visibilium signaculorum sacro sanctum est sicut ipse Baptismus By this ointment he would understand the Sacrament of Chrysme which indeed is holy in the rank of visible Seals as baptism it self Ita vocat inquit Rivetus sanctum dicit Contro tom 2 ut baptismum quia ipsi erat annexum non quòd existimaret Chrysma Baptismo aequandum esse He so calls it and saith that its holy as Baptisme because it was annexed to it not that he thought that Chrysme was to be equal'd with Baptism 4. The Decrees and Canons of divers Councils do also evidently declare Confirmation to have been an ancient and general practice in the Churches of Christ I shall content my self with the mention only of two which both preceded the first and most famous general Council of Nice Bin. in notis in Concil Laodic In the Council of Laodicea in Phrigia Pacatiana held under Sylvester the first of that name Bishop of Rome antiquâ nobilitate celeberrimum graecorum atque latinorum scriptis celebri memoriae commendatum medio tempore inter Neo caesariensem Nicaenam universalem celebratum in the 48. Baron an 319. Caranz Epir. Canon it was thus decreed Oportet Baptizatos post baptismum sacratissimum Chrysma percipere caelestis regni participes fieri The baptized ought after baptism to receive the most sacred Chrysm and be made partakers of the heavenly kingdom Or as another renders the Greek thus quòd oporter eos qui baptizantur Bin. in Concil post lavacrum chrysma Eccesiae accipere regni Christi participes inveniri Bin. in Concil Also in the Council of Eliberis in Spaine held anno 305. in two several Canons order is taken about Confirmation as can 38. thus See here the meaning of Hieroms Excarrat Episcopus ur supra Peregrè navigantes aut si Ecclesia in proximo non fuerit posse fidelem qui lavacrum suum integrum habet nec sit bigamus baptizare in necessitate infirmitatis positum catechumenum ita ut si supervixerit ad Episcopum eum perducat ut per manus Impositionem perfici possit Or ut per manus impositisnem perficere possit Such as sayl into strange countries or if a Church be not neer at hand a believer if he have his baptism intire and have not two wives may baptize a Catechumen in case of necessity through sicknesse but so that if he recover he being him to the Bishop that he may be perfected by imposition of hands Again Can. 77. Si quis diaeconus regens plebem sine Presbytero vel Episcopo aliquos baptizaverit Episcopus eos per benedictionem intelligitur benedictio de sacramento confirmationis perficere debebit Bin. in notis Quòd si autem de saeculo recesserit sub fide quâ quis crediderit poterit esse justus If any Deacon governing the people shall without a Presbyter or Bishop baptize any the Bishop ought by blessing to perfect them which blessing is meant of the Sacrament of Confirmation Now if such a one shall before depart out of this world under or by the faith wherewith he believed he may be just the meaning of which latter clause saith Albaspinaeus is this Observat lib. 1. â—â—p 25. Si quis evivis recesserit nondum confirmatus is tamem inter sanctos recenseri potuisset If any one departed out of this life before he was Confirmed yet might he be numbred among the Saints 5. This Doctrine and the practice of it was received by the Waldenses as an Apostolical institution who retained Confirmation for the substance of it but removed the superstitious adhering to it as appears from their apologies and several confessions of their faith which through the clamours and importunate accusations of their adversaries Joachim Camerar in Narrac hostor c. 6. they were even forced to publish for their own vindication In their short confession which they sent and exhibited unto Vladislaus King of Hungary an 1504. Ibid. Profest sidei Waldens cap. de informat They thus speak of Confirmation Fide ex divînis scripturis sumptâ profitemur temporibus Apostolorum istum observatum fuisse quicunque in pubescentiae annis promiss a donorum Spiritus sancti non acceperunt hujusmodi per orationem manusqne Impositionem in fidei confirmationem suscipiebant Eadem quodque de Infantibus sentimus ' quicunque baptizatus ad veram accesserit fidem talis ad Episcopum aut sacerdotem duci statuique debet qui interrogatus de fidei veritatibus praeceptisque divinis simul que voluntate bonâ intentione stabili ac veritatis operibus illa omniae sic se habere fatendo testabitur talis confirmaendus est in spe veritatis consecutae Denique orationibus Ecclesiarum juvandus est quatenùs ei incrementum munerum Spiritus sancti ad stabilitatem militiamque fidei accedat Manus postremò impositione ad firmanda promissa dei veritatisque habitâ in virtute nominis Patris Verbi ejus Flatus quoque almi Ecclesiae societur We do professe with a faith taken out of the divine Scriptures that this was observed in the times of the Apostles Whosoever being come to ripeness of years received not the promise of the gifts of the Holy Ghost such they did receive for the confirmation of their faith by prayer and imposition of hands We think the same also of infants whosoever being baptized shall come to true faith such a one ought to be brought and presented to the Bishop or Minister who being questioned concerning the truths of faith and Divine precepts as also of his good will stable intention and works of truth confessing shall testifie that all those things are so such a one is to be confirmed in the hope of the truth he hath attained Moreover he is to be holpen by the prayers of the Churches that he may have increases of the gifts of the Holy Ghost to the Establishment and Warfare of the Faith Lastly by Imposition of hands for the confirming of the promises of God and the truth in the power of the name of the father and of his word also of the holy Spirit let him be joyned to the Church viz. of the Adult as a compleat member After this manner among them we see that such as having been baptized in their infancy did afterward being grown up believe and make profession of their faith were by imposition of hands joyned to the Church as compleat members And with how much caution they did proceed in the admission of such as offered themselves to full membership and communion viz. after the manifestation of their earnest desire thereof the grounds of which desire were carefully inquired into as was the manner of the Jews in receiving a Proselyte also after very strict examination and an account given both of their knowledge in the chief doctrines of Christianity and of their conversation and manner of life and lastly
of very singular advantage some meet and well furnished person being chosen for this purpose and designed unto this work which he should wholly and diligently atted The Ancients looked upon it as a businesse of so great concernment that special heed was taken for the committing of it to such only as were meetly qualified for it viz. to grave and staid men Hyper. in opus de Cateches eminent for their holiness indued with the gift of teaching patient prudent able to suit them selves in what they delivered to the capacity and condition of those they had to deal withal It s true that sometimes this task was undertaken by such as were but young for it appears that Origen was but eighteen years of age when first he was called to and took upon him this hard Province in the famous School of Alexandria But then we are to consider that he was by his godly and learned Father Leonides trained up from his very child-hood Euseb Hist lib. 6. c. 1. not only in the knowledge of the Scriptures but also in the Liberal Arts and Sciences in both which he profited exceedingly and above his years to the great joy and admiration of his pious Parent and instructer insomuch as that sometimes he would uncover the brest of this his son while asleep and solemnly kiss it blessing God and giving him hearty thanks that he had made him the Father of so rare a son Besides it seems a kind of necessity put him upon it Hierom in Catalog Origen Euseb l. 6. c. 2. the Church of Alexanaria through the heat of persecution being then so dispersed that others of riper years so meet were scarce to be had Such another was Cyrill of Jerusalem whose Catechetical Lectures to the Catechumens composed by him in adâ—lescentiâ in his youth In Catalog Hierom makes mention of though whether they were so many as now are extant or delivered Extempore by him as Grodecius would have it Biblioth Patr. River Crit. Sa. or be so free from corruption as they should be is very questionable only thus much they plainly speak out That he was sooner then ordinary mature and so might the better be intrusted with that serious imployment But ordinarily it was not so the Church using much caution in the choice of that person upon whose shoulders they thought it safe to lay so great and weighty a burden As for ordinary Congregations the care hereof will lye upon the particular Pastors who ought to improve all wayes and means for the bringing of those under their charge to the knowledge of the chiefly necessary truths of Christianity Whereof private personal instruction is neither the least nor unlikeliest to do poor ignorant Souls good But of this both that t is a duty incumbent upon Ministers and how it may be performed for the best advantage I shall forbear to say any thing In his Gilds Salvianus seeing the reverend Mr. Baxter hath spoken so excellently of it already to whom I shall refer the Reader The more publick and common means is that of Catechizing which the Church in the purest times hath carefully observed for the preparing of adult Catechumens to Baptism and the infant Baptized for Confirmation This calls for the pains and prudence of the several Pastors in their particular charges that the darkness of ignorance may be dispell'd by the beams of the knowledg of saving truths and those over whom they have the inspection may become a people prepared by the Lord. For which end care ought to be had of these two things especially that the thing aimed at in this duty may be the better attained 1. Of the Matter That the things to be taught and learned by those that are thus to be instructed be such as they ought to be Viz. 1. Fundamental and necessary truths which all of capacity are bound to be acquainted withall and without the competent knowledge whereof the hazard of Eternal life is manifestly incurred Theolog. Bremens in Act. Synod Dodreei Catechetica institutio est fundamentum aedificationis Ecclesiasticae adeò ut ea mediccriter formando populo Dei sufficere possit Catechetical institution is the foundation of Ecclesiastical edification so that in some measure it may suffice for the forming of the people of God These truths are the Basis and ground-work as it were of Christianity that bear up all the building which therefore must be laid in the first place before superstructions be attempted as we would be accounted wise Master-builders Non sunt contemnenda quaesi parva sine quibus magna constare non possunt Hisrom Epist 7. Workmen that need not to be ashamed and not undergoe the censure that they deserve who think to erect an edifice without a foundation Such truths have been alwayes the subject matter of the Catechism which concern the weakest and lowest in the School of Christ as well as the strongest and those in the highest form being the necessary and common food of all the children of the Church Uthers Sâ—â—â—â—l in Ephes 4. 13. in respect of which radical truths there is not an unity only but such an equality also brought in among all sorts of Christians as was heretofore among the congregation of the Israelites in the collection of their Mannah where he that gathered much had nothing over and he that gathered little had no lack These are the truths which the Apostle Paul cals 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 5.12 6.1 milk for babes and the first principles or the elements of the beginning of the oracles of God Also the pattern of wholsom words 2 Tim. 1 1â— Sic vocat prima rudimenta Christianismi qnae nos Catechetica capita vocamus Parae in Heb. 5.12 unde puerorum institutio in Scholis Ecclesiâ inchoari solet So he cals those first rud ments of Christianity which we call Catechetical heads whence the institution of children in Schools and in the Church useth to take its beginning In loc There is this order saith Dickson to be kept in bringing men to knowledg the first principles and fundamental Doctrines must first be taught These being the sum of those truths in the Scripture Calv. instit l. 2. c. 16. §. 18. which are necessary to be believed hence it is that the Ancient Creed wherein they are briefly comprehended was intituled the Apostles Creed not because it was compiled by them which some have thought without warrantable ground In his Treat of the Authors authority of the Creed as also Mr. Parker de Descens Christi lib 4. In Praefat. Catecher institute a Dieterico as the Reverend and learned Mr. Downe hath clearly proved by divers Arguments but because the matter therein contained is perfectly agreeable with the Apostles writings and was collected our of them For the same reason did Luther call his Catechisme Parva biblia because its a brief sum of the Doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles
capacities and at length approving and establishing them in the truth of the Gospel cannot but be judged rational and Christian if wee take these Considerations 1. That the Light of Nature guideth as to help children according to capacity to natural perfections so to know above all the God of their Natures It is an opinion worse than Brutish not to season that tender age with some things of God as it can receive them It is not taking Gods Name in vain reasonably to make him known to the weakest understanding that it may grow therein 2. That the Ordinance of God in the Old Church for the appearing of the Males before him three times at least in the year was to nurture them and bring them to more acquaintance with God and Confirm them in his Truth And is there not need to keep Analogie with that for perfecting Souls toward God under the Gospel 3. That the many Exhortations in the Gospel for watching over the Flock to feed the lambs to perfect to stablish Souls in the truth cannot but imply the necessity and usefulness of such a practice in the Church for the nurturing of tender ages and at last Confirming them in Christ To the edifying whereof I am confident the Author hath his main scope and I shall pray he may not miss of his aim The Lord own that which is his in the Work and make it prosper In him I am Plymoth Aug. 10. 1657. Thine to serve thee G. HUGHES Christian READER IT is now many years since I wrote a passage in a book called The Sains Rest Part 4 Chap. 4. Sect 3. which since I printed some misunderstood as if I affirmed the sufficiency of Baptism alone for qualifying persons to be admitted by us to the Church-Communion of the Adult Whereas I there expresse that A Sober Profession of Repentance and Faith in Christ if they be adult is necessary to qualifie them first for that Baptism and that they must after produce that Evidence not blotted by Heresie or Scandalous sin In which I plainly supposed that those that were Baptized in infancy must also at age produce the Evidence of an Infant-Baptism upon the Parents profession with their own actual profession when adult But because I found some understood not that which is written in few words I have since divers times explained it in several Treatises especially in one of Infant-Baptism and one lately of Right to Sacraments In the former many years since I found it meet in dealing with the Anabaptists to plead for the restoring of Solemn Publick Confirmation of all that have bin Baptized in Infancy as their solemn entrance into the state of Adult Members and I presumed to make an humble motion to the Magistracy and Ministry to take it into consideration and pag. 120 121 122. gave in some proofs of the necessity of a personal Covenanting of the Adult besides the Infant-Covenant by their parents What others thought of this Motion I know not but my Reverend Brethren of this County who after Associated for the better managing of their Ministerial work did so far approve the matter that they readily concurred to make it one Article of their agreement at our Association in these words R. 7. We shall distinguish between Infant-Members and Adult and for the former we shall take their Parents profession and for the latter we shall expect their own And though it cannot be determined just to a day or year when any is past his Infant Church-estate yet none must be Enrolled and accounted among Adult and Perfect Members till they personally and publickly shall make their Profession whether it be only of their Faith and Obedience to Christ that they may be esteemed Adult Members of the Vniversal Church or also their consent to be Members of a particular Church We thought not meet to make Imposition of hands then an Article of our Agreement because its possible some good men might differ in it But the necessity of publick personal profession we agreed of But still the most are too slack in the execution Yesterday in the conclusion of a Discourse of Conversion I thought it my duty to motion such a thing to my Auditory as the publick owning of Conversion and lamenting the sins of unregeneracy and profession of Resolutions for a Holy life And presently the same day this Treatise came to be offered to my perusal though my judgment be not of that weight as to add much to the reputation of it yet the Treatise hath that Evidence which I hope hath added somewhat to my judgment The Reverend Author I am utterly unacquainted with but in this Learned Judicious Pious Exercitation I see much more of him than the face The subject I take to be of very great usefulnesse and the manner of handling it needs not my commendations I hope the Lord hath in compassion to this distempred Church sent them this Reforming Healing Truth by the hand of this our Reverend Brother It is a point that should be entertained with universal alacrity upon several accounts 1. Because it is so commonly received by Protestants and therefore among us the lesse lyable to opposition though unhapily the practice of too many hath overlooked it yet by the easier cheaper way of writing and speaking for it the most have given it a fair complemental entertainment 2. Because it is so excellently suited to the joint promoteing of Holinesse and Unity that it seems a salve just fitted to our sore where one part runs away from Purity for fear of Divisions and the other runs away from Unity for fear of Impurity 3. And withall our great sin against God and his Church by so long and common a neglect of this Duty should awake tender consciences to penitency and the readier obedience for the time to come Though the Papists themselves do agree with us for Confirmation yet their Confirmation and ours is not indeed the same thing The Council of Trent were so much offended at the Protestants difference from them about Confirmation that they thundred against them divers Anathema's Si quis dixerit Confirmationem Baptizatorum otiasam Ceremoniam esse non potius verum proprium sacramentum aut olim nihil aliud fuisse quam Catechesin quandam qua adolescentiae proximi fidei suae rationem coram Ecclesia exponebant Anathema sit 3. siquis dixerit sanctae Confirmationis ordinarium Ministrum non esse solum Episcopum sed quemvis simplicem Sacerdotem Anathema sit But these Fathers might have lest out the nihil aliud when they read our Divines maintaining the use of Exploration Prayer Approbation with Imposition of hands also in this duty But I hope no Protestants now will disown or cast by that sort of Confirmation which the Papal Council cursed our Ancestors for maintaining I confesse this duty was so timely corrupted that hath given the Papists the greater pretence to Antiquity for their way They did betimes make such haste to it as that
Disputations about Right to Sacraments at large The case is easie Sincerity we know not certainly in others Profession with seeming seriousnes and understanding is undoubtedly the sign by which we must judge of it He that Professeth true Faith Repentance Love and Resolution for a Holy life doth professe Regeneration and no lower profession must serve the turn Object But this will bring up an affected formal shew of Holiness when men are thus tempted to make a profession of it before the experience of it on their souls do constrain them Answ 1. Some accidental evils will follow the noblest and most necessary duty but the good that follows wil incomparably weigh down that evil 2. And do you think that this formal shew of Holiness is not a better condition at least as to others and the prosperity of the Gospel then to have men despisers and persecuters of Holinesse When Holinesse is under a general reputation and owned by all O what an attractive it is to the minds of the ignorant and how faire are they for a true conversion But when it is the common scorn what danger are they in by examples and discouragements The Church is at the best when there are most Hypocrites for when there are most Hypocrites there are also most true Christians Hypocrites may be miserable themselves but they may much help the Church when Hereticks prophane men and persecuters much hinder it Object But this Confirmation will grow in time but to a Ceremony Carelesse Ministers will Confirm any body and huddle it up as the Bishops did with the Boyes Confirming an hundred in half an hour whom they never spake a word to nor saw before Answ All Ordinances will be used as the persons be that use them Bad men will abuse them godly serious Ministers will do otherwise And if this should move us to lay them quite by it may move us also to do so by Sacraments and other Ordinances which the careless will use carelessely Two passages in this Book I suspect some will stumble at One is making the Catechumens to be a sort of Church-Members But this is easily decided 1. The Catechumeni strictly so called that are unbaptized Are 1. Some of them true believers and these are therefore Members of the Church as invisible 2. Some of them do Professe true Faith and Repentance openly though the Pastors have yet delayed their Baptism These are Members of the Visible Church as a King not yet Crowned as a Souldier not yet Listed though Verbally Contracted as married persons contracted but not solemnly married have their relations They are incompletely Visible Members 3. The same persons when Baptized are Completely Visible Members 4. But some of the Catechumeni are only yet learning what Christianity is and do not yet know it or at least consent to it or discover this consent though they are willing to be instructed And these are not Members of the Church but in the way to it being under that first teaching that makes Disciples and not under that second to observe all things commanded proper to Disciples 2. And as for the Catechumens more largly so called that is such children as were baptised they are Infant-Church-Members till they are Adult and then their Membership ceaseth if they add not the Profession of personal Faith The other passage is That pag. 60. the Confirmed only are made the Object of Excommunication But undoubtedly the Reverend Author there means not those only that are solemnly confirmed by Imposition of hands but any that have openly owned their Baptismal Covenant and have been thereupon admitted into the Communion of the Adult I conclude with this earnest request to all the godly Ministers of these Nations that they would take this matter into their serious consideration whether God do not offer you by the hand of this Reverend Brother the very Key that must let us into Unity and Reformation and whether â—t be not for want of the right Key that we have stood wrangling and groping so long at the door Pass not this over with a bare reading but Assemble together and consult whether this be the way of God or not If you are unsatisfied desire the Author to confirm his Doctrine of Confirmation and answer your Objections If you see it to be the way in the Name of God let us be true to God the Church the Truth and our selves and presently all agree upon the practice If we will not it will be said by this age and posterity That it was the idlenesse or unfaithfulnesse or contentiousnesse of Ministers that undid England But if we will be unanimously up and doing God will be with us and we have reason to expect most blessed effects and I doubt not but England will find cause in the fruits of our labours to praise God for the endeavours of this Reverend Author These are the perswasions of Your unworthy fellow-servant RICH. BAXTER Aug. 21.1657 TO THE Berean READERS TRuth is so pretious a thing especially that which refers to our information for the better regulating of our affairs to the glory of God that both it and the feet of them that bring it should be beautiful in our eys and welcome to us Many truths of this concernment if not of their own nature for that of godlinesse as appears by the many controversies about it is without controversie a great Mystery Yet either by reason of our dim-sightedness being not able to see afar off nor to penetrate into the depth and bottome of them or by reason of the abusive traditions and corrupt glosses with which for many ages they have been clouded and overcast both which do exceedingly hinder our understanding of them I say upon these and such like accounts many truths seem not to be so clear but that they still need a further clearing Among others such as relate to Church Discipline and order have for a long time been under debate and not without some considerable advantage though I humbly conceive we have not attained so far as to be already perfect It remains therefore that we would press forward and not be so passionately fond of our own prepossest conceptions as not to have the patience to consider what may be offered to us especially by such as are well-wishers to Sion and desirous to see the Gospel-Temple in its beauty If any persons are spirited to search after further Knowledg in these affairs to dig for it as for hid treasure and when they have found a vein of golden Ore to refine and stamp it for us we should be in readiness to receive the truth in the Love of it and to pay it the tribute and homage of obedience for the sake of the God of truth whose image and superscription it bears What great and profitable pains my much honoured Friend the Reverend Author of the ensuing Exercitation hath taken in this one particular presented to consideration and with what Curiousnesse without curiosity with what as the Apostle
it that being his end in bestowing it And as in subjecto capaci personal faith in the heart and confession with the mouth is required unto justification and salvation Rom. 10.10 so likewise is it here in such a subject the actual owning of the terms of the Covenant and voluntary ingaging withall as also profession of the faith and visible holinesse viz. such as upon probable ground may rationally by the rules of the Word be concluded from the conversation of the person are requisite for the warranting of the Church in her proceeding to the admission of such a one as was â—aptized in infancy to the actual injoyment of the priviledges of full and compleat members 7. That the baptized in infancy when grown up to years of discretion if they either offer not themselves willingly or offering themselves cannot give a satisfactory account of their Faith and manner of life unto the Church for their admission are to continue and to be left in that condition without enjoying any further priviledge For their actuall and full joyning unto the Church must be an act of their own to which that it may be duly performed tisrequisite that they therein be free and voluntary as also fitly qualified Without the latter the Churches act in admitting of them would be unwarrantable they not proceeding herein according to the rule of the Word And without the former the act of the persons so offering themselves would be invalid and of no force as to the thing intended viz. Communion and the benefit accruing thereby whereunto the consent of the persons is chiefly requisite which is not truly such unlesse it be free and neither feigned nor forced This is that wherein theunion of a particular Church and the Communion to be observed therein by the appointment of Jesus Christ doth consist viz. Owen of Schiâ—cap 7. Sect. 20. in the joynt consent of all the members of it in obedience to the command of Christ from a principle of love to walk together in the universal celebration of all the ordinances of the worship of God and to perform all duties and offices of love respectively to one another as are by God required of them and doing so accordingly The Learned Professor of St. In his refutat of Mr. Lockiers Serm. Andrews in Scotland Mr. James Wood declaring what kinde of profession of Faith holinesse and subjection to Ordinances is a sufficient qualification in the Ecclesiastick Court to constitute a person fit matter to be received as a member of the visible Church doth thus Modificate it viz. that it be a Serious Sober profession which he also thus explains By Serious saith he I mean such a profession as hath in it a moral sincerity at least i.e. which is not openly and discernably Simulate Histrionick Scenical and Hypocritical in that hypocrisie which is grosse but all circumstances being considered by which ingenuity is estimate amongst men giving credit one unto another there appears no reason why a man may not and ought not to be esteemed as to the matter to think and purpose as he speaketh c. Thus ought the consent given to be without collusion and so ought it also to be without constraint Thus Erasmus somewhat to this purpose Si qui parvuli baptizati sunt In Declarat ad censur Theol. Parisiens p. 20. â—bi adoleverint interrogati negent se rata habere quae susceptores nomine illorum polliciti sunt Fortassis expediet illos non Cogi sed suo relinqui animo donec resipiscant nec ad aliam interim vocari paenam nisi ut ab Eucharistiâ sumenà â reliquisque Sacramentis arceantur If such children as have been baptized when they are grown up do being demanded deny to ratifie those things which their God-fathers did promise in their name Perhaps it will be expedient that they be not constrained but left to their own mind till they repent and in the mean time have no other punishment inflicted upon them but this only that they be debarred from receiving the Eucharist and other Sacraments Nor is this tendring of themselves unto Confirmation a matter arbitrary and left to the choice of grown persons baptized whether they will do it yea or no but a duty incumbent upon them being call'd upon and exhorted thereunto yea necessarily to be performed by them in order to their full membership So Binnius upon the 48. In Notis Canon of the Council of Laodicea Exproecepto Christi velsaliem Ecclâ—siae baptizatos sub peccato ad Sacramentum Confirmationis suscipienà une dum commode possunt obligari colligunt nonnulli ex hoc Canone Some do from this Canon gather That by the precept of Christ or at least of the Church baptized persons are bound under sin to receive when conveniently they may the Sacrament of Confirmation In Epist ad Jul. Julian And the words of Clemens Romanus being thus understood what ever he meant bythem seem to have some truth in them Quam quis inquit regeneratus fuerit per aquam post modum confirmatus quia aliter perfectus esse Christianus nequaquam poterit neo sedom habere inter perfectos si non necessitate sedincurià aut voluntate remanserit c. When any one hath been regenerate by water and afterwards confirmed because otherwise he could not be a perfect Christian nor have a place among the perfect if he remain so not of necessity but through carelesseness and of his own will c. As also those of Peresius Quamvis continnò transituris sufficiant regenerationis beneficia necessaria tamen sunt grandaevis scil confirmationis auxilia Although to those that forthwith do die the benefits of regeneration are sufficient yet are the helps of Confirmation necessary How farre it follows Erit adultis quando dabitur recipiendi copia necessarium It will be necessary for the adult if an oportunity be afforded of receiving it 8. That the Censure of Excommunication cannot regularly be made use of nor exercised toward such as having been Baptized are adult but not Confirmed For they never were full members nor had actual or a Proximate right unto the Lords Supper or other the priviledges of such as are compleat Members and therefore neither are they the proper objects of Excommunication nor can they be deprived by it or cut off from the injoyment of that which Ecclesiastically they never had a right unto nor were actually possessed of For which cause it might be that the penitents in the Primitive times who had been under that censure and by it cut off from their state of fellowship with the Church upon their return were received into the communion of the Church again not by iteration of Baptism but by Imposition of hands only intimating hereby thus much to us That by Excommunication they were deprived not of their Baptism but only of those priviledges which by Imposition of hands in their Confirmation they had been entituled and admitted to the
them the Word being a compleat perfect Rule as well for the agenda as the credenda of a Christian in so much as what action soever cannot be just fled hereby is no lesse then sin to the doer of it Rom. 14. 24 This then in the first place should be indeavoured by those in the Ministry viz. That the people under their charge may be informed of and fully satisfied in the warrantableness of this practice yea how requisite and necessary to the rectifying of what is amisse and the right management of the affairs of the Church that so they may admit of and give entertainment to it in such a manner as they ought and a ground may be laid whereupon they might cheerfully and cordially conform thereunto One thus gained and prevaild with to imbrace any truth or submit to any duty is to be preferred before many that seem so to do either for fear of displeasing or to follow the stream or out of the favour they bear to and high esteem they have of those that are seto ver them 2. In exhorting the people to their duty of submitting readily and willingly unto this course for their admission unto full Church-membership Though it may seem a novelty Impositio manuum ceremonia suit magno quondam in honore habits Hyper opus de Cateches as being a thing that hath been unknown to the later ages as to its proper use and end yet hath it the warrant of the best antiquity and appears to have been the practise of the purest times which is the fairest example and fittest pattern for our imitation The businesse that lyes before us and we are ingaged in to which both ministers and people ought to contribute the utmost of their assistance is the work of Reformation the recovery of the Church from that low and languishing condition that prevailing Antichristianism had cast her into unto a sound constitution and her Primitive beauty for the accomplishment whereof as what is noxious and detrimental having been introduced in the declining and darker times is to be removed so should that be restored again which in her first and most flourishing state she did injoy but since by the negligence of some and the iniquity of others she hath lost and been deprived of One particular whereof is Confirmation Quòd Impositio manuum inquit Hyperius negligatur Ibidem arbitror non vacare cos culpâ quibus incumbit res Ecclesiarum ordinare That Imposition of hands is neglected I conceive is not altogether without their fault upon whom it lies to order the affairs of the Churches The smoke ascending out of the bottomless pit had for some fore-pass'd ages overclouded and greatly eclipsed the glorious light of gospel-Gospel-truth and dismal darkness had covered and overspread the whole heaven almost of the Christian world At what time it s no marvel if the Church hath been stript and spoiled of much of her costly and comly rayment and attire t was in the night season that the Church received so much wrong as she complains of The watchmen saith she that went about the City found me Cant. 5.7 Impreatores pontifiecs Epis Brightman they smote me they wounded me the keepers of my wall took away my veil from me But seeing that the Gospel through the goodnesse of the Lord hath begun to recover its light and in so great a measure hath broken forth in the brightnesse and glory of it so that now the clouds and darkness are dispel'd and vanish before this rising Sun is it not meet for yea the duty of all the sons of Sion to endeayour by diligent search and inquiry the regaining of what hath been lost and the investing and decking of the Church again with her former Jewels and Ornaments whereof Confirmation rightly made use of is not the least and which wil add not a little to the Churches Splendor and beauty Ibidem Meritò inquit Hyperius isthaec in omnibus Ecclesiis fideliter proponeretur religiose usurparetur Deservedly would this be both faithfully set forth and religiously made use of in all the Churches Being therefore recovered and recommended to future practice what welcome entertainment and willing submission should it finde from all those that wish well to Sion and do heartily desire the prosperity thereof Have we been the Lords remembrancers earnestly beseeching him to have mercy upon Sion and to make Jerusalem a praise in the earth Have we had compassion on and taken pleasure in the stones and favoured even the dust thereof And hath the Lord graciously inclined his ear and had respect unto the prayer of the destitute and not despised their prayer Is he arisen and doth he begin to appear in his glory for the raising of his Church out of her ruins And hath he caused it to be proclaimed that whoever is willing should go up and build the house of the Lord and given his people not only liberty but incouragement so to do And shall we now be slack and withhold our hand and discourage the builders by our backwardnefs and untowardness Shall we chuse rather to abide still in Babylon with the Potters then to be imployed with our Ezra's in re-edifying the Temple and setting up of the worship of our God in its purity Far be this from any of us that professe his name Rather let us blesse the Lord as there is cause that we live to see this day and that he honours us with such an oportunity of furthering so blessed a work and let it not be undervalued and overslipt Let us readily and rejoycingly put our shoulders to the work and make it a matter of great exultation to see the Foundation of the Churches Reformation laid and so good a progress made in its long desired restauration 3. In considering of and resolving upon some meet way for the preparing and fitting of persons unto Confirmation The thing is not trivial but of very great weight and concernment as that whereby persons are admitted unto full membership and so consequently that whereupon the right constitution of the Churches of Christ doth much depend and therefore not to be made use of slightly and as a meer formality as too too long it hath been but with due deliberation and all diligent circumspection Such therefore as have been baptized in infancy ought in order hereunto to be carefully educated in the Nurture and admonition of the Lord Ephes 6.4 i. e. In Doctrinâ Christianâ piis commonefactionibus ad officia pietatis Piscst In things necessary to be known and practised by persons professing Christianity To which end the excellent and useful duty of Catechizing was religiously observed in the Primitive times of the Church wherein a peculiar officer was appointed a meet order prescribed and a great assiduity discovered for the through and right management of so weighty a husiness In great and numerous Congregations the distinct office of a Catechist would be
Christ by the Ministry either of some one of the Apostles or their Contemporaries Yea as saith Sr. Henry Spelman certum est Bâ—â—â—anniam à primis ipsis seminatoribus recepisse fidem Concil Britan. It 's certain that Britain received the faith by the very first Sowers of it And how early this glorious Sun visited our coast the same Author shews Evangelii lumen inquit radiavit in Britanniâ tempore novissimo Tibertii Caesaris Ibidem qui obiit anno quinto post Christiresurrectionem The light of the Gospel beamed forth in Britaine in the latter end of Tiberius Cosa who dyed in the fifth year after the Resurrection of Christ To the same purpose speaks the wel-deserving Cambà en Brittannia Certum est inquit Britannos in ipsâ Ecclesiae infantiâ Christianam Religionem imbihisse Certain it is that in the very infancy of the Church the Britaines received the Christian Religion And for the work of Reformation so happily enterprized by Luther as this Nation was not the last sor either was it the least but most considerable party among whom Religion was recovered and refined from the deluge and drosse of Art christian errors Where through Free Grace the Work did so prosper and the Gospel make so admirable a progresse that without partiality and to the praise of that glorious Grace be it spoken as no Church hath excelled us for Soundness in the Faith Clerus Anglic. â—tupor Mundi and Orthodoxness of Doctrine so hath none equal'd us in regard of the Ministry for lively and prositable Preaching and which through Divine concurrence hath been the blessed fruit of it in regard of the people even many of them for the power of godliness But 2. Though for the Doctrines of the Gospel thus preached and professed among us it were in a good measure well with us yet in other regards was it so far from being wel enough that it fared very ill with us things being much out of order and beside the Rule in matter of Worship Discipline and Government so that the way and form that herein was pitch't upon and established by civil Sanction among us found alwayes some even of those who were truly pious and conscientious that did oppose and could not conform to it by which means it became a ball of continual strife and contention and through the violence of those in power an instrument for the silencing and suppressing of many that might have been of singular use and advantage to the Church and an occasion of unhappy separation Surely it is much to be wondred at and lamented that those first reformers anong us pious and learned well-meaning and well-deserving men should so far neglect the pattern contained in the Word and borrow and fetch so much of their platform from those from whom they had so justly and commendably receded which gave an adversary of the polity of the Church here too just cause to intitle his Book upon this subject Altare Damascenum Among other things wherein they imitated those of Rome was their childish Confirmation performed only by the hands of the Bishop The true use and right end of this ancient and laudable Rite being altogether neglected if not also unknown Whence it came to passe that the Congregations in this Nation were over-grown with ignorance and profanenesse consisting mostly of such as were the blemish of Religion professed here and a scandal and offence unto those that feared the Lord. And was it then well enough with us while things were so Do not and have not the Lords people seen and been for many years convinc't of the necessity of a Reformation in this particular And will you now say when an oportunity is afforded for the doing of it that there is no need of it and oppose the Ministers of Christ that desire and endeavour the redress of what 's amiss by the restauration of this ancient excellent and useful course and practise Surely such a carriage would be both your sin and your shame an injury to the Church and a grief to the Saints which you ought carefully to avoid and labour rather to chear their hearts strengthen their hands and occasion them to rejoyce in and blesse the Lord for your ready submission unto those that have the rule over you in this so great and necessary a part of their work Object 2. This is a course to be taken with children and not with those who are of riper years and now grown aged Solut. You may perhaps think so because Confirmation heretofore hath been so but wrongly made use of children for the most part being the object of it But that this was a meer abuse of it sufficiently appears by what hath been said already The Primitive Church admitted none hereunto as they ought not but such as were of competent years and come to understanding in the things of God the same as we have shewn was the practise of the Waldenses and is the judgment of the reformed Churches The truth is children are not capable hereof nor qualified for it but such only as are adult and come to some maturity and therefore whatever your years or age may be you ought not to be owned as full and compleat members till you come under confirmation you may not injoy the one if you will withdraw and exclude your selves from the other Such as being old men in years shall yet upon tryal be found to be children in understanding and Knowledg ought to be dealt withal as children in this regard viz. to be instructed in the principles of Religion and required to give an account of the same their age cannot exempt them from an indispensable duty neither ought they to think much of it nor be unwilling in a plain and familiar way to be taught those things the ignorance whereof is in them inexcusable and so great an evil that if persisted in and not prevented may not only endanger but prove the utter ruine of their pretious souls for ever Quam diu inquit Hyperius ex omni hominum genere juvenum virorum matronarum senum aliquos esse constat qui capita Doctrina Religionis tenentur ignoratione tam diu erunt omnis generis homines in scholâ Catechisticâ auditores ac discipuli As long as there are any sort of men youths men matrons old men that are ignorant of the heads of the Doctrine of Religion so long persons of all sizes shall be auditors or Catechumens and learners in the Catechetical School viz. In order to their admission unto confirmation to which such knowledg is pre-requisite So that ripenesse of years is so far from being a just plea for the exemption of any that it is necessarily required in persons to be Confirmed Object 3. We have been heretofore owned for full members and have injoyed the priviledge of such and why should we not be so owned still Solut. That you were so accounted of and dealt with proceeded from either the
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