Selected quad for the lemma: ground_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
ground_n	apostle_n	church_n	scripture_n	2,161	5	5.9273	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A45174	Cheirothesia, or, A confirmation of the apostolicall confirmation of children setting forth the divine ground, end, and use of that too much neglected institvtion, and now published as an excellent expedient to truth and peace / by Jos. Hall ...	Hall, Joseph, 1574-1656.	1651 (1651)	Wing H372A; ESTC R40542	23,459	98

what in that Baptisme the whole Trinity conferred upon him and sealed unto him namely the covenant of Peace and the compact of Grace how that there he made a publique renouncing of Satan a profession of his faith and a promise of holy obedience Secondly that the child himself should before the Congregation make a proper and publique profession of this Doctrine Faith Thirdly that being interrogated of the chief points of Christian Religion he should give answer to them al if he fail in his ūderstanding of any of them he should be better instructed in them Fourthly he should be admonished and by this profession should declare that he utterly dissents from all heathen hereticall phanaticall and profane opinions Fiftly that there should be added a grave and serious exhortation out of the word of God that he persevere in that Covenant which he hath made in Baptisme and in that Faith and Doctrine which he hath there professed Sixtly that publique prayer be made for those children that God by his holy Spirit would vouchsafe to govern conserve and confirm them in this profession At which prayer without all superstition Imposition of hands may be used Neither would such a prayer be in vain for it is grounded upon the promises made of the gift of perseverance and the grace of Confirmation Such a fashion of Confirmation would yeeld much profit to the edification both of the younger sort and of the whole Church and would be agreeable both to the Scripture and to purer Antiquity For in the Apostolicall imposition of hands that there was an exploration of Doctrine and a profession of Faith the history doth manifestly witnesse Act. 19. Of the exhortation to perseverance and Confirmation by the word in the Doctrine and Faith once professed there are examples of the Apostolike Church Act. 14 15 and 18. And that publique prayer was used the History testifies Act. 8. So also of the examination and profession of Faith and Doctrine in Confirmation the seventh Canon of the councell of Laodicea and the eighth Canon of the councell of Arles do sufficiently speak Thus he Reader I have thus at large transcribed the testimony of this worthy Author for that it gives both so full an attestation to the solemn Confirmation hitherto used in the Church of England and withall layes forth the grounds of this holy practise fetch'd from the blessed Apostles and from Scripture it self Judge now whether there could be a better Commentary upon that form which our godly forefathers have transmitted unto us and our Church hath lately both prescribed and recommended her dutifull Children Hemingius that great light of Denmark for his own judgement and the Danish Churches hath thus Purior Ecclesia secuta Apost. tempora c. The purer Churches following the Apostles times when the children of Christians began to be Baptized had this fashion That the children being instructed in the Catechisme should be publiquely brought forth into the sight of the Bishops and there be interrogated concerning the Articles of their Faith and should there with their own voice confirm the vow that was in their name made in their Baptisme and that action from a part of it was termed Confirmation and that whole action consisted of an examination a solemn Confirmation of the vow made in Baptisme the Prayer of the Bishop and the imposition of hands This custome was exceeding profitable and conduced much to the retaining of their former confession and concord for neither was it easily found that any man would depart from that Doctrine which he had by his solemn vow ratified and confirmed And soon after In our Churches saith he the substance of the ancient Confirmation is retained all Popish superstitions being abolished For our Bishops in their visitations do publiquely examine the younger sort in the Articles of their Faith and in the Doctrine of the Sacraments and do then confirm them in the same by instruction and exhortations For the judgement of the French Church both concerning the ancient use of Confirmation and of the laudable practice of it for the present we need no other witnesses then he who is the just glory of it Mr. Calvin who tels us Hic mos olim fuit c. This was the manner of old that the children of Christians after they were grown up to some good age were presented before the Bishop that they might fulfill that duty which was required of those who at a riper age offered themselves to Baptisme for they sate amongst those that were appointed to be Catechized till they being rightly instructed in the mysteries of Faith could be able before the Bishop and the People to render a confession of their belief Upon the ending of their child-hood or in the entring of their youth they were again by their Parents brought to the Bishop and were examined by the Bishop according to that form of Catechisme which they then had which was both certain and common And that this action which ought otherwise in it self worthily to be held grave and holy might carry in it so much the more reverence and dignity there was also therein used the Ceremonie of the imposition of hands so the child after the approbation of his belief professed was dismissed with a solemn blessing Thus he And could that eminent Author if he had been retained Advocate for the Church of England better have set forth her fashion of confirming and her perfect conformity herein to the ancient Apostolicall practice Justly may I call it so by warrant of the same Author who commenting upon this Text of the Hebrews hath thus Transacta infantia c. Their infancy past over being instructed in their belief they offered themselves to Catechizing but then another symbole or sign was used which was the imposition of hands This one place saith he abundantly testifies that the Originall of this Ceremonie was derived from the Apostles Lastly that it may appear how well he approved this practice Nos quoque c. we also could well and worthily wish that this rite were restored to the Church every where whereby children after the publique confession of their Faith made might be offered up to God and this would be a well-beseeming approbation of their Catechizing And yet more fully in his Institutions thus Utinam verò morem hunc Would to God we might retain that fashion which I admonished you formerly was used amongst the ancient Christians before this abortive counterfeit of a Sacrament sprang up that there should be a Catechisme of all the heads of Religion which without all controversie are agreed upon c. That the child at ten yeers of age should tender himself to give a publique confession of his Faith c. This Discipline if it were at this day in force there would be amongst Christian people a greater agreement in matter of Faith neither would there be so great ignorance and rudenesse as is amongst many neither would some