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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
book_n	church_n	ghost_n	holy_a	3,012	5	4.8241	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A56120	A sermon preached in the Parish-Church of Bridgewater, July 16, 1693, before the Right Reverend Father in God, Richard, Lord Bishop of Bath and Wells, at a confirmation by Fran. Prode ...	Prowde, Francis, 1653 or 4-1723.	1694 (1694)	Wing P3879; ESTC R6025	16,780	34

Baptisms and Laying on of Hands and of Resurrection of the Dead and of Eternal Judgment Here we find the Doctrine of Confirmation placed among the clearest and most necessary Christian Truths such as are Essentials of our Religion Faith Repentance Baptism Resurrection of the Dead and Eternal Judgment And it must necessarily follow from this Text of Scripture That either the Doctrine of Confirmation is not here design'd by the Apostle which is contrary to the general Sence of Expositors Or else we must inferr That the Apostle rank'd these Christian Doctrines very unagreeably which is a too strangely severe Reflection upon the great Apostle Or else we must conclude That we are hence obliged to pay an extraordinary Deference to this Apostolical usage considering and esteeming it as one of the happy Advances toward Heaven which the Divine Wisdom has assign'd us Now according to these and other Texts of Scripture in the New Testament those that were baptiz'd in the Ancient Christian Church Adult Persons soon after Baptism Children when being taught and capable of understanding the Principles of Christian Religion were brought to the Bishop publickly to acknowledge and confirm their baptismal Vow and by Laying on of the Bishop's Hand join'd with devout Prayer for them were bless'd by him in order to their growing in Grace and the knowledge of Christ Epist 3. ad Jul. This in short is the usage which Cyprian declares was continued in the Church from the Apostles Time and Example who mentioning the Samaritans baptiz'd by Philip and afterwards Confirm'd by Peter and John as we read in my Text tells us that they who in the Church of Christ have receiv'd Baptism 't is still the Custom that they be offer'd And by our Prayers says he and the Laying on of our Hands receive the Holy Ghost Book I. against Marcion Contra Lucif The flesh says Tertullian by Imposition of Hands is shadowed that the Soul by the Spirit may be illuminated St. Jerom having declared that by the Imposition of Authorized Hands and Prayer the Holy Ghost was still convey'd to the Baptiz'd expostulates thus Dost thou ask me where it is written I answer in the Acts of the Holy Apostles But if there were not so plain Authority of Scripture for it the Practice of the whole Christian World in this particular might challenge the force of a Command St. Austin discoursing on this Subject expresses himself thus Rhemist 's Testa Acts 8. Is there any Man of so perverse an heart as to deny those Children on whom we Impose Hands in Confirmation to have receiv'd the Holy Ghost because they speak not with Tongues as was frequent and agreeable to the Times when the Gospel was first planted To these I might add the Suffrages of many more but this Account of the Doctrine of Confirmation from Antiquity is so apparent and has been so often and so learnedly perform'd that I own my self obliged to Apologize for pretending to it I shall therefore onely add these two Remarks 1. That 't is observable Cornel. Epist ad Fabium apud Euseb Opt. l. 2. cont Par. that the first opposers of this Doctrine were the Novatians and the Donatists 2. 'T is likewise observable that no one in the Primitive Church was admitted to the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper without Confirmation And so great a Veneration had the then Christian World for that Sacrament that there was no publick Assembly for the Worship of God without a Communion And as this particular Christian Zeal began to decline Impiety and Wickedness gradually prevail'd But while I insist on this particular I shall briefly observe that this Christian usage has been recommended to our Practice by Protestants of the greatest Character even among all Parties Apol. part 4. de Baptis puer The Waldenses in their Apology to the Marquiss of Brandenburgh 1532. speaking of Children which have been baptiz'd thus express themselves When they are come to years of understanding Confess Waldens de Confir and can give a competent Account of their Faith and begin truly to love Christ we bring them to profess these things whatever their Parents or Godfathers or the Church have taught them that on their own accord they may make a free profession of all these things before the whole Church to their own Salvation in the Celebration of the Office of Imposition of Hands Which being performed they are Confirm'd by the Bishop Confess Waldens de Confir Chem Ex. Concil Triden de Confir And this they tell us was observ'd in the Times of the Apostles Thus likewise Chemnitius that extraordinary Person accounts for this Doctrine as 't was held by the Protestant Churches in general Nostri saepè ostenderunt c. Our Divines have often prov'd that the Rite of Confirmation being separated from Popish Superstitions might be very happily us'd even according to the Holy Scriptures that those who have been baptiz'd in their Infancy when they come to years of discretion should be carefully taught the Doctrine of the Church in some short and easie Catechism and when they are found in some competent measure to understand it that then they be brought to the Bishop and the Church and that the Child who in his Infancy was baptiz'd should 1. In short be put in mind of his Baptism what was then bestow'd upon him and what he likewise then promis'd to doe that he would renounce the Devil profess the Christian Faith and endeavour after all Holy Obedience 2. That the Child publickly before the Congregation own this Faith 3. That there be added a serious Exhortation out of God's Word That he will continue in that Covenant which he made in Baptism and that Faith and Doctrine which he then professed 4. That publick Prayer be made for those Children That God would govern preserve and confirm them in that Profession by his Holy Spirit At which Prayer without all Superstition may be used the Putting on of Hands Neither would such a Prayer says he be to no purpose for 't is warranted upon the Consideration of the Gift of perseverance and the Confirming Grace Such a Confirmation says he would afford great Advantage both to the younger Sort and the whole Church And then he goes on to prove how agreeable this would be to Scripture proving several particulars out of the Acts of the Apostles Chap. 8 14 19. and from several Canons made in several Councils much to the same purpose Melanct. Confess Ecclesiarum Sax. cap. de Confirm Hemin Syntag. cap. 22. Calv. Inst l. 4. c 19. Melancthon declares for this usage in the Churches of Saxony and Hemingius for those of Denmark thus likewise Mr. Calvin Hic mos olim fuit c. It hath been an Ancient Custom that Children being instructed in an easie and short Catechism should be brought to the Bishop to be confirmed by him And in his Commentary on Hebrews 6. he has these words Transactâ Infantiâ c.