ΧΕΙΡΟΘΕΣΙΑ OR A CONFIRMATION OF THE Apostolicall Confirmation OF CHILDREN Setting forth The Divine Ground End and Use of that too much neglected INSTITVTION And now published as an excellent expedient to Truth and Peace By JOS. HALL D. D. B. Norwich LONDON Printed for John Place at Furnivals Inn-Gate in Holborn 1651. To all Gods Faithfull People every where Grace and Peace NOt out of any light affectatiō or out of a Crosse humour of vainly striving against the streame my witnesse is in Heaven but out of a care to approve my faithfulness to Gods Church have I undertaken this subject Mine eyes tell me too plainly that an Apostolicall Institution is palpably neglected and my heart tels me both how infinitely advantageous and beneficiall the practise of it if duly revived might be to the Church of Christ and how extream losers Gods People are by the want of it I durst not therefore but impart these thoughts to the world before I leave it humbly recommending thē to the serious consideration of all wel-affected Christians who shall soon find upon these poor suggestions how happy it were if in this case we could walke with an even foot in the mid-way betwixt Romish Superstition and profane neglect The God of Heaven make us wise to Salvation and guide our feet into the way of Peace Amen THE CONTENTS of the severall Sections 1. NO notice taken of the Jmposition of hands yet how important it is and ought to be esteemed Pag. 1. 2. What kind of Jmposition of hands is meant Heb. 6. 2. namely that of Confirmation p. 3. 3. Wrongs done to this Jnstitution of Confirmation And first in the Excesse in making it a Sacrament p. 6. 4. A second wrong in excesse preferring it before the Sacrament of Baptisme p. 12. 5. Wrong done to it in the Defect By the utter neglect and mis-construction of it p. 18. 5. Confirmation by Jmposition of hands not dying with the Apostles and continuing in the Church after the miraculous gifts p. 21. 7. The Deduction of the use of Confirmation through the Primitive times succeeding the Apostles p. 27. 8. Jmposition of hands not a dumb Ceremony but joyned with Prayer p. 34. 9. The order of Confirmation as it is injoyned by the Church of England p. 41. 10. The Considerations whereupon the Church ordered Confirmation to be given to those that are of years of Discretion p. 46. 11. The judgment of Forraign Divines and Churches concerning Confirmation p. 50. 12. Motives to the practise of Confirmation First from conformity with the Primitive Church p. 65. 13. The second motive from the great benefit and advantage that arises therefrom p. 69. 14. The third motive from the great inconveniences that grow from the neglect and dis-use of it p. 73. 15. The Objection of the disorder and inefficacy of our late practise of Confirmation answered p. 78. Imposition of Hands Sect. 1. IT is no small wonder to me that amongst all those great wits of the later times that have so curiously pried into all the corners of Apostolicall Institutions and practises I could meet with no one that hath so much as taken notice of this of the Imposition of Hands which yet all the while lay so broad open before them as that the Doctrine thereof is by the Apostle reckoned amongst the first Principles of Christian Religion Is it for that men are unwilling to know some Truths whose unpleasing consequences they would be loath to own Or is it that they are carried away with so high a prejudice against this practice by reason of the extreme abuse of it as that they are afraid to entertain any thoughts concerning it However it be certainly the Spirit of God hath not doubted to place this amidst the rank of the clearest and most concerning verities and amongst such as are essentially fundamentall to our Christian Profession joyning it together with those main Principles of Faith Repentance Baptisme Resurrection and Judgment What shall we say then Dare any Christian presume to say that the Apostle the great and wise Master-builder of the Church mistook the foundation whereon he built Or dare any presumptuous soul single this one Article from the rest as meerly temporary when all the rest are granted to be of eternall use Can there be any time wherein Faith and Repentance from dead works shall not be necessary both for knowledge and practice Can it be that Baptisme should be ever out of date Can the Doctrine of the Resurrection from the dead and of the last Judgment be ever unseasonable and super annated How or why then should that of Imposition of Hands which is indivisibly marshalled with all these by the blessed Apostle be shuffled out from the rest as arbitrary and altogether unnecessary Sect. 2. Taking it then for granted that the Apostle accounts the Doctrine practice of the Imposition of Hands to be both of excellent use and as then of great importance and necessity in the Church of God Let us inquire in the next place what is meant by this so requisite Imposition and of what kind it is Besides that extraordinary act of laying on the hand for curing of diseases and infirmities practised by our blessed Saviour and his Apostles and for conveying the Holy Ghost in a miraculous way in the Primitive times there were three occasions and usages of Imposition of Hands in cases of I. Confirmation 2 of Ordination 3. of Absolution re-admission of Penitents That the first of these is here intended not only all Antiquity but all late Interpreters except some few Straglers do unanimously agree neither indeed can it with any probability be taken of either of the other Not of Ordination What should Novices have to do with that businesse now in the Primer of their Christianity Their Teachers were only concerned herein not the Puisnes in that School of Christ Not of re-admission of Penitents the ceremony whereof for ought we can find began not till after the Apostles Doubtlesse therefore of Confirmation for which cause also as Calvin well noteth it is paired together with Baptisme as an ordinary subsequent thereof So as this practice thus hinted by the Apostle and made good as we shall hereafter shew by the constant Tradition of all following times is plainly derived even by Mr. Calvins own confession from no lesse then Apostolicall Institution Sect. 3. It hath been the lot of this sacred Rite to fall into ill hands to be foully wronged by a double extreme the one of Excesse the other of Defect The Excesse in a superstitious over-doing and over-valuing it the Defect in a neglective dis-estimation both which must be clearly evicted and quit ere we can present this holy Ordinance to the beholder in its native beauty and perfection First then it is an injurious Excesse of respect that is given to Confirmation by them who have advanced it into the rank of Sacraments forcing upon it that honour which it never
of the imposition of hands is more worthy then the Sacrament of Baptisme These and whatever other excesses of Titles and Prerogatives have been cast upon this holy Institution to the disparagement of other more noble Ordinances have not a little blemished the face of it in some undistinguishing eies To which may be added the over-eager and tumultuous affectation wherewith it was wont not very long since to be prosecuted in some parts the Western especially of this Church It cannot be spoken with what fervour and violence of desire that people were wont to sue for this sacred ceremony What Fair-like confluences have we there seen of zealous ambients How have we been tired with the importunity of Suitors impatient of either deniall or delay How have we been oppressed with the throngs of the multitude striving for the first admission Insomuch as we have been forced to call for the help of Officers to our rescue from that well-meant impetuousnesse Yea so hath that people been formerly devoted to this religious institution that the want of it was one of the causes of their insurrection in the daies of King Edward the sixth falling out as then by reason of the absence or willing forbearance of Miles Coverdale their elected Bishop Now I must be pardoned if I impute some part of this height of zeal in those our modern Clients to an ungrounded over-weening of opinion which they have conceived of this godly Ordinance traduced unto them by their fore-fathers whereof if need were I could give too sufficient an account to the Reader an errour which by good counsel might in good time be redressed Sect. 5. But leaving the consideration of an excessive over-valuation whereof I dare undertake the greatest part of this Nation at this day are far enough from being guilty we descend to that other extreme of defect whereof I fear there are not too many free What an universall neglect is there of this holy duty in all the Churches that professe Reformation What a willing forgetfulnesse of it as if there had never been any such matter practised in the Church of God never any such ceremony so much as intimated by any Apostle never any mention or memory of it in the succeeding ages lastly as if there never had been never could be any profitable or godly use of it amongst Christians Yea rather on the contrary how odious is the very name of it grown to the ears of those who professe the strictest godlinesse How is the practice of it cryed down and hooted at as meerly superstitious and Antichristian Who can but wonder at this strange partiality that men who professe so awefull an observance and so strict and punctuall imitation of all the Apostolicall Ordinations and actions should willingly abandon and carelesly slight one of their prime and most apparent institutions Faine would I know what they can say to this irrefragable text Was there not such a thing in the Apostolick times as the Imposition of hands Was not the Doctrine and practice of it held so usefull as that it was singled out for one of the Principles of Christian Religion Is there not as much occasion and need of the use of it as ever Was this only a temporary Institution soon after to be abrogated What need was there then to trouble the heads and to clog the Catechisme of Christian novices with a vanishing and now already-gasping Ceremony And why is it ranked in the style of Faith Repentance Baptisme c. whose use and practice must be perpetuall Surely to coop up the Doctrine of Baptisme and Imposition of hands in a Parenthesis as some have poorly devised is both very unreasonable and injurious to the Spirit of God which would have this Scripture to run freely in all equall relations to the fore-going and following clauses what God will have laid open it is high presumption in any man to enclose Sect. 6. That the Apostles laid their hands on persons formerly baptized and hereby conveyed unto them the Holy Ghost is so clear a truth as none durst ever deny But did not this priviledge rest only in them and die with them As it could not be bought and sold according to the profane and sacrilegious offer of the wicked sorcerer so could it be bequeathed unto and feoffed upon their holy Successors Surely we hear our blessed Saviour at his parting say Lo I am with you alway even to the end of the world Those blessed men to whom these cordiall words were spoken were not to stay long in the world not to their persons therfore but to their succession was this promise both made and verified Not in respect to those miraculous gifts which as persons extraordinary they both had and conferred in this singular qualification they neither had nor could have any Successors in the following times but in respect to those better graces which as Predecessours to the ordinary Pastours and Overseers of the Church their Ministery should convey to the souls of Gods people Hereupon it is that their Successors do justly claim a true right to this Divine priviledge and find a just warrant for their Imposition of hands For the effectuall performance whereof yet they challenge not any power by an inherent vertue in themselves or by any authoritative bequest from or to others but only in an humble way of impetration by their faithfull prayers which are the life of that holy Ceremony according to the practice of the Apostles themselves who though miraculously gifted yet aided still their hand with their tongue devoutly suing for what they intended to give Let no man therfore pretend that because the miraculous effects of the Apostolicall Imposition of hands are long since ceased therfore the act is now idle and uselesse Divine Institutions are ill-measured by sensible operations There are spirituall and indivisible fruits of holy Ordinances which as being most proper for them shall be perpetually produced by them through the blessing of the Almighty even when there is no appearance of any outward efficiency Such are they which proceed from the Imposition of sacred and authorized hands if the judgment of a learned Father and eminent Saint may find place with us It is not now saith he as it was that by the testimony of temporall and sensible miracles the Holy Ghost is by the imposition of hands given as formerly it was for the commendation and better setting forth of the then new moulded faith and for the enlargement of the newbegun Church For who doth now expect that those upon whom hands are imposed for the receiving of the Holy Ghost should suddenly begin to speak with tongues but invisibly and secretly by the bond of peace is the love of God conceived to be thus inspired into their hearts The instance that Bellarmine himself gives to this purpose is beyond exception In the beginnings of the Church those that believed wrought miracles as our Saviour foretold his Apostles now that
be so readily carried away with new and strange Doctrines thus he Tell me now Reader whether in the judgement of this eminent Divine whose authothority is justly wont to sway so much with all Reformed Churches we have not great reason to plead for the continuance and inforcement of holy Confirmation and to blesse God for the guiding of our wise predecessors into those safe wayes which others complain to have missed and earnestly to desire that this Religious and beneficiall action might be so reverently and zealously performed as may most conduce to the edification of Gods Church Sect. 12 To the carefull ideavour whereof though I might urge many motives yet I shall take up with these following not more few in number then considerable in weight The First shall be the agreement and contesseration both in judgement and practice with the Primitive Church to whose example doubtlesse the nearer we draw the more we shall approach towards purity and perfection Now by the confession of all Divines both Romish and Reformed there was a Confirmation by imposition of hands in all the first ages of the Church and that the manner of performing it was the true pattern of ours I appeal to the witnesse of those Protestant Authors which I have formerly cited and am ready if need were to second it with many more And why my dear Brethren should we think it fit or safe to leave so gratious an example and to walk alone in our own wayes untracked untroden with the holy feet of our first and surest guides where the practice began sensibly to degenerate in adulterating the Ordinance with Superstitious additions both of rites and opinions there we have justly declined it and do with the zealousest professors cry down the grosse abuse of that godly institution to the pit of hell whence certainly it came But shall we upon this pretence cast off that gratious act of Religion which was sent us from Heaven by the hands of the Apostles What if we cannot second our Imposition of hands with sensible wonders as the Apostles did else as Oecumenius well observes Simon Magus could not have seen that the Holy Ghost was given by them though we cannot work miracles yet we can pray and our prayers have the same Spirituall effects with theirs neither did the ordinary Pastors that succeeded those blessed Apostles expect any other issue of their hands imposed yet still imposed their hands and whether should we affect to be like them in acting and approving the laying on of hands or to some hesternall teachers that refuse and disallow of it The common plea of those gain-sayers is the cessation of those miraculous gifts which were in the Apostolick times by their onely hands bestowed others in great numbers had the Holy Ghost none gave it but they whereupon they argue as they think strongly that the effect ceasing the cause is uselesse whom I send to our learned Fulk for satisfaction There is saith he another kind of imposition of hands besides that miraculous one mentioned Hebr. 6. 2. whereof there may be perpetuall use in the Church which is the same which Saint Austin cals nothing else but prayer over a man and whereof he speaks Tract. 6. on the first Epistle of John c. and soon after We acknowledge imposition of hands with prayer that they which were so taught and instructed might receive strength of Gods Spirit so to continue so he This is that onely which we professe and glory to imitate as being well assured that the faithfull prayers of godly Pastors and Christian Congregations can never either be out of date or acceptation Sect. 13 The second motive shall be the great benefit which accrues to the Church of God by the use of this Ordinance which I had rather to expresse in the elegant and solid termes of learned Hooker then in my own By this meanes saith he it came to passe that children in expectation thereof were seasoned with the principles of true Religion before malice and corrupt examples depraved their minds a good foundation was laid betimes for direction of the course of their whole lives the seed of the Church of God was preserved sincere and sound the Prelates and Fathers of Gods family to whom the care of their souls belonged saw by triall and examination of them a part of their own heavy burden discharged reaped comfort by beholding the first beginnings of true Godlinesse in tender yeers glorified him whose praise they found in the mouths of Infants and neglected 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 have had for such their particular invocations and Benedictions as no man I suppose professing truth of Religion will easily think to have been without fruit thus he And surely these are so excellent fruits of this work of Confirmation that we shall not need to seek out for more yet I may not passe over a serious and important passage of a late writer who in a profitable and well-laboured discourse of the Doctrine and practice of Pedobaptisme taking an hint from Calvin as he well might to prove the high antiquity of Baptizing of Infants by the Primitive practice of their Confirmation which is under the name of imposition of hands coupled together therewith and having well made out his Argument by the received distinction of Catechumeni takes occasion to set forth that Ordinance in the Primitive institution of it recommending it with those grave Authors forementioned to be of singular use if it were restored to the Original purity and recounting the benefits that might arise therefrom instanceth in these following by this meanes the neglected exercise of Catechizing would be brought in life and credit Secondly the unity of Faith would be maintained Thirdly Parents would be quickned up to a further care of the Religious education of their children Fourthly Children themselves would be put on to seek after knowledge whereto he addeth two others not hinted formerly by any Author Fiftly that by this means persons ignorant or scandalous might be kept out from communion with the Church in the sacred Ordinance of the Lords Supper and so the stumbling block of mixt communion removed Sixtly that by this meanes the difference of the times about the formality of a Church-covenant in receiving in of members as they call them might be compremised and taken up there being here the substance of what is there contended for and that better bottom'd as he conceives then the former All which as they are exceeding weighty and worthy of sad consideration so me thinks this last should be held fit to be listned unto by our brethren of the Church-way who may easily see how by but the admissiō of a truly Apostolicall institution they may effect that which not without greater