Mr. Prowde's Confirmation-Sermon Preached at BRIDGEWATER July 16. 1693. IMPRIMATUR LAMBETH Nov. 17. 1693. Ra. Barker A SERMON Preached in the Parish-Church of Bridgewater July 16. 1693. Before the Right Reverend Father in God RICHARD Lord Bishop of Bath and Wells AT A CONFIRMATION By FRAN. PROWDE M. A. Vicar of Woollavington in Somersetshire LONDON Printed by J. H. for W. Rogers over against S. Dunstan's-Church in Fleetstreet 1694. TO THE Right Reverend Father in God RICHARD LORD BISHOP of Bath and Wells May it please your Lordship THE ensuing Discourse being solely the Product of your Lordship's Command seems naturally to fly to you for Patronage I am very sensible it must meet with a great deal of that Goodness of Soul and pious Inclination which belongs to your Lordship to render it acceptable But the Deference I owe your Injunction for having it made publick encourages me to hope it may occasion some good Thoughts and Endeavours in the World Which that it may I heartily beg of God and humbly subscribe my self Your LORDSHIP's Most Obedient Servant Fran. Prowde ACTS VIII 17. Then Laid they their Hands on them and they received the Holy Ghost THAT result of the wise Solomon's maturer thoughts He that encreaseth knowledge encreaseth sorrow is not more sadly experimented than while we contemplate the religious strifes which are so eagerly maintain'd in the Christian World And among all the perplexing Controversies of this unhappy nature that about the Doctrine which this Text of Scripture presents to our consideration is not the least 'T is strange even to prodigy to consider that after the Office of Confirmation is so plainly deliver'd and recommended in the Holy Scriptures so religiously observed in the best and purest times of Christianity so generally own'd in the main as to its nature and obligation even by the most considerable Parties now among us should after all seem neglected and despis'd What can be the occasion of this melancholy scene of things And whence must the contradiction between the evident grounds of this belief and practice derive Indeed what other reason can be given of it but that the truly Primitive Spirit of Piety and Unity with which the Holy Jesus by visiting these lower regions blessed the world is for want of entertainment here fled to Heaven The Great and Incomprehensible God has no dependence upon us all his favours are free and in strictness of sense unmerited by us The methods of our happiness though they are agreeable to our natures and highly worthy our rational choice yet they are assign'd us by God and if we will be happy we must make our selves so as God has appointed If through carelesness or obstinacy we take wrong methods and refuse or oppose those which God has ordain'd we then grieve and contradict his Holy Spirit and unnaturally bring on our present and eternal ruine Our compassionate Saviour at his departure hence promised us the comfortable assistance of the Holy Ghost to the end of the World And how the divine efflux shall be communicated he himself and the Pen-men of the New Testament both by their precepts and examples have so plainly taught us that in short nothing but our own perverseness can undoe us Particularly in the words of my Text according to the generality of the most learned and happy Interpreters of Sacred Writ we have presented to our thoughts one of the admirable ways or means whereby the divine wisdom has thought fit to convey both the outward to wit the extraordinary and miraculous and the inward to wit the saving and lasting gifts of the Holy Spirit In short if we consider the Context it makes it clear beyond denial that by Laying on of Hands joyn'd with Prayer and receiving the Holy Ghost we are to understand the doctrine and effect of Confirmation For those Prayers which we read were made by the Apostles Peter and John vers 15. did so soon attend the Conversion and Baptism of the Christians at Samaria that it must signifie Confirmation When the Apostles which were at Jerusalem says the Text heard that Samaria had received the word of God and were baptized by Philip they sent unto them Peter and John vers 14. which exactly agrees with this doctrine and usage being an act which we find Primitively reserv'd to the Rulers of the Church and not allowed to inferiour Officers such as Philip the Deacon mention'd in this Chapter Annotations on Acts 8. vers 17. though he was endowed with the miraculous gifts of the Holy Ghost According to this notion Dr. Hammond observes that Bishops are call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Doctors as that signifies the farther instructing them to whom the Gospel hath been formerly preached and as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 differs from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 preaching from teaching And in Confirmation it certainly was that in these first times of the Gospel both the saving and miraculous gifts of the Holy Spirit us'd to be conferr'd But besides this 't is farther probable that the Faith being planted at Samaria by Philip and the Apostles coming thither to Confirm and not staying there Acts 8. v. 25. Acts 14. v. 23. Tit. 1. v. 5. Epist 1. ad Corin. but returning to Jerusalem they did at their being there ordain Elders or Bishops in their several Cities as we find Paul and Barnabas did and as we read Titus did also in Crete This says Clemens Romanus the Apostles did in their journeyings when they went out preaching the Gospel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Preaching through Regions and Cities they constituted their First-fruits Bishops and Deacons of those that should afterwards believe And thus before this time they had constituted James the Brother of our Lord Bishop at Jerusalem in the first year after Christ's Ascension From whence it is not reasonable to believe that the Apostles Peter and John should come down to Samaria where the Gospel had been so universally receiv'd and not also ordain some Governors over them before they returned In short therefore by Laying on of Hands joyn'd with Prayer and receiving the Holy Ghost mention'd in my Text both according to the Context and general suffrage of Expositors we are to understand Confirmation and Ordination the Holy Ghost by the Apostle's ministry coming on all the sincere believers and endowing them with the internal saving and lasting gifts of the Holy Spirit and some of them with external and miraculous powers And the Apostles also by Laying on their Hands on some signalized persons Ordain'd them Bishops and Deacons in several Cities the Power of doing which belong'd only to the Apostles to exercise and was not Philip's business though he had power to preach and baptize nay though himself was endow'd with miraculous gifts Now these things premis'd in accounting for my Text and in reference to the present occasion I shall pursue this following method 1. I shall endeavour to give a true and distinct Account of the Doctrine of
Confirmation observing whence it deriv'd how it obtain'd and has been practis'd in the Church 2. I shall briefly observe the qualification of the Person to whom originally the Administration of it seems to have been assign'd 3. I shall answer some Objections which are brought against it And 4. and Lastly by way of Application I shall propound some Considerations evincing the Reasonableness Divine Excellency and Necessity of its Practice To begin with the First of these Particulars to wit to present a true and distinct Account of the Doctrine of Confirmation observing whence it deriv'd how it obtain'd and has been practised in the Church The learned Grotius tells us Grot. Annot Cap. 6. Paul ad Hebr. v. 2. that Imposition of Hands joyn'd with Prayer was peculiarly us'd in the Primitive Christian Church in these five following Cases Baptizatis ad obtinendam vim confirmantem spiritus sancti ordinatis ad Presbyterium post peccata reconciliatis Corpore infirmis imò novis conjugibus benedictionem ab Ecclesiâ postulantibus i. e. To those who have been baptiz'd in order to obtain the confirming Influence of the holy Spirit in ordination to the Penitent in cases of sickness and to the newly married And most of these if not all as he hints deriving from Hebrew Customs and to this purpose we find it recorded in these following parts of Divine Writ Gen. 48. Vers 14 15 and 16. And Israel stretched out his right hand and laid it on Ephraim's head who was the younger and his left hand upon Manasses's head guiding his hands wittingly for Manasses was the first born And he blessed Joseph and said God before whom my Fathers Abraham and Isaac did walk the God that fed me all my life long bless the Lads Here we find the Laying on of the Hand joyned with Prayer used to conferr Divine Grace Thus we likewise find it practised Numb 6. vers 27. being an Account of that sacred Form of Blessing wherewith God himself taught Aaron and his Sons to bless the Children of Israel Our English Translation reads it They shall put my name upon the Children of Israel and I will bless them Junius and Tremellius paraphrase the words Et imponentes manus filiis Israelis invocabunt nomen meum ego benedicam eis Putting their Hands on the Children of Israel they shall pray to me for them and I will bless them And in their Notes on this Text of Scripture they add farther in these words duobus signis testatum facient Populo meo gratiam meam c. By these two Signs Calling on my Name and the solemn Laying on of their own Hands they shall assure my People of that Grace which I according to my Promise will bestow upon them And this Grace or the Effect of this Blessing as the Learned Dr. Patrick observes Dr. Paâ—â— Aqua gâ—â—talis from some of the Jewish Rabbins used to be called the Weapons and Armour of Israel To the same purpose we read Numb 8. vers 10 11 and 14. Thou shalt bring the Levites before the Lord and the Children of Israel shall put their hands upon the Levites and Aaron shall offer the Levites before the Lord thus shalt thou separate the Levites from among the Children of Israel and the Levites shall be mine I shall onely add one instance more Numb 27. vers 18. That when Moses was to leave the World and his troublesome Charge the Israelites he was order'd by God himself to constitute Joshua his Successour after this Manner And the Lord says the Text said unto Moses take thee Joshua the Son of Nun a Man in whom is the Spirit and Lay thine Hand upon him I might instance in other Passages to this same purpose but these are sufficient to point to us whence the Sacred usage of Imposition of Hands in the Christian Church deriv'd its Original And to apply this more particularly to our present Case The Jews having circumcised their Children at Eight days old so soon as they were capable of instruction they took the greatest care of them imaginable particularly when their Sons were five Years old they instructed them in the Text of the Law when they were ten Years old they put them to the Text of the Talmud and when they arriv'd at Thirteen they were publickly presented in an holy Assembly there solemnly to oblige themselves to be Filii praecepti subject to the Law to keep the Pascha Sabbath and the rest of their Ceremonies Veem's â—â—eposit of â—â—e Moral â—â—w Buxâ—â—rf Syn. â—â—daic thence forward they were to answer for their own Sins and hereupon Prayer was made for them with the Imposition of the High-Priest's hands in order to the conferring Divine strength In short agreeable to these and such usages during the Patriarchal and Mosaick Oeconomies we find it practis'd under the Christian Dispensation For by Laying on of Hands as an applicatory Sign join'd with Prayer did our Saviour and his immediate Followers heal Diseases Thus our Blessed Lord demean'd himself toward the Children which came unto him he put his hands upon them and blessed them praising their inoffensive and unprejudic'd Tempers as resembling that happy habit of Thoughts which disposes to the Entertainment of his Divine Religion This Imposition of Hands join'd with Prayer we read our Saviour's Apostles evidently practis'd â—â—â—ts 6. v. 1. Thus they invested the seven Deacons in their Office thus Barnabas and Paul at Antioch were consecrated to that Divine undertaking which God had assign'd them Thus Timothy was ordain'd Bishop and thus all along in the Apostles Times it was an unquestionable and allow'd way to bless consecrate and conferr Grace by Prayer and the Laying on of Hands And thus particularly in reference to Confirmation these following Texts of Scripture are almost Universally interpreted as Precedents for our Instruction And not to insist on my Text which I have already explain'd thus we read Acts 19. vers 5 6. When they heard this they were baptiz'd in the Name of the Lord Jesus and when Paul had Laid his Hands upon them the Holy Ghost came on them and they spake with Tongues and prophesied Indeed we find mention'd here onely the miraculous Effects of the Holy Ghost they being absolutely necessary then and allowed by the Divine Power and Wisdom for the infant State of the Church But as the saving Gifts of the Holy Spirit were promis'd by our Saviour to the End of the World and were ever necessary so it must be allow'd That they were then conferr'd though the External operations which presently demonstrated their Collation perhaps for that Reason onely are particulariz'd But farther the Doctrine of Confirmation is plainly recorded in Hebrews 6. vers 2. Therefore says the Apostle in the First Verse of that Chapter leaving the Principles of the Doctrine of Christ let us go on unto perfection not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead Works and of faith toward God of the Doctrine of
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
their negligence is eternally ruined how natural a Punishment is confusion and torment of thought to such a Crime as this What can more aggravate the Misery of the damned than to reflect they have brought others into their place of torment Nay how peculiarly close must this pain of thought stick to that Parent who is forced to animadvert he has for ever undone his own Off-spring 3. By the due use of Confirmation Children themselves would out of a pleasant pious Emulation happily enquire after Divine knowledge in order to their being Confirmed would endeavour to know Christianity betimes Thus might those little ambitious thoughts which generally shew themselves in these tender years be disposed to a Divine contrivance even to lay a Foundation for Vertue and to frustrate the Tendency of natural Corruption 4. By this means there would be made deep and listing Impressions concerning the Obligations of our most holy Faith For how can the Solemnity which attends Confirmation be easily forgot Tn the Presence of God the Bishop and a publick Assembly we declare our selves Christians own our baptismal Vow and promise we will ever sincerely endeavour to perform it Now how can we chuse but remember this through the whole Course of our Lives What a mighty influence must this day always have upon our thoughts what Encouragements to Vertue and what Arguments against Vice must we hence needs derive In the Primitive times of Christianity the Adult baptized had a white Garment delivered to them immediately after Baptism this Garment they wore for a week and then 't was deposited in the Church 'T was to signifie the Innocency which should belong to a Christian and to fix that Impression upon their thoughts Now the Office of Confirmation must needs answer this excellent Design can't fail of impressing lively and lasting ideas of our Duty must necessarily mind us of and oblige us to perform it 5. The Doctrine of Confirmation rightly attended to would prove an admirable means to ease the thoughts of those who are Sureties for Infants at their Baptism and to acquit them from their heavy Charge For so great is the Obligation which such persons take upon themselves that nothing but a strange Stupidity and the Apathy which is owing to an habit of sinning can render them insensible they solemnly in the name of the Child promise and vow to God that they will renounce the World the Flesh and the Devil This besides what their own Obligations to Christianity engage them to they are bound to perform and sincerely to endeavour that the Child be made sensible of this their Obligation which till they have performed and the Child at Confirmation has released them from their Vows by taking it upon it self they stand bound to God and upon the failure of their Promise are continually exposed to the Divine Displeasure How happy would it be for the Christian World were these things rightly considered How evidently would Piety prosper among us and how apparently would that only true Felicity of mankind Peace of Conscience make Men happy In short these our Vows to God are very solemn and of great moment and as Solomon tells us the infinitely holy God can't possibly take Pleasure in such Fools who take no care to perform them so that whoever neglects this Vow how insensible soever he may be of his Circumstances he can't enjoy any true quiet or peace of Conscience 6. By the right use of Confirmation the Anabaptists greatest Objection would be fully and naturally answered it would silence their great Clamour about Faith and Repentance For tho' the Practise of the Jews in reference to Circumcision and the undeniable Custom of baptizing Infants even from ultimate Antiquity in the Christian Church and the several plain Declarations of Scripture in this Case are sufficient evidence yet the Doctrine of Confirmation duely attended to may justly put an end to all their Quarrel Here the baptized Person with all the Solemnity imaginable in his own Person owns his baptismal Vow professes himself a Christian and declares he will ever by the Grace of God endeavour to live according to that most holy Faith In short by the Doctrine of Confirmation this Objection of the Anabaptists seems to have been anticipated and perhaps I may add that the due use of it in the early Times of Christianity was the reason we then heard of no such Party in the World But When through the Decay of Piety and the Corruption of the Church of Rome Confirmation began to be slighted and wrong applied then did an Opposition to Infant Baptism perhaps not unreasonably take its beginning 7. By the right use of Confirmation the Sacrament of the Lords Supper would be more duely frequented This great positive Command of the Holy Jesus which was designed by him to such admirable Purpose among his sincere Followers would by the Means of that Preparation of Thought which Confirmation requires and which by that Divine Assignment is communicated be highly valued and piously approached It would by this Means in a great Measure gain its pristine Honour and Intenseness of Devotion The want of which among us is very dismal to consider and seems sadly to foretel the Ruine of Religion But 8. Were the Doctrine of Confirmation duely attendedto the Unity of the Church of God would be more happily maintained Men would blush to leave the Communion of that Church upon a slight or no consideration which they so solemnly owned when they were confirmed They could not pick Quarrels out of a Lightness of Temper a Desire of Novelty in short such an Influence must the Administration of this Office have upon Men's Thoughts that nothing less than the being guilty of evident Sin which is the onely just Cause of Separation would divide them from that Communion which they once with such Solemnity chose to themselves Now how happy an Effect would this be how acceptable to God how pleasing among Men how like even to Heaven To conclude Were the Doctrine of Confirmation duly valued it would lay the Foundation for such a sincere Practice of Chiristianity as would promote both our publick and private Peace and Happiness would pat a stop to that malign Influence which Impiety and Prophaneness hive upon us And finally would bless the World as the Holy Jesus designed his admirable Religion should do All which God of his Infinite Mercy grant us for the alone Sake of the same Meritorious Jesus to whom with the Father and the Holy Spirit three Persons and One God be all Honour and Glory Might Majesty and Dominion now and for ever Amen FINIS