THe Admission of persons baptized in their infancy without due Tryal of their Faith and growth in Christ when grown in years to a full participation of all Church-Priviledges and Ordinances hath caused great confusion in the Administration of holy things And therefore I conceive the Learned Author of this Elaborate Exercitation hath deserved well of the Churches by clearing the way of those Admissions from Scripture-grounds and the concurrent Testimonies of many both Antient and Modern writers As also by discovering and removing those Popish additions and pollutions which by several steps and degrees have crept into it And if what he hath offered in this Essay come not up to the Judgment and Practice of the best constituted Churches yet this ingenuous and pious overture holds out more then most Churches have hitherto attained and may provoke the zeal of many to hold out what they have attained as more commodious for and perfective of the much desired and longed for restauration of the Churches to their primitive purity both in separating the pretious from the vile and in uniting the pretious into a more beautiful and beneficial Order among themselves These considerations have confirmed me in giving not only License to the publishing but thanks to the Publisher of this discourse of Confirmation The 24th of the 6th Moneth 1657 Joseph Caryl ΤΕΛΕΙΩΣΙΣ OR An EXERCITATION UPON CONFIRMATION The Antient way of Completeing CHURCH-MEMBERS Wherein is indevoured its Recovery from the Corruptions of Preceding Ages under which it hath lain so long Buried and the Restitution of it to its Primitive USE and END To which are Annexed some Directions for the putting of it into Practice Together with Sundry Encouragements thereunto Published as an Help for the Reducing of our Churches into Gospel-Form and Order and as an Expedient to promote Peace and Unity among Brethren By Jonathan Hanmer Minister of the Gospel JER 6.16 Ask for the old pathes where is the good way and walk therein Tertul. advers Praxeam Id verum quodcunque primum LONDON Printed by A. Maxey for John Rothwell at the Fountain in Goldsmiths-Row Cheap-Side 1657. TO The Right Worshipful Sr JOHN CHICHESTER KNIGHT The Worshipful JOHN FOWELL ESQUIRE And the rest of the Inhabitants of TAWTON-BISHOP in the County of DEVON HAving been prevailed with to Publish this small Treatise which was conceived might prove of some Use to the Churche of Christ I have made choice to commend it unto you who defire may especially share in and injoy the benefit of it Which I have done as a Testimony of that great Respect and Love which I owe and bear unto you For though I be an unworthy Ambassador of Christ unto others yet doubtlesse I am chiefly so unto you being that part of the Lords Vmeyard wherein particularly he hath set me to labour And the searcher of of hearts knoweth how much I long after your Spiritual Welsare the prosperity of whose Souls would exceedingly rejoyce me When the Lord shall graciously vouch safe opportunity of putting these things in practice among you I hope and not without some ground that you will be found a ready and willing people to receive and submit unto them so far as they shall appear to be agreeable unto the mind of Christ and to make for his glory And in so doing you will both Facilitate and further the Work and greatly encourage the Workman Now that the Father of Lights would fill you with the knowledg of his Will in all Wisdom and Spiritual Understanding and enable you to walk worthy of the Lord unto all well-pleasing being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the Knowledg of God That the God of all Grace would stablish strengthen and settle you in his Truth and Wayes in these-evil dayes wherein so many unsound and unstable souls turn aside from the truth giving ear to deceivers that with fair words and pretences corrupt the minds of the simple to the dishonour of God the grief of his Messengers the offence of his People and the hurt and hazard of their own Souls Finally That the very God of peace would sanctifie you throughout and preserve your whole Spirit Soul and Body blamelesse unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ is the hearty prayer of Your Servant for Jesus sake J.H. Aug. 28.1657 To the Christian READER THe Histories of all Ages do make it manifest how prone the sinful hearts of men are to deprave and corrupt the sincere Doctrines and pure Institutions of the Gospel The Apostles haveing received it from Christ and being inspired by his Spirit delivered and left behind them unto the Churches a perfect Rule and Pattern for their Direction and Imitation which they ought to have followed and kept close unto As in some sort it seems they did for some short space of time as may be gathered from those words of Egesippus an antient Historian Vicinus Apostolorum temporum Hieronym in Catalog Bellar. de Scrip. Eccles an 177 lib. 3. cap. 29 who liv'd near the Apostles times and was contemporary with Justin Martyr and Athenagoras mention'd by Eusebius Ad ea usque tempora virgo pura incorrupta mansit Ecclesia c. Unto those times viz. of the Apostles and that generation of men which by special favour had heard with their ears the heavenly Wisdom of the Son of God the Church remained a pure and uncorrupted Virgin But corruptions grew on apace SceMagd Cent. as the time of the revelation of Antichrist drew near who by degrees so deformed the beautiful face of Christianity through his alterations and additions that at length it looked almost quite like another thing than it was at the first The mutations in the Church being not much unlike those in the Jewish state whereof Esay thus complaineth Isa 1.28 Thy silver is become dross thy wine mixed with water In this deplorable condition did the first Reformers find the state thereof the weeds having so far over-topt the good grain that it was a hard matter to discern the one from the other which yet through Divine assistance they did in some measure both shewing and going before us in the way of Reformation And indeed much they did herein that have preceded us for whom we have cause to blesse the Lord in this regard having handed down Religion to us by much more pure then they received it from those that went before them But yet is there much of this work remaining the carrying on whereof unto further perfection seems to be the proper task of this generation which therefore ought accordingly to be vigorously intended and attempted Now the best way to Reform and bring things right when through Tract of time they have degenerated and grown crooked is to have recourse to the first and purest Ages and to reduce them to the Primitive pattern and practice Tertul lib. de Praescript Omne genus ad originem suam censeatur necesse est Doctrines therefore are to be
and doted on as if ab initio and of Apostolical institution Among other the confusion in our Congregations as to the Members of them all heaped together without any distinction is not the least remora and obstrustion in the way of Reformation which hath created no small trouble and occasion'd many hot contests among those who have laboured to regulate and bring things into better order in this regard the different apprehensions of men in this particular producing unseemly Animosityes and sadning distances between those whose union would be exceeding amiable and of considerable advantage That a distinction of persons is necessary is on all hands granted by the friends of Reformation But to find out what this ought to be what are the places or stations to be assigned to and the priviledges to be injoyed by them how they are to be considered and in what state to be accounted of according to their several capacities and qualifications hic labor hoc opus est As an help hereunto was this Exercitation undertaken and intended Wherein from the best Antiquity it appears that in the Primitive times there were in and belonging to the Church persons of several sorts and sizes and accordingly of several ranks and degrees viz. Catechumens incomplete imperfect also adult complete and perfect recens nati and such as were in their minority also some grown up to maturity and of full age in an Ecclesiastical sense And that the ordinary way by which they passed from the one state into the other was the antient rite of Imposition of hands or Confirmation which through the iniquity and corruption of the darker times was so alterd though not altogether laid aside that it was quite perverted from its first intendment the true use and end thereof being even lost and unknown by reason whereof great inconveniences and mischiefs have ensued and long prevailed to the great detriment of the Church not in likelyhood to be removed as the fruitlesness of endeavours hitherto have shewn but by the reduction of this laudable practice into the Churches of Christ the drift and scope of the following discourse which being but in part finished Mr. John Howe and communicated to a worthy and judicious * brother had this approbation returned in a few lines to the Author that partly procured its publication Sir I have at length perused your papers to my very great content and satisfaction and do hear return them with my hearty thanks for your happy labour herein and doubt not but the Church of God when it comes to injoy the benefit of them as I know it will be far from you to go about to defraud it of what may prove so good an expedient and I think the only one to extricate it out of those many perplexing difficulties through which it is striving forwards toward a Reformation will finde cause to thank you too and to blesse God for you who did in much mercy as I trust guide you to this undertaking c. As t is here tendred to the perusal and submitted unto the judgement of the godly-wise so is thy candid interpretation and friendly acceptances desired of thee If it be found to be a truth the God of truth will make way for its entertainment in the hearts of those that love the truth If it may any whit conduce to the settlement of the Churches peace and the healing of the unhappy breaches and differences among brethren the Sons of Peace and Citizens of Sion will gladly imbrace it and set upon the practise of it And that this may be the issue of this weak labour thou art earnestly desired by thy prayers to recommond it to the blessing of the Lord by him who desires to be found An unfeigned lover of Truth and Peace I. H. Christian READER HEaring of the following Treatise to be in the Press and being desired to give my thoughts thereof I have adventured according to the cognizance had of it to commend the main Contents as useful to our present time I had in my hand some moneths past a few sheets from the Author of the same Argument which now I hear is grown into a greater volume The matter asserted therein was the due disposition growth and preparation of the Baptized unto Participation in the Lords Supper collected from the Primitive doctrine of Christ and his Apostles and testified by the concurrent votes of the Church in some succeeding ages In which more than Dogmatical Faith and Negative holinesse appeared to be requisite unto worthy Communicants in those times The proof of this was the care taken of persons Baptised in their minority to nurture them up in the Faith and orderly watching to the rule of Christ And after due experience Confirmation of them and admittance to Communion in higher Mysteries This Confirmation or Approbation of the baptized being now adult and making confession of repentance towards God faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is by some glorious lights in the Church understood in that phrase of Imposition of Hands annexed to Baptisms Hic unus locus abundè testaeur hujus Ceremoniae Originem fluxisse ab Apostolis c. Hic locus ad Paedobaptismi approbationem facit c. Calv. in Heb. 6.2 Heb. 6.2 Whence it is said That this One place doth abundantly testifie that the Original of this Ceremony flowed from the Apostles though afterward it was turned into Superstition as other of the best Ordinances of God And again That this place maketh to the proof of Infani-Baptism What grounding Infant-Baptism or Confirmation by Imposition of hands have in this Scripture I will not now dispute but unless there were more express and firm ground for both we might be at a loss concerning these Ordinances What if it should be said That Jewish Baptisms and Imposition of hands are meant here by the Apostle writing to the Hebrews and that these among them did teach Repentance from dead works and Faith in God and the Resurrection of the dead and Eternal Judgment All this is truth These were among the rest of the Jewish Rites the very Principles Fundamental Elements which taught Christ though most of them were dull of hearing and did not understand him by them But let this pass As to the Initiation of Church-Infants we have a sure word of Covenant that cannot be broken And that this must be done by Baptism must be granted or else another way discovered And as for the Confirmation of them solemnly by prayer and acceptance to Communion after their parental nurture in the Elements of Religion and experience of their profiting in faith and godlynesse by Ecclesiastical institution the Author in this Treatise I hope will give sufficient proof The abuse of this by Popish Blasphemies and Prelatical Corruptions cannot be denied so that it hath been odious and ridiculous but to restore it to Primitive purity in looking more exactly to the education of Infants in the Church and nurturing them according to their
among whom as it was required of the Competentes that they should give in their names so the custome was to register or record them Meritò imprimis vetus servaretur institutum Ecclesiarum de inscribendis eorum nomÃnibus qui Baptizantur Hyper Opuse cap. de Catech. Do not these places sound somewhat this way Psa 69.28 See Calvin See Ainsworths Notes also Isa 4.3 Pachymerus in Paraphrasi in Dionys Areopagit Speaking of recording the names of those that were to be Baptized In Sacris tabulis ads hunc autem existimo esse librum viventium De Eccles Hierarch l. 2. Epist 155. Deservedly should the old order and appointment of the Churches be kept concerning the writing down of the names of such as are Baptized who then also usually were confirmed This is evident from the Epistle of Augustine written to Martianus a Catechumen which he shutteth up with these words Tua mereri Scripta desidero te nomen dedisse inter Competentes vel daturum esse jamjamque cognoscere I do desire to obtain some lines from thee and now to know that thou hast given in or wilt give in thy name among the Competentes And let this suffice to be spoken concerning the duty of Ministers for the reducing of Confirmation 2. As for the people their duty lyeth in such particulars as these 1. To be willing that Ministers should take this course and readily and willingly to submit unto it without murmuring or opposition for as it is required of and belongs unto the one to take heed unto Acts 20.28 and govern the flock committed to their charge Heb. 13.17 and over which the Holy Ghost hath made them Overseers So are the other injoyned chearfully to yeild obedience to them in the Lord and to be guided by them Your frowardnesse and refusal will both displease the Lord and hinder the Work as also discourage your Guids and be prejudicial to your own Souls For if you shall cause those to grieve and grone under the burden whom you ought rather to chear in their work by your ready subjection certainly t will be unprofitbble for you They may not they dare not admit you unto full membership without satisfaction given and till upon tryal you have approved your selves to be competently at least qualified for it Their fidelity to Christ and his Church who hath instructed them as his Stewards with the administration of his Ordinances which they ought to preserve pure and not to prostitute them to the unworthy that would pollute them calls for and necessitates them to care in this particular So that it would be no lesse then sinful neglect of duty in them to administer and dangerous presumption in you to adventure upon the participation of such ordinances without due tryal made of your fitness on their part and just satisfaction therein given on your Nefas esse ducemus Hyper. Opuse cap. de Catech. quenquam ad cenam accedere Dominicam qui exigi reperi à se elementa Religionis agrè feret Quae malum dementia velle sacrosanctis mysteriis interesse ut Christianum decer uti intereà autem nec fidem Christianam profiteri neque de recio usu Sacramentorum recitare quicquam posse We shall account it an heinous thing for any one to come unto the Lords Supper who will not endure that the Principles of Religion be required of and repeated by him What mischief what madnesse is it to desire to be present at those Sacred Mysteries and as a Christian ought to make use of them and in the mean time not to professe the Christian Faith nor be able to recite any thing of the right use of the Sacraments And do not they deserve exclusion yea in a sort exclude and render themselves uncapable of communion that shall wilfully refuse to submit unto instruction and the orderly way of admission Ibidem Equidem inquit Hyperius non dubitarem uno verbo edicere si quis cum Doctrinâ Catechisticâ nihil put at sibi commune esse hunc perinde facere at que si se non esse Christianum cum Christianismo nihil habere velle negotii testificaretur Verily saith he I should not doubt roundly to pronounce That if any one thinks he hath nothing to do with the Doctrine of the Catechism it s all one as if he should declare himself not to be a Christian and that he will have nothing to do with Christianity We should let the people know saith Mr. Baxter that we take their refusal of examination Gild. Salvian 〈◊〉 p. 215 for a refusal of Church-membership and exclusion of themselves Can the Work of Reformation be carried on prosperously and as it ought or the Ordinances comfortably and with benefit be injoyed unlesse this course be taken Truly I suppose that if it were duly looked into this would be found to be the principal thing through the neglect whereof the work hath been hitherto obstructed so that the desires and endeavours of the Lords people have been thus far in a great measure frustrate and fruitless And will you the people still continue to lay this rub in the way or oppose such as shall labour to remove it Believe it in so doing as your losse would be great in depriving your selves of what otherwise you might injoy so your sin would not be small in setting your selves against that which the Lord in his Word requires and calls for the Saints have now a long time earnestly desired and prayed for and more then ordinary providences have made way for and given you an oportunity to promote and further Object But you will haply say Were not things well enough before when among us no such course was taken or so much as thought upon and therefore what need this alteration and the introducing of a practise into the Church unknown as to this use of it to our predecessors Solut. 10. Surely we should be inexcuseably ungrateful and injurious unto the Divine goodnesse should we not with all thankfulness acknowledge the choice and singular benefits and priviledge bestowed on and enjoyed by the unworthy people of this Island above what hath been vouchsafed to most if not to any other Nation The Lord for ever blessed be his Name and magnified be the exceeding riches of his Grace hath ever looked toward us with an eye of special favour and respect Insomuch that in the very first publication of the glad tidings of the Gospel and as soon as ever it began to go out into all the World the gracious providence of God took order that the sound of it should reach unto and be heard in this remote corner thereof De Pinord Eccles Britâ— 1. à primo exortu Evangelâ—i inquit venerabilis Vsserius suscepisse Britannos Christi fidem Gildae verba satis indicant The words of Gildas do sufficiently declare that from the very first rising of the Gospel the Britains received the Faith of
washed in heart The Catechist did call upon and earnestly exhort them to Duty as well as instruct them in Doctrine as appears in the Catechetical Lectures of Cyrill of Jerusalem and also by Augustines Sermon ad Competentes wherein dehorting them from several vices he closeth with these words Serm. 116. Competentes nihil injustum nihil inhonestum exerceant ne fortè male agendo viscera materna concutiant ante legitimum partum velut aborsum eos mater sancta proijciat Sed magis omnes benigni sint humiles mansueti sobrii ut ad salutaris Baptismi Sacramentum ordine ligitimo conveniant The Competentes should exercise or do nothing that is unjust or dishonest least haply by ill-doing or mis-behaving themselves they trouble the bowels of their Mother and cause her before the time to cast them forth as abortive They should rather be kind humble meek sober that they may come in a due and orderly manner unto the Sacrament of saving Baptism You may see from hence how much it stands you upon to look carefully unto your lives and to labour so to demean your selves that when you offer your selves unto Confirmation there may be nothing found justly to be objected against you that might exclude you from admission to full membership and the injoyment of the singular priviledges of such which if there should would be no small Detriment unto you 4. There are other duties in order hereunto that are peculiar unto some persons viz. such as have the care and charge of others committed unto them which is the case of Parents and Masters of families in respect of their children and servants who may very much and therefore ought to facilitate and further the work of fitting them for confirmation There advantages are many through familiarity and continual converse with them and the power and authority which the Lord hath given them over those that are under them who are injoyned to honour and yeild obedience to them these are therefore as talents carefully to be improved and this way especially as being the chief end for which they are bestowed Their duty is therefore Plurimum enim intererit quibus artibus quibus hos tu moribus instituas Juvenal Satyr 14. Quo semel est imbuta recens c. Difficulter cradic atur quod rudes animâ— perbiberunt Hierony Epist 7. 1. To instruct them diligently in the principles of Religion They ought to be Catech sts in their own families to whom this work belongs as well as to the Pastor being common to both in their several capacities and indeed the fidelity of the one may very much ease and lighten the burden of the other The Scriptures are frequent in pressing this duty upon them These words saith Mises which I * Deut. 6.6 7 command thee shall be in thine heart and thou shalt diligently teach them unto or whet them upon thy children and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house and when thou walkest by the way when thou lest down and whin thou risest up Children saith Ainsworth upon this Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Initiare Cartwright in loc are to be Catechized Solomon also Train up a child saith he in the way wherein he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it Scopus est parentes ad piam liberorum institutionem excitare His scope is to stir up parents to the pious institution of their children The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Leigh Crit. Sdc. Hinc apud Doctores 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est Catechesis Carechismus Pagnin the saurus when ti 's spoken of men signifieth to Catechise i. e. Prima elementa inquit Lavaterus Religionis tradere To deliver to them the first rudiments of Religion Again Ye fathers saith the Apostle Paul bring up your children in the nurture and adminition of the Lord. This as is conceived Ephes 6.4 is the thing commended in Abraham Geu 18 19 and his practice herein recommended unto us I know saith the Lord that Abraham will command his children and his houshold after him and they shall keep the way of the Lord to do justice and judgment Dicit Deus inquit Paraeus non modò quid sit facturus Abraham sed potiùs quid facere debeat God saith here not only what Abraham would but rather what he should and ought to do Whence he observes That parenrs were then and ought in this regard to be so now the Pastours and teachers of their families liberi domestici ingnit erant Catechumeni The children and rest of the houshold were the Catechumens and the heads of the Catechisme comprehended in that expression the way of the Lord were Fides Obedientia Faith and Obedience And may not Abrahams servants with whom he rescued his brother Lot Gen. 14.14 Pagnin interlvers be for this cause termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his trained servants so our translation renders it Initiatos suos his instructed ones i. e. Catechumenos suos his Catechumens or Catechized ones such as having been born in his house Pagnin thesau 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 70 Instructos suos Buxrorf he had religiously edncated The word saith Ainsworth may be understood both of civil affairs and Religion Pellican in l. Iâ—â—is Exposit of the Moâ—al Law Command 5. exercit 5. wherein he had trained them Quos instituebat moribus usu rerum temporalium peritos arte bellandi alioqui etiam Religioni consecratos Thus also Mr. Weemes expounds this place his Catechized ones It is also observable that God saith not concerning Abraham I know that he will teach but command them Paraeus in loc implying that parents ought to perform this duty with authority which thing is intimated in the holy resolution of Joshua As for me saith he and my house we will serve the Lord. And that this hath been the practise of Godly parents is evident from the Scriptures Thus did David carefully instruct his son Solomon as he acknowledgeth I was saith he Prov. 4.3 4. my fathers son tender and dearly beloved he taught me c. So did his mother Bathsheba also as appears Prov. 31.1 The words of King Lemuel no doubt saith Mr. Wilcox but this was Solomon the Prophecy that his mother taught hlm Cartwr in loc Nempe à teneris annis quòd blanda Lemuelis appellatio quales matribuserga liberos adhuc tenellos usitatae sunt â—stendit From his tender years which the pretty alluring appellation of Lâ—muâ—l such as are usual with mothers toward their children while tender and yong doth shew Religious education is the best character of paternal affection Such also was the pious care of the godly parents of â—â—mothy 2 Tim. 3.15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ab ubâ—â—â— u. pendens a sucking child Leigh Espencaeus in loc by whose means it came to passe that from a child he had known the holy Scriptures Gremium
example then your words Of so much concernment is the example of superiours in families which therefore cals for their special care And thus having laid down the duty both of Ministers and people for the recovery of Confirmation I shall add some Arguments to stir them both up to do accordingly drawn from the consideration of the great Utility that will hereof insue And that 1. To Ministers themselves to whom it will be of no small advantage For by this means 1. They will come to be better acquainted with and have more through and particular knowledg both of their people and their condition each one coming under their Cognizance and being personally dealt withal by them As a prudent and provident housholder is diligent to know the state or faces of his flocks taking particular notice of them Pro. 27.23 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Carrwright Quanto magis cavendum est iis qui ovibus Christi precioso ipsius sanguine redemptis praeficiuntur How much more ought their care to be that are intrusted with and set over the sheep of Christ which he hath redeemed with his precious blood Being constituted by Christ to be the shepherds of his people they ought herein to imitate him the chief Shepherd of our Souls who knoweth his sheep and calleth them by name Joh. 10.3 14 Herein lyeth the Office of Pastours so to have particular knowledg of those committed to them that they may approve themselves to God Work-men that need not be ashamed 2 Tim 2.15 rightly dividing the Word of truth giving to each his portion in due season Luke 12.42 For some need instruction others admonition one correction another consolation the weak must be strengthned the sick and diseased healed the broken bound up the lost sought Ezer 34.4 and those that were driven away must be brought back again Every one should be carefully looked after and provided for according to what his particular condition doth require that so they may as they ought take heed to all the flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made them overseers as those that must give an account of them and blessed is that servant and shepherd whom his Lord when he cometh shall find so doing 1 Pet. 5.4 For when the chief Shepherd shall appear Mar. 25.21 they shall receive a crown of Glory that fadeth not away and having been faithful over a few things shall be made rulers over many thing and shall enter into the joy of their Lord. 2. Great will be the comfort and incouragement in their work that will follow hereupon When they shall behold and have experience of the proficiency of those who are committed to their care and so see the fruit of their labours and that they have not run nor spent their strength in vain which to such as are faithful who have minded not their own but the things of Jesus Christ and sought not their own gain and outward advantage but the winning of souls to Christ and fruit that might redound to their account at the great day of Christs appearing is of all other the most refreshing and matter of great joy 3 Joh. 4 Affluentiam elecorum Silvancorum Muscul in loc This is that which will much satisfie them to see as t is said of Christ Isa 53.11 the travel of their soul the work of the Lord to prosper in their hand children whom they have begotten to God through the Gospel of whom they have travelled in birth till Christ hath been formed in them They will remember no more or if they do they will remember with gladness the pain and travel that they have been at for joy that they have been instrumentl of their new birth and bringing them into the Kingdom of God How frequent is the Apostle Paul in manifesting the great comfort he took in those who had been by his ministry brought to the knowledge and obedience of Christ My brethren saith he Phil. 4.1 dearly beloved and longed for my joy and crown Again What is our hope or joy or crown of rejoycing are not even Je for ye are our glory and joy Yet again I Thes 3.9 What thanks can we render unto God again for you for all the joy wherewith we joy for your sakes before our God And of how great advantage will Confirmation be to this joy of faithful instructers wherein a Specimen is given and discovery made of the success of their labours 3. They will be much quieted and facilitated through the satisfaction hence accrewing concerning the persons to be admitted in the administration of the Lords Supper the principal thing about which there hath been and still is so great a noise among us wherein we have had experience of neither few nor small difficulties and differences among those who have desired and endeavoured a right regulation of it That it is not Common for all comers to feed upon and challenge a right unto because in a fort they profess Christianity is the judgment after much search and inquiry into the Scriptures of most pious and conscientious Divines both in this Nation and also in the Reformed Churches abroad who are fully convinced from the word and thus far unanimously agree That both the ignorant and scandalous are unqualified for and therefore ought to be debarred from the participation of this Ordinance And that this was also both the opinion and practise of the Ancients is very evident in their writings Justine Martyr who lived about the year 150 after Christ speaking of the manner how the duties of publick worship were performed by Christians in his time in their Assemblies among other things acquaints us with the qualifications required in such as were admitted unto the Lords Supper Apolog. 2. Hoc alimentum inquit apud nos vocatur Eucharistia ad quod nemo admittitur nisi qui credit veram esse nostram Doctrinam ablutus regenerationis lavacrâ— in remissionem peccatorum sic vivens ut Christus docuit This food is with us called the Eucharist unto which no man is admitted but only he that believes our Doctrine to be true being washed in the laver of regeneration for the remission of sins and living so as Christ hath taught us Cyprian also who lived about 250 years after Christ presseth much to caution this way and being demanded concerning a Stage-player whether he might communicate he thus answers Epistâ—ad Euchratium Num. 61. Puto nec Majestati Divinae nec Evangelicae disciplina congruere ut puor honor Ecclesiae tam turpi infami contagione soedetur I think saith he that t is agreeable neither with the Divine Majesty nor Evangelical Discipline that the holinesse and honour of the Church should be defiled with so filthy and infamous a contagion Which place saith Goulart In Notis meets with those who admit unto the holy Communion without distinction such as are impure and impious Chrysostome who lived ann 400 after
Christ is large upon this Theam pressing it upon Ministers as their duty to look to it that no unworthy person be admitted to Communicate at the Lords table Adeat nullus crudelis c. Let no one come In Mat. 26. Homil. 83 saith he that is cruel unmerciful impure by any means I speak this to you that Communicate as well as to you that administer the Ordinance No small punishment hangs over your heads if you permit any to partake of this Table whom you know to live in any sin or wickednesse Therefore if a Captain if the Consul himself if he that wears the Diadem come unworthily restrain and hinder him thou hast greater power then he what pardon can he obtain for such a contempt that shall suffer those that are polluted with sin debauch't persons to come The Lord would adorn you with so great honour Jer. 15.12 that you might most diligently discern these things Therefore let us plainly put back whomsoever we see to come unworthily Let no one Communicate unlesse he be of the number of the Disciples Even this multitude is the body of Christ wherefore thou who dost administer these mysteries must take heed that thou provoke not the Lord in not purging this body lest thou give a sharp sword in stead of meat But if any shall through ignorance come to the Table fear not to reject him fear God not man but if thou dare not to repel him tell me I will not permit these to be done I will rather give my life then the Lords body to any unworthily I will rather suffer my own blood to be spilt then tender that most sacred blood to any but the worthy Thus that resolute and holy Bishop And that those of the Reformed Religion abroad are of the same minde t were easie for the proof hereof to produce many pregnant testimonies A difference then is to be put between persons professing themselves Christians in reference to this Ordinance which ought not to be administred promiscuously to all but to such only as are qualified for it viz. having a competent knowledg in the principal and necessary Doctrins of Christianity and this accompanied with a conversation not contradictory and inconsistent but in some measure suitable thereunto Of both which an account is required and solemn publick profession made to satisfaction by such as are admitted unto Confirmation So that by this means the stewards intrusted with the dispensation of these mysteries may with freedom and comfort proceed in their work having sufficient warrant so to do as seeing the persons upon due trial approving themselves to be such to whom according to the rule they do belong 2. To parents and masters that have the charge of others committed to them the comfort redounding from hence will be great especially 1. To see the fruit and successe of their care and industry for the Religious education of those under their charge through the blessing of the Lord who hath graciously answered their prayrs and expectations in the main thing that they have desired in their behalf Their children had their being from them but withall a sinful being Original guilt being derived and transmitted to them and an universal pravity and corruption of their whole nature as an hereditary disease or leprosie Cen. 5.3 For fathers as Adam the father of us all beget children in their own image and after their own likenesse And all may say as doth the Prophet David Psal 51.5 Behold I was shapen in iniquity and in sin did my mother conceive me Now for parents to be instrumental for the Regeneration and new birth of their children wherein being freed from their former misery they are made new creatures and do bear the image of the heavenly and second Adam as before they did bear the image of the first earthly This must needs be matter of very great joy to such as are gracious of whom in this regard the words of Solomon are verified Pro. 23.24 25 The father saith he of the righteous shall greatly rejoyce and he that begetteth a wise child shall have joy of him Thy father and thy mother shall be glad and she that bare thee shall rejoyce Not that they are born such by nature but made such by Grace Cartw. in loc Vnde qui liberos it a erudierunt a teneris instituerunt ut cooperatione Spiritus Dei regeniti sint non immerito etiam regeneratorum parentes censeri appellari possint Whence those that have so trained up and instructed their children from their tender age that through the co-operation of the Spirit of God they be regenerate may not undeservedly be accounted and called the parents of the regenerate And so likewise the masters of such servants as are Religious and fear the Lord having been good proficients in the School of their families cannot but greatly rejoyce hereat and look on and account them as in the rank even of children Pro. 17.2 For a wise servant saith Solomon shall have rule over a son that causeth shame and shall have part of the inheritance among the brethren So dear will godlinesse make even servants to be to their godly Masters whose hearts they do greatly chear Such a servant was Eleezer to Abraham a servant born and bred in his house and one of his Catechumens of whose godlinesse as the trust reposed in him by his Master is an apparent argument so is his carriage a clear evidence and demonstration thereof when he was sent and imployed about that weighty businesse of choosing a wife for his only son Isaac Gen. 24.2 for in likelyhood this servant In Loc. saith Ainsworth was his steward Eleezer Haud dubiè erat inquiâ— Paraus Gen. 15.2 3 without doubt it was the same This servant was so dear to Paraeus Mat. 8.5 6 Luk. 7.1 Eâ—as Paraphras and beloved and respected by Abraham that he had thoughts before he received the promise of Isaac of making him or at least his son his heir Of such esteem was the Centurions servant unto him Qui non aestimavit eum ex conditione sed ex fide sinceritate morum He had respect unto his faith and uprightnesse of life not to his condition and therefore he sends the Elders of the Jews to Jesus yea after comes himself earnestly beseeching him to cure him being sick Thus godly parents and Masters cannot but have great joy to see their children and servants whom they have been careful to educate and train up in the knowledg and fear of the Lord to be such and so that their labour hath not been in vain Whereof in Coufirmation they have a solemn and ample testimony from the account which they give both of their faith and manner of life for the satisfaction of the Church 2. To see those who are so neerly related unto them to be upon tryal approved owned and admitted as compleat Members into the Church to the injoyment of
all the priviledges of it with themselves an honourable condition and of greatest advantage because so in respect of things of greatest concernment viz. Such as makes most for the promoting of the spiritual and eternal welfare of their precious souls in the preparing and fitting of them for this excellent state they having been happy instruments through the blessing of the Lord upon their pious endeavours 1 Cor. 12 2◠And if as saith the Apostle when one member is honoured all the members rejoyce with it Surely their super-added relation to them and instrumentality in the honour must needs not a little augment the joy It is the choice priviledge of Christian parents that not only themselves but their children also with them are comprehended within Gods gracious Covenant being owned of him for his and having a right unto the initiatory Seal the consideration whereof administers greater matter of comfort unto them then the intituling of them to the fairest outward patrimony and inheritance How much greater joy then must it needs occasion in them when they shall behold the Covenant so far made good their children now owning the Lord for their and personally and actually taking hold of his Covenant giving up themselves unto him and so ratifying by their own act what their parents had done in their behalf at the time when they dedicated them upto the Lord in their baptisme They were before as children in their minority though an holy seed and heirs of the same promise with their parents yet little differing from the other sort of Catechumens among whom they were ranked being fed with the milk of the principles of the Doctrine of Christ and not admitted to the higher injoyments of those of perfect age But now the door is open for them and free entrance is afforded them unto the participation of the daintiest provisions of Gods house They are now brought into the Wine-cellar and Banquetting-house to sit down at the Table there to eat and drink abundantly of the wine upon the Lees well refined and of the fat things full of Marrow wherewith the feast to which as guests they are invited is plentifully furnished In a word the Churches store is now unlocked unto them whereof they may freely take their fill it belonging to them as well as to the rest of her grown children And is not here matter of great joy to such as have so near relation unto them 3. To see themselves now discharged by the Church of that obligation which was laid upon them at the time of their childrens baptism when having given them up unto the Lord they received them again under a serious and solemn ingagement to take care of them as his to train them up in his knowledge and fear and so to return them unto the Church as persons fitted and prepared for their masters service What was the duty and work of the Susceptors or undertakers of old in reference to such as being adult desired Baptism and to give up their names to Christ to whom they committed themselves as unto parents and masters to take the care of and ingage for them unto the Church the same was and still is the duty incumbent upon Christian parents in reference to their children that were baptized in their infancy Qui brobè intelligentes Qui coelestium munerum Sacro fuerit desiderio captus accedit ad aliquem ex sidelium numero precaturque tum ut se ad Pontificem adducat tum ut reliquae suscipiat curam cuise tanquam parenti magistro totos addicebant Hyper. ibid ex Dionys Areopsgit inquit Hyperius in Opusc cap. de Cateches Speaking of the Susceptors in the behalf of adult ones quantoperè sint Deo Ecclesiae pro fide alterius nomine datâ obstricti non abs re crebrò instabunt quo istud fiat utpete qui animadvertunt non priùs sponsione semel factâ se posse liberari quà m hi quos ex sacro fonte snsceperunt pro se ipsi abrenunciare diabelo pompis ejus fidem de Deo Patre filio Jesu Christo Spiritu sancto confiteri denique obedientiam fidei coram Deo Ecclesiâ universâ promittere valeant Who well understanding how much they stand bound to God and the Church for their faith given in the name of another will not without cause be often instant that that viz. for which they stand ingaged may be done as considering that they cannot be freed from their promise once made till those for whom they did undertake in Baptism can themselves in their own behalf renounce the divel and his pomps confess their Faith in God the Father Jesus Christ the Son and the Holy Spirit finally till they promise the obedience of faith before God and the whole Church A like course to this was taken by the Jews as Buxtorfe tels us in the behalf of their circumcised children In Synag cap. 3 whom they begin to teach some select places of Scripture as soon as they are able to speak and so proceeding on by degrees At thirteen years of age he is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 filius praecepti the son of the precept and then was he to receive the passover as saith Mr. Weemes then also he ought to observe the six hundred thirteen precepts Synag l. 1. c. 5. §. 5. Parag. 1. which comprehend in them the sum of the Mosaical Law and Jewish Religion and then is he accounted guilty and lyable to punishment both divine and humane if he do transgress them whereas before his faults were imputed to his father of whom the punishment was exacted But being thirteen compleat the father cals ten Jews to witness saying That his son is now of age hath been instructed in the precepts well learned their customs and can recite readily the benedictions and daily prayers c. Proinde se liberum perrò immunem esse velle filiique peccata a se excutere Therefore that he is willing to be henceforth free and to shake of the sins off his son after which done he concludes with prayer wherein Deo gratias agit singulares quòd filii sui poenà liberatus sit Deo supplex petit ut filius suus in longos annos bonaque opera adolescat He renders special thanks to God that he is freed from his sons punishment humbly beseecheth him that his son may grow up into many years and good works As therefore the burden being great was taken on with holy fear so the work being accomplished it will certainly be laid down with joy and many thanksgivings returned unto the Lord that through his graciousassistance hath enabled them comfortably to undergo it and in some measure to discharge their duty herein withall hath by his blesing made their labours successful whereof they have now an ample testimony in the publick solemn profession of their faith made by their children before the Church to whom they
stood ingaged for them and the satisfactory account given of their conversations And thus the comfort to godly parents from hence cannot but be very great 3. No less benefit will hence redound unto the persons themselves that are confirmed For 1. It cannot but much affect their hearts with love thankfulness unto the Lord that so much care hath been taken of them in their minority that he hath been pleas'd to second with his blessing the pains of those under whose charge they have been in their pious education now vouchsafes to bestow upon them so great such choice priviledges It is no small mercy to be born within the bosom of the Church to descend from such parents are as members of the same The Question being propounded Rom. 3.1 2 What advantage hath the Jew and what profit is there of Circumcision 'T is answered Phil. 3.5 Much every way to come of the stock of Israel to be an Hebrew of the Hebrews when it is not made the matter of our glorying nor proves an impediment being refted in to keep us from Christ because to them pertaineth the Adoption Rom. 9.4 and the Glory and the Covenant and the Promises Which are applicable to the children of Christian parents under the Gospel who are therefore to look upon them as the Lords and enjoyned to take care of them accordingly Now for children in that dangerous and unhappy age of their childhood and youth wherein they were apt through their head strong lusts so many wayes to miscarry to be under such tutors and governours as had alwayes a watchful eye over them ready to check their folly and wanton humours as soon as they began to discover themselves and to nip those shrewd weeds in the very bud who were also ever and anon instilling wholesome principles and holy precepts into them therewithal to season the vessel of their tender hearts and were moreover patterns and examples to them in their conversations of the things they taught them what abundant cause will they have to blesse the Lord for such parents and for making their endeavours for their spiritual good so successeful as now in an especial manner appears when they come to reap such excellent and blessed fruit of all With how grateful acknowledgment doth Solomon make mention of the admirable industry of his religious parents in trayning him up in the way wherein he should go and pressing him with so much earnestnesse to get Wisdom and Understanding to know the God of his fathers and to serve him with a perfect heart and willing mind The sweet and happy effect whereof did soon shew itself in him for having scarce attained to his châ—â—â—ng time and being put to his choice to ask of the Lord what he would 1 Kin 3.9 he prefers Wisdom before Riches and Honour making that the sum of his petition The seemingly strange choice of Moses also Heb. 11.26 as soon as come to years of discretion speaks out no lesse the religious culture of his preceding age as doth also the faith of Timothy 2 Tim. 1.5 Fides quae ex avitae maternae que successionis institutione quasi haereditario jure descendit Espenâ— caeus in loc which was derived to him as an inheritance and as it were by way of succession from his eminently gracious Ancestors both proclaiming that descent from such Progenitors is no mean prerogative How much think we were the Catechized servants of Abraham affected with the mercy when they saw themselves included in the same Covenant and partakers of the sacred Seal and blessings of it with their believing Master How did they blesse the Lord that ever they came under his Roof and had so near relation unto such a one by whose means they came to be owned of the Lord and to injoy the singular priviledges of his people And is not the case the same of those that come under Confirmation having been prepared for it by the diligence of those to whose care they have been committed What cause have they to break forth into the praises of God being now so far admitted into his family Pla. 65.4 as that they may make the nearest approaches unto him and be satisfied with the fatnesse of his house even of his holy Temple Surely such have great cause to love and bless the Lord. 2. The serious proceeding made use of in Confirmation their publick personal inâ—â—â—ment then entred into and the sole 〈◊〉 laid upon them before the Church cannot â—â—at quicken and stir them up to utmost care and diligence so to demean themselves as that they may answer in their conversations the state they are brought into and the expectations of God and his people being a credit to the one and a joy to the other What a notable bridle may this prove to curb unruly lusts what a strong bar to fence the soul against temptations and what an effectual spur and incitement to duty yea to every good work when they shall consider as they frequently and upon all occasions should do that they have openly and voluntarily professed and vouchsafed themselves to be the Lords owned his Covenant and lifted up their hands to heaven promising fidelity and obedience to him and have been conjured by the Church to look unto it that they carry themselves in all things as becometh such to do lest otherwise they should bring dishonour to God be a grief to his people and a blemish to religion It would be a great aggravation of their sin if being under so sacred abond they should not withstanding it recede from the faith which they have professed or become profane and scandalous in their lives casting off the yoke of obedience to Christ which they have so solemnly promised The force and efficacy of such a course to keep persons if any thing will do it close to the Lord and their duty doth plainly appear from hence that it hath been practised and made use of by godly 〈◊〉 nours from time to time as the liklyest 〈◊〉 â—fect what they have earnestly desired â—â—â—emselves and their people viz. This way of solemn ingaging unto the Lord. This Moses brought the children of Israel to do to prevent their departing from the law of the Lord which he had given them who freely make this profession All the words say they Exod. 14.3 â— which the Lord hath said we will do and be obedient The like did his successour Joshua a little before his death who having exhorted the people to their duty and provoked them thereunto by his holy resolution concerning himself and his family drew from them this treble resolution We wil say they serve the Lord for he is our God Josh 24.18.21.24 Again nay but we will serve the Lord yet once more the Lord our God will we serve and his voice will we obey Whereof he took themselves to witness who said unto him We are witnesses Lavat in leal Quia libero