Their Infancy passed over and being catechized Children were admitted to the symbol of Imposition of Hands Inst l. 4. c. 19. and this one place of Scripture says Mr. Calvin plainly proves that this practice derived from the Apostles and in another place he has these words Vtinam verò morem hunc c. Would to God we might retain this Custom Of the same Judgment with these I find Beza Piscator Marloret and several others And here not to mention the extraordinary Zeal for this Doctrine declared by the many great Men of the Church of England whose Learning and Piety is famous throughout the Christian World I say not to mention these in our own Cause I shall onely in short remark two Instances more Mr. Baxter's Judgment in this case and that of the Assembly in their Annotations Mr. Baxter p. 102. in his Tract on Confirmation besides many other to the same End has these Words 1. Says he We find in Scripture a Blessing of Church-Members with Laying on of Hands 2. We find in Scripture that the Holy Ghost is in a special manner promised to believers over and above that measure of the Spirit which caused them to believe 3. We find that Prayer with Laying on of Hands was the outward means to be used by Christ's Ministers for the procuring of this Blessing 4. We sind that this was a fixed Ordinance to the Church and not a temporary thing Thus Mr. Baxter declares his Judgment The Assembly in their Annotations express themselves thus Laying on of Hands which is usually called Confirmation consisted 1. In examining those who had been baptized what progress they had made in the Doctrine of Christianity 2. In praying for them that God would continue them in the Faith and give them more Grace strengthening them by the Holy Ghost Now when the Chief Pastour or Pastours of the Church prayed for them they Laid their Hands upon them whence the Apostolical Constitution was called Laying on of Hands so they so St. Augustin and so most of the Fathers with one Consent Now from all this I hope I may justly inferr and that even from the Confession of some of those who have been unhappily prejudiced against our Communion That the design and usage of the Church in the case of Confirmation owes it self to a pious and judicious Respect to a truly Ancient and Apostolical Institution practised and recommended in all succeeding Ages of the Church as a Means of conferring farther spiritual strength and the Advancements of Divine Grace To impress upon tender and capable Thoughts a signal and lasting Reverence and Dread of the Divine Majesty and an agreeable Care and Concern for that Holy Religion which they espoused in their Baptism by the Means of others But I proceed to the Second particular briefly to observe the qualification of the Persons to whom the administring of Confirmation seems to have been originally assigned And here 't is much more than probable that according to Apostolical Example and all along after the Apostles till of very late Years the Office of Confirmation was constantly performed by the chief Governours of the Church called Bishops 'T is very evident that our Blessed Lord himself made an original distinction among those whom he constituted and ordained Officers in in s Church He well knew that an Imparity in Church Officers naturally promotes peace would lay a Foundation for that Unity which he all along so highly recommends and which indeed belongs to the. Nature and Design of that happy Religion which he came to establish and promote in the World To this purpose we find the plain Distinction of twelve Apostles and seventy or seventy two Disciples When one of the select Twelve betrayed his Master immediately one of the Seventy was chosen in his place Now if the Office of these and their Power in the Church were the same why do we meet with this Distinction between Apostles and Disciples Some Inequality of Order and Power in the then Officers of the Church we must hence discover and that likewise instituted by our Saviour himself This Distinction which is founded even in the Nature of Things and is so absolutely necessary in the World could not be forgot by our Blessed Lord who knew all things now agreeably to this Notion to go no farther than my Text and the preceding Verses we read that when the Apostles to whom the Power of governing the Church then belonged being at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the Word of God they immediately sent two of their own Number to wit St. Peter and St. John to administer Confirmation For though we read that the Samaritans were baptized by Philip and that his Miraculous Works among them demonstrated him to be a very extraordinary Person yet 't is evident this did not qualifie him for administring Confirmation that being an Office which then belonged to the Apostles by reason of that Superiority over the then Infant Church our Saviour had invested them with And which according to this his first Institution was all along afterwards continued in a Succession of Bishops Blondel and Salmasius themselves the great and learned Defenders of Presbytery own Bishops to have been accounted Superiour to Presbyters even in the next Age to the Apostles But this they labour to prove was an Incroachment of Episcopacy But whoever sincerely reads their Writings and the Famous Monsieur Daillé on the same Subject will find such struggles of Thought and forcing of Argument in short such obstinate Resolves to maintain a Cause as instead of disapproving recommends the Truth they design to baffle Particularly whoever calmly observes Mr. Daillé s violent Efforts against Ignatius's Epistles which clearly give the Cause for Episcopacy must needs own that he never saw Opinion more strangely prevail against Truth and Judgment For that great Man observing several of Ignatius his Epistles describing the Constitution of the Hierarchy in his Time by the several distinct Orders of Bishop Presbyter and Deacon is so extremely furious against them that rather than drop his own dear Opinion he offers such Arguments as indeed reflect upon all Antiquity even the Sacred Canon of Scripture it self not excepted But having briefly hinted thus much I might proceed to shew that according to this Superiority of Order and Office this right of governing the Church which was first lodg'd in the Apostles of our Saviour and wherewith the Bishops were after them de facto invested I say according to this Primitive Custom and Example was the Administration of Confirmation assigned to Episcopacy in the succeeding Ages of the Church To this purpose Dialog advers Lucif St. Hierom tells us That non nisi per manus Episcopi c. By the Hands of the Bishop onely was Confirmation administred But waving this Sort of Proof I shall onely add the plain Confessions in this Case of some Persons who were far from being interested in the Episcopal Cause Hic mos olim
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.
fuit ut Christianorum liberi postquam adoleverant coram Episcopo sisterentur says Mr. Calvin It was the Ancient Custom Instit l. c. 〈◊〉 19. for the Children of Christian Parents when they were fit for Confirmation to be brought before the Bishop And They are certainly to be condemned of gross Partiality and Vncharitableness say s Mr. Hanmer who blush not to say that the Bishops out of pride Mr. Hanmer on Confirm p. 51. have appropriated to themselves the Laying on of Hands in Confirmation And that Mr. Baxter allows this Rite to have been all along generally administred by Bishops must needs be evident to any one who reads his Book on Confirmation where he labours to prove that though Bishops did Anciently officiate in this Case yet that Presbyters might do it the Nature of the Thing and Necessity requiring Thus these unhappy Opposers of Episcopacy have recorded their Judgments But after all such is the Moderation of the purest and best constituted Church in the World I mean the Church of England in this Case that so the Divine End and Design of Confirmation be accomplished she does not censure those Churches which want Protestant Bishops I proceed to the Third particular I propounded to consider some Objections which are brought against this Usage And 1. Some will not permit Confirmation to derive from Apostolica Example and though the Primitive Church entertain'd it as such a Doctrine yet say they it was theirs and has been all along since a gross Mistake Thus I find Mr. Cartwright on the Rhemist's Testament and some others arguing Their main Argument is That those Texts of Scripture which are brought for Confirmation are all to be interpreted onely of conferring the Miraculous Gifts of the Holy Ghost And that when these Gifts ceased in the Church Confirmation vainly had its beginning To which in short it may be answered That it is clear even beyond denial that the Laying on of Hands joyn'd with Prayer was used in the conferring Grace or Divine Blessing long before the Apostles Times And farther it can never be proved that onely the Miraculous Gifts of the Holy Spirit were given by the Apostles in their Laying on of Hands But as the internal saving Gifts of the Spirit were more necessary in their own Nature and promised by our Saviour to the End of the World so they must be given by the Apostles and thence Confirmation obtained in the Christian Church Lib. 3. de Baptis Cap. 16. It is not now says St. Austin as it was that by the Testimony of temporal and sensible Miracles the Holy Ghost is by the Imposition of Hands given as formerly to recommend and demonstrate the Truth of the then new Christian Faith and for the Enlargement of the lately begun Church for who as he expostulates does now expect that those upon whom Hands are Imposed for the receiving the Holy Ghost should suddenly begin to speak with Tongues But invisibly says he is the Love of God inspired into their Hearts Thus St. Austin answers this Objection But indeed 't is very plain that the Prejudice of Mr. Cartwright and others against this Doctrine derives from their Abhorrence of Popish Superstition For This is evident from their Writings and this leads me to a Second Objection against Confirmation that it is a Popish usage and a Compliance with the Superstition of the Church of Rome and this tho' contrary to all reason has prejudiced too many against it Indeed it must be confessed that the Church of Rome has made Confirmation a Sacrament nay has gone farther preferred it to Baptism made it consist in opere operato bestowed it on Infants and clogged it with several unnecessary Ceremonies In short as they have done in other matters so they have robb'd it of its Apostolical Primitive Design and Decency and exposed it under a false Notion and in an antick Garb. But if this may be lawfully argued against Confirmation when 't is rightly used and applyed then must we cast off the Sacraments of Baptism and the Lord's Supper In short reject Christianity it self because all or most of its admirable Doctrines have been abused and debauched by the Church of Rome For whoever seriously inquires into the nature of it will certainly find that the Doctrine of the Church of Rome as it differences it self from us is really made up of nothing but folly and contradiction to the Divine design of Christianity But to return the Church of England having removed from Confirmation all popish Superstition and Pretences to a Sacrament and having ordered a preparatory Catechism for all those to learn and competently to understand who shall be admitted to it In short having taken all possible care to answer the design of its Primitive Institution to impress upon the thoughts of youth a great and lasting Veneration for Religion obliges them to consider and reassume in their own Persons what their Sureties promised for them in their Baptism In short that they will believe and behave themselves as becomes Christians These things premised they are by fervent Prayer attended with the Apostolical sign of Laying on of Hands recommended to God and the happy Effects of their own pious resolves Now if this be a true tho' short account of the Church of England's design in Confirmation how unreasonable is it for any one to object against it as Popish and Superstitious But I shall conclude this Objection with an agreeable passage I find in Mr. Baxter's Postscript to his Tract on Confirmation Some will say says he it is mere Prelacy or a Prelatical design and some that it is Independancy or an Independant design and some that it is but Presbyterian Examination whereas they might know that it is proper to none of them which is common to them all If it be Prelacy how comes it to be found with Independants If if be Independancy how comes it to be approved by Prelates and Presbyterians Is it not rather like Christianity it self and the Truths and Duties we commonly own and therefore not to be appropriated to any Thus Mr. Baxter pressed on with the mighty force of Truth answers this Objection But 3. The saddest occasion of the most prevailing Objection against this Primitive usage is The evident want of an hearty and true concern for Religion for alas instead of the Primitive Christian Spirit of Piety and Unity a careless and prophane Temper or a furious and irregular Zeal have too apparently got the ascendant in our English world Hence we are too generally prejudiced against our Happiness and hence all our great misfortunes derive to be really a Christian is to be in love with all the Divine methods which lead us to Heaven to be sincerely devoted to all the genuine Acts of Piety Justice and Sobriety to practise whatever is acceptable to God lovely among Men and agreeable to the rational designs of our Natures These things demonstrate us Christians would make us happy here and
introduce an habit of thoughts in some degree resembling the blessed Spirits above would lay the Foundation of our present and eternal Bliss would oblige us to comply with all the means of Salvation which are assign'd us by our God But while we are not in earnest with God Almighty nor sincerely resolved in our choice of Happiness 't is no wonder we neglect or despise the methods which should advance us to Heaven 't is indeed no wonder we loath our Duties here and undo our selves for ever But having briefly reflected on those Objections I proceed to the Fourth and Last particular To propound some Considerations evincing the Reasonableness divine Excellency and necessity of this usage And here 1. Let us look back into the Primitive times of Christianity and view this Practice then prevailing when the true Christian Spirit and Temper was warm and vigorous when the holy Jesus had newly blessed the world with his Presence and his Miracles when in the Infant state of our Religion men did not quarrel with their Duty but being influenced by heavenly Demonstration conversed here as it becomes Christians and longed to be where their Lord was gone Now either we must condemn these happy times or we must own our selves obliged to pay an extraordinary deference to this Primitive Doctrine If this Consideration don't awaken our thoughts what can rouze us from our sinful slumber 'T is undeniable that these First professours of Christianity were really what they pretended professing a most holy Religion and living according to their Profession contemning this world and having their thoughts fired with a Desire and Expectation of a better Life so perfectly holy was their Faith that it demonstrated it self to come from Heaven and so agreeable was their Conversation to their belief that it proved their Example to be divine Should we not therefore be highly concerned to tread in their steps and to use the same heavenly methods which they have used and taught us if we don't how can we please our selves in their hopes and be partakers of their Happiness But 2. We may sadly consider That our forsaking or neglecting this holy Usage and Doctrine does not onely contradict Antiquity reflect upon the Apostles and the first and best Christians but lays the Foundation for the Degeneracy of our Age and the Ruine of Religion among us did we only consider the Doctrine of Confirmation as recommended by the First and best Ages of the Christian Church this must needs represent it as a Duty not to be neglected by us but of such fatal Tendency is the disuse of it that it demonstrates that disuse not only contrary to Apostolical and Primitive example but a contradiction lodged in the Nature of things against the heavenly design of Christianity For how evident is it that while Confirmation is neglected the Catechising of Children is neglected too When such a solemn and publick tryal of Youth as Confirmation is seems by disuse to be laid aside how unconcerned are Parents apt to be for their Children and Children for themselves How generally is that sacred Vow forgotten which Sureties made for Children at their Baptism and how little impression does the infant Vow make upon the Child while this holy Obligation is not solemnly professed and reassumed at Confirmation how apt are we to rank our baptismal Vow among the Dreams of our Infancy among the to-be-forgotten things of our unthinking Age and what must naturally follow this neglect but Ignorance Divisions and prophane Atheism for while in order to Confirmation Children are not instructed in the Principles of Religion they are exposed to all these dreadful misfortunes Either to fall into a sinful Lethargy for want of divine Instruction or instead of a rational substantial Piety to be hurried away with a religious Frenzy or lastly to lose the Happiness both of this and a far better world by the wild Inconsistencies of Atheism and Prophaneness Thus does the neglect of Confirmation and an agreeable preparation for it evidently occasion either a stupid Ignorance or a misapprehension or an open affronting of the great Creator and Governour of the world In short whoever seriously reflects on these dismal Consequences and has not lost all concern for Religion must needs deeply resent the strange indifferency which this Apostolical Institution has met with among us that it looks very ominous even like one of those presages of divine Displeasure before the Migremus hinc was heard in the last Temple of the Jews for indeed according to this melancholy parallel between the Jews and us 't is Presumption and not Faith to expect God to be with us if we despise or neglect his Ordinances But 3. And lastly We may very pertinently consider the many and extraordinary advantages of the genuine use of this Doctrine which because they have been so often and admirably expressed by great Men of our own Communion I shall therefore among the rest chuse to represent it you in the few tho' compleat words of the judicious Hooker By the means of Confirmation says he it comes to pass that Children in the expectation of it are season'd with Principles of true Religion before evil and corrupt examples deprave their Minds a good Foundation is laid betimes for direction of the Course of their Lives the seed of the Church of God is preserved sincere and found the Prelates and Fathers of God's Family to whom the care of their Souls belongs so by Tryal and Examination of them apart of their own heavy burden discharged reap comfort by beholding the first beginnings of true Godliness in tender years and neglect not so fit an opportunity of giving every one Fatherly encouragement and exhortation whereunto Imposition of Hands and Prayer being added our Warrant for the great good effect thereof is the same which Patriarchs Prophets Priests Apostles Fathers and Men of God in all ages have had for such their Benedictions Thus Mr. Hooker expresses himself in this case and that I may represent it more particularly 1. By the due use of Confirmation the diligent Catechising of Children would be happily promoted than which nothing would more truely advance the admirable design of our most holy Religion For 2. By this means Parents and Sureties would be awakned into a sense of their Duty even those Parents and Sureties whom the Principles of Piety don't influence would be obliged into a concern for their Duty lest their remissness should prove their shame lest those Children they were concerned to have instructed should by their Ignorance be unfit for Confirmation and consequently the imputation of that Ignorance belong to them Thus would the sense of present shame awaken those thoughts which are unconcerned at the prospect of eternal confusion for how little soever of this pious Concern we meet with in the world these Obligations and Vows will be strictly enquired after at the Day of Judgment the Parent and Surety must give a sad account of that Child which by