, Dr. Vaughan, Bishops Kaye and Wilson, of Calcutta; besides others by Nelson, Grey, Oxenden, etc.

1 N.B. This has since been done; the volume published being a volume of his University Sermons. (Third Edition.)

the writers controverted are so estimable. But the high respectability of their characters only makes whatever errors may come forth under the sanction of their names the more dangerous. And these errors, moreover, are set forth under a religious guise very specious, and suited to beguile unwary souls; especially in the case of young persons, such as those for whom the Manuals are intended, of an age alike susceptible and unsuspecting. I should therefore deem myself guilty of unfaithfulness to my heavenly Master, and of unfaithfulness also to the Church of my allegiance and my affections,--the Reformed Protestant Church of England,-whose doctrine on these points is so essentially different, were I to pass them over in silence, brought as they have thus been under my notice, without a voice of protest and voice of warning. It is of course due to these writers to show that it is not without reason that I have spoken as I here do of their Confirmation Manuals. Accordingly I have added in the third and last Paper in the Appendix a critical notice of the books, as explanatory and justificatory of my objections. What is most prominently erroneous in them had indeed been already noted and refuted, by anticipation, in the History of the Rite of Confirmation, in my first Lecture.

In conclusion let me add that since, as already intimated, it has seemed to me probable that this little work may fall into the hands of many of our younger clergy, and suggest subjects not a little important, as well as interesting, for their own consideration, I have judged it right, wherever statements are made by me on points (especially disputed points) requiring authentication, always to append the authority. It is with a view to them, let it be understood, that whatever may seem to savour too much of learning in a publication like the present is intended; not, of course, for the reading of young candidates for Confirmation. E. B. ELLIOTT.

Brighton, June, 1865.

PREFACE ADDED TO SECOND

EDITION.

IN this Second Edition the History of the Rite of Confirmation has been a little amplified. And in the two first Papers in the Appendix it is illustrated by historic notices, Ist, of the Princess Elizabeth's and Prince Edward's infant post-baptismal Confirmations, immediately before the Reformation; 2ndly, of the judgments of the Continental Protestant Reformers, both Lutheran and Calvinistic, on the expediency in main points of just such a new Confirmation Rite as that which was soon afterwards appointed in King Edward's Prayer Book, on our Anglican Church Reformation.

From courteous letters that I have received from Dr. Wordsworth and Dr. Goulburn I infer that they do not see reason to complain of my having misrepresented their opinions. I regret not to be able to say that

they have changed them.

As regards Dr. Goulburn, there are, if I mistake not, sundry beautiful and spiritual passages in his work on Personal Religion quite inconsistent with the doctrine which I have objected against, as laid down by him in his Treatise on Confirmation.

Out of some six or seven reviews of the First Edition of the Lectures that I have happened to see, all have been favourable, some warmly so,-except those in the "Churchman" and the "Guardian." As these two last-named periodicals have in one way or another impugned the correctness of my views and statements, I have felt it a duty in a concluding Paper of the present Appendix to notice their strictures on the subject. It