licet sed quod ab Episcopo fuerit consecratum Non tamen frontem ex eodem oleo signare quod solis debetur Episcopis cum tradunt Spiritum Paracletum Now this the Bishops did not only to satisfie the desire of the baptized but by this ceremony to excite the votum confirmationis that they who could not actually be confirmed might at least have it in voto in desire and in Ecclesiastical representation This as some think was first introduc'd by Pope Sylvester and this is the consignation which the Priests of Egypt us'd in the absence of the Bishop and this became afterward the practice in other Churches But this was no part of the Holy Rite of Confirmation but a ceremony annexed to it ordinarily from thence transmitted to baptism first by imitation afterwards by way of supply and in defect of the opportunities of Confirmation Episcopal And therefore we find in the first Arausican Council in the time of Leo the first and Theodosius junior it was decreed That in baptism every one should receive Chrism de eo autem qui in baptismate quâ cunque necessitate faciente Chrismatus non fuerit in confirmatione sacerdos commonebitur If the baptized by any intervening accident or necessity was not anointed the Bishop should be advertiz'd of it in Confirmation meaning that then it must be done For the Chrisme was but a ceremony annexed no part of either rite essential to it but yet thy thought it necessary by reason of some opinions then prevailing in the Church But here the rites themselves are clearly distinguish'd and this of Confirmation was never permitted to mere Presbyters Innocentius III a great Canonist and of great authority gives a full evidence in this particular Per frontis Chrismationem manus impositio designatur quia per eam Spiritus Sanctus per augmentum datur robur Vnde cum caeteras unctiones simplex sacerdos vel Presbyter valeat exhibere hanc non nisi summus Sacerdos vel Presbyter valeat exhibere id est Episcopus conferre By anointing of the forehead the imposition of hands is design'd because by that the Holy Ghost is given for increase and strength therefore when a single Priest may give the other Unctions yet this cannot be done but by the chief Priest that is the Bishop And therefore to the Question what shall be done if a Bishop may not be had The same Innocentius answers It is safer and without danger wholly to omit it than to have it rashly and without authority ministred by any other cum umbra quaedam ostendatur in opere veritas autem non subeat in effectu for it is a meer shadow without truth or real effect when any one else does it but the person whom God hath appointed to this ministration and no approved man of the Church did ever say the contrary till Richard Primate of Ardmagh commenced a new Opinion from whence Thomas of Walden sayes that Wiclâ—f borrowed his Doctrine to trouble the Church in this particular What the Doctrine of the ancient Church was in the purest times I have already I hope sufficiently declared what it was afterwards when the Ceremony of Chrisme was as much remarked as the Rite to which it ministred we finde fully declared by Rabanus Maurus Signatur Baptizatus cum Chrismate per sacerdotem in capitis summitate per Pontificem verò in fronte ut priori Vnctione significetur spiritus sancti super ipsum descensio ad habitationem Deo consecrandam in secundâ quoque ut ejus spiritus sancti septiformis gratia cum omni plenitudine sanctitatis scientiae virtutis venire in hominem declaretur Tunc enim ipse spiritus sanctus post mundata benedicta corpora atque animas liberè à patre descendit ut unà cum suâ visitatione sanctificaret illustraret nunc in hominem ad hoc venit ut signaculum fidei quod in fronte suscepit faciat cum donis coelestibus repletum suâ gratiâ confortatum intrepidè audacter coram Regibus Potestatibus hujus saeculi portare ac nomen Christi liberâ voce praedicare In Baptism the baptized was anointed on the top of the head in Confirmation on the fore-head by that was signified that the Holy Ghost was preparing a habitation for himself by this was declared the descent of the Holy Spirit with his seven-fold gifts with all fulness of knowledge and spiritual understanding These things were signified by the appendant Ceremony but the Rites were ever distinguished and did not onely signifie and declare but effect these Graces by the ministry of Prayer and Imposition of Hands The ceremony the Church instituted and us'd as she pleas'd and gave in what circumstances they would choose and new propositions entred and customes chang'd and deputations were made and the Bishops in whom by Christ was plac'd the fulness of Ecclesiastical power concredited to the Priests and Deacons so much as their occasions and necessities permitted and because in those ages and places where the external ceremony was regarded it may be more than the inward mystery or the Rite of Divine appointment they were apt to believe that the Chrism or exteriour Unction delegated to the Priests Ministery after the Episcopal consecration of it might supply the want of Episcopal confirmation it came to pass that new opinions were entertain'd and the Regulars the Fryers and the Jesuits who were alwayes too little friends to the Episcopal power from which they would fain have been wholly exempted publickly taught in England especially that chrisme ministred by them with leave from the Pope did doe all that which ordinarily was to be done in Episcopal confirmation For as Tertullian complain'd in his time Quibus fuit propositum aliter docendi eos necessitas coëgit aliter disponendi instrumenta Doctrinae They who had purposes of teaching new Doctrines were constrain'd otherwise to dispose of the Instruments and Rituals appertaining to their Doctrines These men to serve ends destroyed the article and overthrew the Ancient Discipline and Unity of the Primitive Church But they were justly censur'd by the Theological faculty at Paris and the censure well defended by Hallier one of the Doctors of the Sorbon whether I refer the Reader that is curious in little things But for the main It was ever call'd Confirmatio Episcopalis impositio manuum Episcoporum which our English word well expresses and perfectly retains the use we know it by the common name of Bishopping of Children I shall no farther insist upon it onely I shall observe that there is a vain distinction brought into the Schools and Glosses of the Canon Law of a Minister ordinary and extraordinary all allowing that the Bishop is appointed the ordinary Minister of Confirmation but they would fain innovate and pretend that in some cases others may be Ministers extraordinary This device is of infinite danger to the destruction of the whole Sacred order of
and a Royal Unction and an Eternal Chrisme is given to us so Prudentius gives testimony of the ministry of Confirmation in his time 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 said S. Cyril Preserve this Unction pure and spotless for it teaches you all things as you have heard the blessed S. John speaking and philosophying many things of this holy Chrism Upon this account the H. Fathers used to bless and consecrate Oyl and Balsome that by an external signature they might signifie the inward Unction effected in Confirmation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This Chrism is not simple or common when it is blessed but the gift of Christ and the presence of his H. Spirit as it were effecting the Divinity it self the body is indeed anointed with visible Oyntment but is also sanctified by the holy and quickning Spirit so St. Cyril I finde in him and in some late Synods other pretty significations and allusions made by this Ceremony of Chrisms Nos autem pro igne visibili qui die Pentecostes super Apostolos apparuit oleum sanctum materiam nempe ignis ex Apostolorum traditione ad confirmandum adhibemus This using of Oyl was instead of the Baptism with Fire which Christ baptized his Apostles with in Pentecost and Oyl being the most proper matter of Fire is therefore used in Confirmation That this was the ancient Ceremony is without doubt and that the Church had power to do so hath no question and I add it was not unreasonable for if ever the Scripture expresses the mysteriousness of a Grace conferred by an exteriour ministry as this is by imposition of hands and represents it besides in the Expression and Analogy of any sensible thing that expression drawn into a ceremony will not improperly signifie the Grace since the Holy Ghost did chuse that for his own expression and representment In baptism we are said to be buried with Christ. The Church does according to the Analogy of that expression when she immerges the Catechumen in the Font for then she represents the same thing which the Holy Ghost would have to be represented in that Sacrament the Church did but the same thing when she used Chrism in this ministration This I speak in justification of that ancient practise but because there was no command for it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 said St. Basil concerning Chrisme there is no written word that is of the Ceremony there is not he said it not of the whole Rite of Confirmation therefore though to this we are all bound yet as to the anointing the Church is at liberty and hath with sufficient authority omitted it in our ministrations In the Liturgy of King Edward the VI. the Bishops used the sign of the Cross upon the fore-heads of them that were to be confirmed I do not find it since forbidden or revoked by any expression or intimation saving onely that it is omitted in our later Offices and therefore it may seem to be permitted to the discretion of the Bishops but yet not to be used unless where it may be for Edification and where it may be by the consent of the Church at least by interpretation concerning which I have nothing else to interpose but that neither this nor any thing else which is not of the nature and institution of the Rite ought to be done by private Authority nor ever at all but according to the Apostles Rule 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whatsoever is decent and whatsoever is according to Order that is to be done and nothing else for prayer and imposition of hands for the invocating and giving the holy spirit is all that is in the foundation and institution SECT VI. Many great Graces and Blessings are consequent to the Worthy reception and due ministery of Confirmation IT is of it self enough when it is fully understood what is said in the Acts of the Apostles at the first ministration of this Rite They received the Holy Ghost that is according to the expression of our Blessed Saviour himself to the Apostles when he commanded them in Jerusalem to expect the verification of his glorious promise they were endued with virtue from on high that is with strength to perform their duty which although it is not to be understood exclusively to the other Rites and Ministeries of the Church of Divine appointment yet it is properly and most signally true and as it were in some sense appropriate to this For as Aquinas well discourses the grace of Christ is not tyed to the Sacraments but even this Spiritual strength and vertue from on high can be had without Confirmation as without Baptism remission of sins may be had and yet we believe one Baptism for the remission of sins and one Confirmation for the obtaining this vertue from on high this strength of the spirit But it is so appropriate to it by promise and peculiarity of ministration that as without the desire of baptism our sins are not pardon'd so without at least the desire of Confirmation we cannot receive this vertue from on high which is appointed to descend in the ministery of the spirit It is true the ministery of the Holy Eucharist is greatly effective to this purpose and therefore in the ages of Martyrs the Bishops were careful to give the people the Holy Communion frequently ut quos tutos esse contra adversarium volebant munimento Dominicae Saturitatis armarent as S. Cyprian with his Collegues wrote to Cornelius that those whom they would have to be safe against the contentions of their adversaries they should arme them with the guards and defences of the Lords fulness But it is to be remembred that the Lords Supper is for the more perfect Christians and it is for the increase of the graces receiv'd formerly and therefore it is for remission of sins and yet is no prejudice to the necessity of baptism whose proper work is remission of sins and therefore neither does it make Confirmation unnecessary for it renews the work of both the precedent Rites and repairs the breaches and adds new Energy and proceeds in the same dispensations and is renewed often whereas the others are but once Excellent therefore are the words of John Gerson the Famous Chancellor of Paris to this purpose It may be said that in one way of speaking Confirmation is necessary and in another it is not Confirmation is not necessary as Baptism and Repentance for without these Salvation cannot be had This necessity is absolute but there is a conditional necessity Thus if a Man would not become weak it is necessary that he eat his meat well And so Confirmation is necessary that the spiritual life and the health gotten in Baptism may be preserv'd in strength against our spiritual enemies For this is given for strength Hence is that saying of Hugo de S. Victore What does it profit that thou art raised up by Baptism if thou art not able to stand by Confirmation Not that Baptism
reproov'd SECT II. The Rite of Confirmation is a perpetual and never ceasing Ministery YEa but what is this to us It belong'd to the dayes of wonder and extraordinary The holy Ghost breath'd upon the Apostles and Apostolical men but then he breath'd his last recedente gratiâ recessit disciplina when the Grace departed we had no further use of the Ceremony In answer to this I shall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by divers particulars evince plainly that this ministery of confirmation was not temporary and relative only to the Acts of the Apostles but was to descend to the Church for ever This indeed is done already in the preceding Sect. In which it is clearly manifested that Christ himself made the Baptism of the Spirit to be necessary to the Church he declar'd the fruits of this Baptism and did particularly relate it to the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Church at and after that glorious Pentecost He sanctifyed it and commended it by his example just as in order to baptism he sanctified the Flood Jordan and all other waters to the mystical washing away of sin viz. by his great example and fulfilling this righteousness also This Doctrine the Apostles first found in their own persons and experience and practised to all their Converts after Baptism by a solemn and external Rite and all this passed into an Evangelical Doctrine the whole mystery being signified by the external Rite in the words of the Apostle as before it was by Christ expressing onely the internal so that there needs no more strength to this Argument But that there may be wanting no moments to this truth which the Holy Scripture affords I shall add more weight to it And 1. The perpetuity of this Holy Rite appears because this great gift of the Holy Ghost was promised to abide with the Church for ever And when the Jews heard the Apostles speak with Tongues at the first and miraculous descent of the Spirit in Pentecost to take off the strangeness of the wonder and the envy of the power St. Peter at that very time tells them plainly Repent and be Baptized every one of you and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Not the meanest person amongst you all but shall receive this great thing which ye observe us to have received and not onely you but your Children too not your Children of this Generation onely sed Nati natorum qui nascentur ab illis but your Children for ever For the promise is to you and to your children and to all that are afar off even to as many as the Lord our God shall call Now then let it be considered 1. This gift is by promise by a promise not made to the Apostles alone but to all to all for ever 2. Consider here at the very first as there is a verbum a word of promise so there is sacramentum too I use the word as I have already premonished in a large sense onely and according to the stile of the Primitive Church it is a Rite partly Moral partly Ceremonial the first is Prayer and the other is laying on of the hands and to an effect that is but transient and extraordinary and of a little aboad it is not easie to be supposed that such a solemnity should be appointed I say such a solemnity that is it is not imaginable that a solemn Rite annexed to a perpetual Promise should be transient and temporary for by the nature of Relatives they must be of equal abode The promise is of a thing for ever the Ceremony or Rite was annexed to the Promise and therefore this also must be for ever 3. This is attested by St. Paul who reduces this Argument to this Mystery saying In whom after that ye believed signati estis spiritu sancto promissionis ye were sealed by that holy spirit of promise He spake it to the Ephesians who well understood his meaning by remembring what was done to themselves by the Apostles but a while before who after they had Baptized them did lay their hands upon them and so they were sealed and so they received the Holy spirit of promise for here the very matter of Fact is the clearest Commentary on St. Pauls words The spirit which was promised to all Christians they then received when they were consigned or had the Ritual seal of Confirmation by Imposition of hands One thing I shall remark here and that is that this and some other words of Scripture relating to the Sacraments or other Rituals of Religion do principally mean the Internal Grace and our consignation is by a secret power and the work is within but it does not therefore follow that the External Rite is not also intended for the Rite is so wholly for the Mystery and the outward for the inward and yet by the outward God so usually and regularly gives the inward that as no man is to rely upon the External Ministery as if the opus operatum would do the whole Duty so no man is to neglect the External because the Internal is the more principal The mistake in this particular hath caused great contempt of the Sacraments and Rituals of the Church and is the ground of the Socinian errors in these Questions But 4. what hinders any man from a quick consent at the first representation of these plain reasonings and authorities Is it because there were extraordinary effects accompanying this ministration and because now there are not that we will suppose the whole Oeconomy must cease if this be it and indeed this is all that can be supposed in opposition to it it is infinitely vain 1. Because these extraordinary effects did continue even after the death of all the Apostles St. Irenaeus sayes they did continue even to his time even the greatest instance of miraculous power in fraternitate saepissimè propter aliquid necessarium ea quae est in quoquo loco Vniversa Ecclesia postulante per jejunium supplicationem multam reversus est spiritus c. When God saw it necessary and the Church prayed and fasted much they did miraculous things even of reducing the Spirit to a dead man 2. In the dayes of the Apostles the holy spirit did produce miraculous effects but neither alwayes nor at all in all men Are all workers of Miracles Do all speak with Tongues Do all interpret Can all heal No the Spirit bloweth where he listeth and as he listeth he gives gifts to all but to some after this manner and to some after that 3. These gifts were not necessary at all times any more than to all persons but the promise did belong to all and was made to all and was performed to all In the dayes of the Apostles there was an effusion of the Spirit of God it run over it was for themselves and others it wet the very ground they trode upon and made it fruitful but it
and the accident without the subject This is impossible and therefore it remains that still there abides in the Church this power that by Imposition of the Hands of sit persons the Holy Ghost is ministred But this will be further cleared in the next Section SECT III. The Holy Rite of Imposition of Hands for the giving the Holy Spirit or Confirmation was actually continued and practised by all the succeeding Ages of the purest and Primitive Church NExt to the plain words of Scripture the traditive interpretation and practise of the Church of God is the best Argument in the World for Rituals and Mystical ministrations for the tradition is universal and all the way acknowledged to be derived from Scripture And although in Rituals the tradition it self if it be universal and primitive as this is were alone sufficient and is so esteemed in the Baptism of Infants in the Priests consecrating the Holy Eucharist in publick Liturgies in Absolution of Penitents the Lords Day Communicating of Women and the like yet this Rite of Confirmation being all that and evidently derived from the practise Apostolical and so often recorded in the New Testament both in the Ritual and Mysterious part both in the Ceremony and Spiritual effect is a point of as great certainty as it is of usefulness and holy designation Theophilus Antiochenus lived not long after the death of S. John and he derives the name of Christian which was first given to the Disciples in his City from this Chrisme or spiritual Unction this Confirmation of baptized persons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We are therefore called Christians because we are anointed with the Vnction of God These words will be best understood by the subsequent testimonies by which it will appear that confirmation for reasons hereafter mention'd was for many Ages called Chrisme or Unction But he adds the usefulness of it For who is there that enters into the World or that enters into contention or Athletick combats but is anointed with oyl By which words he intimates both the Unction anciently us'd in Baptisme and in confirmation both for in the first we have our new birth in the second we are prepar'd for spiritual combate Tertullian having spoken of the Rites of Baptism proceeds Dehinc saith he manus imponitur per Benedictionem advocans invitans Spiritum Sanctum Tunc ille sanctissimus Spiritus super emundata benedicta corpora libens à patre descendit After baptism the hand is impos'd by blessing calling and inviting the Holy Spirit Then that most holy spirit willingly descends from the Father upon the Bodies that are cleans'd and blessed that is first baptis'd then confirm'd and again Caro signatur ut anima muniatur Caro manus impositione adumbratur ut anima spiritu illuminetur The flesh is consign'd or seal'd that also is one of the known primitive words for Confirmation that the soul may be guarded or defended and the body is overshadowed by the imposition of hands that the soul may be enlightned by the Holy Ghost Nay further yet If any Man objects that Baptisme is sufficient he answers It is true it is sufficient to them that are to dye presently but it is not enough for them that are still to live and to fight against their spiritual Enemies For in baptism we do not receive the Holy Ghost for although the Apostles had been baptiz'd yet the Holy Ghost was come upon none of them untill Jesus was glorified sed in aquâ emundati sub Angelo Spiritui Sancto praeparamur but being cleans'd by Baptismal water we are dispos'd for the Holy Spirit under the hand of the Angel of the Church under the Bishops hand And a little after he expostulates the article Non licebit Deo in suo Organo per manus sanctas sublimitatem modulari spiritalem Is it not lawful for God by an instrument of his own under Holy hands to accord the heights and sublimity of the spirit For indeed this is the Divine Order and therefore Tertullian reckoning the happiness and excellency of the Church of Rome at that time sayes she believes in God she signes with water she cloths with the spirit viz. in Confirmation she feeds with the Eucharist she exhorts to Martyrdom and against this order or institution she receives no Man S. Cyprian in his Epistle to Jubajanus having urg'd that of the Apostles going to Samaria to impose hands on those whom S. Philip had baptized adds Quod nunc quoque apud nos geritur ut qui in Ecclesiâ baptizantur per praepositos Ecclesiae offerantur per nostram orationem ac manus impositionem spiritum sanctum consequantur signaculo dominico consummentur Which custom is also descended to us that they who are baptiz'd might be brought by the Rulers of the Church and by our prayer and the imposition of hands said the Martyr Bishop may obtain the Holy Ghost and be consummated with the Lords signature And again Vngi necesse est eum qui baptizatus est c. Et super eos qui in Ecclesiâ baptizati erant Ecclesiasticum legitimum baptismum consecuti fuerant oratione pro iis habitâ manu impositâ invocaretur infunderetur Spiritus Sanctus It is necessary that every one who is baptiz'd should receive the Unction that he may be Christ's anointed one and may have in him the grace of Christ. They who have receiv'd lawful and Ecclesiastical Baptism it is not necessary they should be baptiz'd again but that which is wanting must be supplyed viz. that prayer being made for them and hands impos'd the Holy Ghost be invocated and pour'd upon them S. Clement of Alexandria a Man of Venerable Antiquity and admirable Learning tells that a certain young Man was by S. John delivered to the care of a Bishop who having baptiz'd him posteà verò sigillo Domini tanquam perfectâ tutâque ejus custodiâ eum obsignavit Afterwards he sealed him with the Lords signature the Church word for Confirmation as with a safe and perfect guard Origen in his seventh Homily upon Ezekiel expounding certain mystical words of the Prophet saith Oleum est quo vir sanctus Vngitur oleum Christi oleum Sanctae Doctrinae Cum ergo aliquis accepit hoc oleum quo Vngitur Sanctus id est Scripturam sanctam instituentem quomodo oporteat baptizari in nomine Patris filii Spiritus sancti pauca commutans unxerit quempiam quodammodo dixerit jam non es Catechumenus consecutus es lavacrum secundae generationis talis homo accipit oleum Dei c. The Unction of Christ of holy Doctrine is the Oyl by which the Holy Man is anointed having been instructed in the Scriptures and taught how to be baptized then changing a few things he sayes to him now you are no longer a Catechumen now you are regenerated in baptism such a Man receives the Vnction