have most honour and efficacy in their proper order and the souls of men thrive best in their proper places and ranks Strong meat may be little better then poyson to him who is onely fit for milk The wombe is the place of the Embryo if you rip up that that the child may be sooner at the breast you give it air not to breath but die in And as there ought to be care taken for the administring of Gods Ordinances in their due rank and order so likewise that they be administred by that Rank and Order of men onely which are impowr'd thereunto There have been indeed pretenders which desire to have an hand in this businesse as still there will be in matters of Priviledge and Preheminency But the first practise will be ever the best rule the first Church the surest mistresse of the latter whose example ought to be our guidance as the b Harm Confess Prima Ecclesia posteriorū vera optima magistra praecundo ducit nos Bohemians say in their Confession Here then let 's to our pattern again and so for your direction take notice of the. 3. Particular observed in the words which intimates the Ministers of this Ordinance in the Pronoun They. Then laid They their hands And who these were the fourteenth verse will inform us even S. Peter and S. John two of the Apostles whom the Church sent down to Samaria to confirm those new converts But what needed that message may some say was not Philip there already who by the preaching of the world and working many signes and wonders had gained them to the Faith and also Baptized them and why might not he undertake this businesse also It is true he was a Deacon but not such as the later times have fancied the Steward onely of the Almes-box but one that de jure might both preach and Baptize Nay farther he was an Evangelist and that in some mens apprehension how groundlesse you may see by this instance might be enough to entitle him to all the powers of the Church You know how warmely though as vainly it is urged in the case of Timothy and Titus and yet Philip the Deacon Phillip the Preacher Phillip the Baptist Phillip the Evangelist might not and therefore would not attempt the work for all this Will you know the reason Chrysost in Loc. S. Chrysostome upon the place will tell you because he had neither 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 neither the gift nor Authority for it this being as he after speakes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a speciall prerogative of the Apostles and indeed we find it ever reserved to their hands in Scripture As for that onely instance given to the contrary of Ananias a Disciples laying on of hands on S. Paul and the promise that he should receive the Holy Ghost Act. 9.17 Calv. Institut lib. 4. cap. 19. Sect. 10. Tractat. devera Ecclesiae reformanda ratione cap. 12. Quem Ananiae Episcopatum dabunt ne alienum arripuisse manus videatur which is alledged by M. Calvin and his Followers I conceive it may be fairly answered 1. That Ananias his Laying on of hands was only in order to the cure of S. Pauls blindnesse as is intimated ver 12. 2. That the promise of the Holy Ghost referred to S. Pauls Baptisme which was to ensue wherein questionlesse the holy Spirit was conferred though in somewhat a different respect then he was in Confirmation 3. And which may suffice to choak this objection it is clear the imposition of hands there spoken of was not a part of Confirmation as appears by the story for it went before S. Pauls Baptisme so ver 18. whereas Confirmation in the Practise of the Church then as indeed in reason it ought still succeeded after Baptisme for ought we read it being also probable that S. Paul as well as the rest of the Apostles was Confirmed miraculously and immediately from heaven and then this instance will be no barre to what was formerly asserted Yea but will some say supposing it belonged onely to the Apostles then Their persons are gone and their office ceased and so ought this Rite too Calvin Instit l. 4. cap 19. Sect. 10. or must be administred by Officers of another Rank Num Episcopi omnino sunt Apostoli are Bishors indeed Apostles 〈◊〉 Calvins Question upon the Case Here then Let me tell them that the Office of Apostles is not ceased nor was so to do with their Persons as appears by Christs promise Mat. Matth. 28.20 28.20 I am with you alway unto the end of the world Now this could not be meant of their Persons who in a few years were to leave the world it must needs therefore be understood of their Function which either must be succeeded to or else it was as temporary as their persons Indeed in the Apostles there was something extraordinary as immediate Mission unlimited Jurisdiction and miraculous Operations which were not necessary to be perpetuall Great helps 't is true for the first founding of the Church which being constituted and become able to subsist without them reasonable it was that they should cease as Manna did when Israel was come into the Land of Canaan But then the ordinary offices and powers of Apostles as Preaching Baptizing Confirming Consecrating Ordaining Governing which were necessary for the continuance of a Church at least the well being of it in these they ought to be and were succeeded or else there offices must faile or be executed by persons not impowred to them And then for Vnity's sake likewise fit it was that some rank of men should be the Common Receptacles of all these powers that so they might issue forth to others as far as the necessities of the Church should call for with more order and Peace and this sort of men were Bishops called at first Apostles as a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theodoret in Com. ad Ep. 1. ad Tim. Theodoret observes till afterwards in processe of time they left that name to the Prime Apostles and took that of Bishops as of a more humble import and which formerly had been common even unto Presbyters But then those now called Bishops were in the judgement of the Church the proper Successours of the Apostles so b Irenaeus advers Haeres lib. 3. c. 3. Irenaeus having told us before that Bishops were constituted by the Apostles in the Churches he add's after quos successores relinquebant suum ipsorum locum magisterii tradentes that they left them their successours delivering to them their own place of rule and guidance in the Church and so c Cyprian Ep. 69. ad Florentium Pupianū S. Cyprian ad Florentium Pupianum asserts that the Praepositi that is Bishops in his language Apostolis vicaria ordinatione succedunt they succeed the Apostles ordained as Vicars in there places upon which words Pamelius Notes that it was the third time he
a Divine Precept for the use of it or if no such were to be found yet as t Si Scripturae autoritas non subesset totius orbis in hanc partem consensus instar praecepti obtinâ—t Hieron contr Lucifarian S. Hierome contra Luciferianos speaks if we had no Scripture Authority for it the consent of the whole world this way ought to be obeyed as a Precept or as u Interim 〈◊〉 exempla Apostolorum Veteris Ecclesia vellem pluris aestimari imo deberent â—â—bis esse instar legis divina Zanch in 4. Prçcept Zanchy upon the like ceremony used in Ordination tells us the examples of the Apostles and the Ancient Church would be more esteemed then they are Yea saith he they should be lookt on by us as a Divine Law A good rule would the times and the temper of men now bear it And then as to the use of the Church afterwards x Cassander in Consult Cassander may assure you semper in Ecclesiâ religiosissimè observatam that Confirmation was ever religiously observed in the Church neither was this Ceremony questioned by any for almost fifteen hundred years except onely the y Theodoret. lib. 3. Haretic sab ad Cantic cap. 1. v. 2. Novatians in favour to the irregularity of their Vpstart Bishop as we may conceive who yet if they returned to the Church might not have Admission without it as appears by the seventh Canon of the Councel of Laodicea z Concil Laodic c. 7. And here I might give you in heaps of Councells and Fathers for the abetting of this practise but I shall content my self to point at some few First then for Councels you may take a Vid. Concil Eliber Can. 38.77 Arelatens 1 Can. 8. Arelatens 2 Can. 17. Laodic Can. 7.48 the Eliberitan the two Councels at Arles that of Laodicea the first contemporary to the first Councel of Nice the two next within twenty six and the fourth but sixty eight years after it All which speak punctually to this businesse as appears by their several Canons Secondly for Fathers take three or four in lieu of the rest So Tertullian tells us that b Tertull. de Resur Carnis Caro manus impositione adumbratur ut anima Spiritu illuminetur the flesh is overshadowed by the laying on of the hand that the soul may be enlightned by the Spirit And again c Tertull. de Baptismo Manus imponitur per benedictionem advocans invitans Spiritum the hand is laid on by way of benediction calling down and inviting the Spirit Adde to him S. Cyprian d Cyprian Epistola ad Iubajanum in his Epistle ad Jubajanum where having spoken of this passage of the Text he tells us quod nunc quoque apud nos geritur that the same is still practized in the Church and if you please to look on that place you will find a full conformity in every particular to the pattern here I might joyn to these S. Hierom e Non quidem abnuo hanc esse Ecclesiarum consuetudinem ut ad eos qoi longe in minoribus urbibus per Presbyteros Diaconos baptizati sunt Episcopus ad invocationem Sancti Spiritus manum impositurus excurrat Hieronym contra Lucifer and S. Augustine f Augustin lib. 3. de Baptism contra Donatistas c. 16. and indeed what not and if afterwards the instances of the later times were needfull I might also shew you the full consent of the g Vide Apolog. Waldens Waldenses the Seminary of the reformation and of their Partners h Vide tibi cui titulus Ratio Disciplinae ordinesque Ecclesiastici in Vnitate fratrum Bohemorum Vbi Forma Novitiâ—s recipien di Consule p. 46. edit Comeniâ—â—â—â— vid. notus Comenâ—â— in loc the Fratres Onitatis of Bohemia but I need not multiply more Authorities in a matter of Fact which I find few doubting of and therefore shall passe on from the Action in the next place to shew you 2. The method of proceeding to it implyed in the particle Then Then laid their hands c. And the method you see in this Church was this men were first brought to the Faith by the preaching of the word and then were they Baptized and then and not till then the Apostles proceed to the confirmation of them by prayer and laying on of hands It was fit the begetting word should go before the strengthening word the Sacrament of regeneration before the 〈◊〉 of Confirmation To give this last before the other were ordinarily to set a seal to a blank to desire strength where there was no life Take this for your rule it is good not to proceed in Gods Ordinances by leaps i Pachymer in Dionys Areop ad c. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3. Sect. 4. in Ecclesiastic Hierarch 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not to leap disorderly upon those Ordinances and Stations for which we are not sitted but to go from strength to strength in our appearances before God in Zion Psal 84.7 And then as Confirmation ought not to be Administred till Baptisme be presupposed so regularly neither ought the Sacrament of the Lords Supper to be given to those which have not been first confirmed as the former was the Practice here so the latter is the k Rubrick after Confirmation command of our Church and was ever the practise of the Primitive Hence the l Auctor imperfecti operis in Matth. Gratia corporis Christi illis solis danda est qui jam per baptismum facti sunt filii Dei per manus impositionem Homil. 17. Authour of the imperfect work on Matthew going under S. Chrysostomes name tells us that the grace of Christs body is to be given to them only which are already become the Sons of God by Baptisme and Imposition of hands and so Albaspinaeus m Confirmatio namque extremam quasi manum perfectionis addere videbatur fastigium imponere qua quis Christiani nomine Eucharistiae sumptione dignus putaretur Albaspin in Concil Eliberen cap. 7. vir antiquorum Ecclesiae rituum scientissimus as Bishop Vsher justly stiles him a most knowing man in the Ancient rites of the Church averres that Confirmation seemed to give the last stroke to and to lay on the roof of that perfection by which a person was accounted worthy of the name of a Christian and the participation of the Eucharist And so in Dionysius Arâ—opagita we find that after Confirmation the Bishop declared the party to be one meet for the receiving of the n 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dionys Aerop Eccles Hierarch c. 2. Sect. 7. Holy Communion having saith he sealed or annealed the man with the Divine ointment he declares him henceforth to be one that hath a right to the holy and most perfecting communion of the Lords Supper Nor let any repine at this suspence you shall ever find that the Ordinances of God
had so said And so d Hieron Ep. ad Marcellam adversus Montanum S. Hierome surely no flatterer of that Order in his Epistle ad Marcellam adversus Montanum sayes apud nos Apostolorum locum Episcopi tenent with us the Bishops hold the place of Apostles And e Hieronym in Psal ubi not numeramus 45 again upon Mal. 45. as we number it vers 16. where we read in stead of thy Fathers shall be thy children S. Hierome paraphraseth it pro patribus Apostolis filii Episcopi ut Episcopi Apostolis tanquam filii Patribus succedant instead of Apostles as Fathers thou shalt have Bishops as sons who may succeed the Apostles as sons do their Fathers I might adde the praegnant testimony of f Clarus à Mascula dixit Manifesta est sententia Domini nostri Iesu Christi Apostolos mittentis ipsis solis potestatem à patre sibi datā permittentis quibus nos successimus eâdem potestate Ecclesiam Domini gubernantes Aug. lib. 7. de Baptism contra Donatistas c. 43. Clarus à Mascula recited by S. Augustine lib. Sept. de Baptismo contra Donatistas and tell you farther how Basil the Great calls Episcopacy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the praefecture or praecedency which the Apostles had from God and these are fair witnesses in whose judgement you see there are Apostles still and who they are which by the Verdict of the Church may claime that title and so Calving num Episcopi sunt omnino Apostoli is answered But he hath another g Calvin Instit lib. 4. c. 19. Sect. 10. An soli sint Apostoli if they be such are they the onely such may these and these onely lay on hands that will not go down neither To this I answer first in General that as to a full Apostolick power in the sense before mentioned and the primary derivation of it they and they onely are such 2ly as to this ordinance in particular as we find no other Stewards of it in Scripture besides the Apostles as we have shewed so if we look upon the after practices of the Church h Cyprian Ep. ad jubaianum S. Cyprian relating to the passage in the Text tells us quod nunc quoque apud nos geritur we have the same custome ut qui in Ecclesia Baptizantur Praepositis Ecclesiae offerantur that those which are Baptized be presented to the Bishops of the Church that by our prayer and the laying on of hands they may obtain the holy Ghost as he goes on in his Epistle ad Jubajanum forementioned and so i Augustin de Trin. lib. 15. c. 26. S. Augustine lib. 15. de Trinitate Quem morem in suis praepositis etiam nunc servat Ecclesia which custome the Church observes by her Bishops at this time And from hence doth k Chrys in loc S. Chrysostome draw the same practice in his Comment on the Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hence we see the principall and chief of the Church and no other performing this work I shall close up this with that saying of l Hieronymus contra Luciferianos S. Hierome quod si hoc loco quaeris quare in Ecclesia baptizatus nisi per manus Episcopi non accipiat spiritum Sanctum quem nos asserimus in vero Baptismate tribui If thou shalt aske why in the Church the Baptized receiveth not the holy Ghost but by the hands of the Bishop though we averre the same spirit is received in Baptisme rightly administred to this he answers Disce hanc observationem ex eâ Authoritate descendere quod post ascensum Domini Spiritus Sanctus ad Apostolos descendit Know saith he that this practice takes its rise from that Authority where it is said that after the Ascension of our Lord the holy Spirit descended upon the Apostles implying the Bishops to be their Successours and that to them and not others it belongs to derive this gift in confirmation and in this channel both Fathers and Councels generally run no laying on of the hands of the Presbytery in this businesse at least not in any proper right of their own As for those 2. instances commonly brought to the contrary first of the Presbyters in Egypt which Hilarius Sardus relates for he is the Authour and not S. Ambrose and that of no great credit neither if S. Hierome may be believed secondly of those Priests in Sardinia in Gregory the great 's time which Calvin also presseth for brevity's sake I shall not acquaint you with my own conceptions but refer you rather to what hath been lately spoken by that Blessed man m Dr. Hammond 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in opere posthumo de Confirmatione Dr. Hammond in his Posthumous piece upon confirmation as also by that very learned Prelate whose name in this place for modesty I spare in his Elegant and Accurate Epistle n Epistola preliminari ad lectorem before the said work from whom you may receive abundant satisfaction and what would the Vintage of Abiezer be unto the Gleanings of Ephraim By what hath been spoken you see the judgement of the Church in this Question and so an answer to Calvin's other An soli Episcopi sunt Apostoli And indeed great reason there was for this reserve to this Function First For the honour of Episcopacy and thereby the Unity of the Church ad honorem Sacerdotii that's S. Hierome's reason contra Luciferianos for the honour of this sacred Function Why of what import is that Let him tell you as mean as some think of it Ecclesiae salus saith he in summi sacerdotis dignitate pendet The safety of the Church dependeth upon the dignity of her chief superiours to whom as he addeth o Hierom contra Luciferian cui si non exors quaedam ab omnibus Eminens detur potestas tot in Ecclesiis efficientur Schismata quot Sacerdotes if some eminent offices of power above others were not given there would be in the Church as many Schismes as Priests I wish our late times had not made too sufficient a comment on those last words and of this by the way it is that Venerable p Vid eruditissimum Hammondum de Confirmatione p. 53. Bede speaks when he tells us that this was not granted to every Priest propter arrogantiam not out of the pride of Bishops as some falsly glosse him but to prevent the Ambition of Priests who would be apt to grow insolent if they had all offices in common with their superiours Second reason was from their relation to the Church as they were the Primary if not onely proper Pastours of those Churches unto which they related as we find them every where stiled with a kind of appropriation among the Ancients and it is observed that simply Pastores or Pastores Ecclesiae none are called besides them selves for the first six
their religion and with a sincere heart after this followed the parties profession of the whole Jewish religion and of his assent to it in every part and this was done before the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the Triumviri which were to take that profession which if they judged sincere the Party was admitted by Circumcision Baptisme and Sacrifice at least by the two latter into the rank and priviledges of an Israelite If any had slipt in without this examination or there were grounds to presume that he had but dissembled in it though the Rites of his Initiation were not repeated no more then Baptisme among Christians z Seldenus ubi supra yet was he not publickly admitted till by the sentence of the Sanhedrim it appeared that freely and out of love he had given up himself to their Religion that willingly he embraced it Thus you see the care of the Synagogue in this particular which was after Copied out Second By the Christian Church If we look upon the Scripture to omit other places of a like import take but that of S. Peter 1 Pet. 3.21 where Baptisme is called The answer of a good conscience towards God the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying as all Learned men doe agree metonymically or by Synecdoche the answer or rather the a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nazianz Orat. in Sanctum Baptisma Grot. Annot. Stipulation consisting of the Interrogatories of Baptisme and the answer returned by him that is Baptized undertaking to believe and live like a Christian as Grotius fully shews in his Annotations And then answerable unto these Patterns was the practice of the Primitive Church afterwards as appears by their care about the Catechumeni These had a b Qui Doctor Audientium dicitur Cypr. Epist 24. Catechist allowed them for their instruction besides the assistance of that c Vid. Dionys Areopag Ecclesiastiae Hierarchiae cap. 2. Sect. 2. cap. 7 8 11. Christian friend which was to bring them to the Bishop Neither came they to Baptisme nisi de rebus Fidei plane instructi till they were instructed in all matters of Faith the mysteries of the Lords Supper onely excepted nor were they Baptized nisi postquam ea omnia se credere jurassent till they had sworn their belief of them saith Albaspinae us d Vide Albaspinaeum in Tertull. de Paenitentia fol. 289. and as to their purpose of living they solemnly swore to forsake sin so the same Authour After this followed their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their solemn abrenuntiations of the Devil and his Pomps which were e Dionys Areop de Ecclesiastica Hierarchiae cap. 2. Sect. 6 7. thrice pronounced with their Faces towards the West and then their no lesse solemn professions of their Faith thrice made towards the East which professions were entred into a f Dionys Areop de Ecclesiastic Hierarch cap. Sect. 5. Register and Subscribed Unto which were added in divers Churches severall Scrutinies and so in the fourth g Concil Carthag 4. Can. 85. Councill of Carthage Can. 85. we read of a crebra Examinatio an often Examination which was to go before Baptisme which Scrutinies were about h Albinus de divinis offic Cap. de Sabbato Sancto Paschae their Faith and Manners and purpose of holy living and these held publickly in Conspectu totius Ecclesiae in the sight of the whole Church as appears by S. Augustine lib. 2. de Symbol ad Catechumenos In brief Fidem Christianam Christianumque vivendi genus mores sese amplexos persequuturosque jurabant antequam baptizarentur so i Albaspinaeus ubi supra Vide Iustin Martyr in Apologia ad Antoninum sub fine Albaspinaeus They sware that they embraced and would stick to the Christian Faith would live and behave themselves as Christians and all this before they were baptized So great 〈◊〉 care was taken by the Church then for the securing that profession we plead for in those which were of age But now our case being usually such that our Children are Baptized when they are Infants it hath been the wisdome of our Church to provide 1. k Order of Confirmation That their Confirmation be deferred till they come to years of discretion and 2. That then having learned what was promised in their behalf by their Sureties they may with their own mouth and their own consent before the Church ratifie and confirm the same and also promise that by the Grace of God they will evermore endeavour themselves faithfully to observe and keep such things as they by their own mouth and confession have assented to And this is as much if duely performed as any in reason can demand for a Church-assurance that men may be look't upon as Believers But that was not the onely qualification of these Samaritanes they were 2. Baptized and what ever Wickliffe in l Vide Bellar. de confirmatione cap. 12. Bellarmine is said to have affirmed rigtly too by S. Philip Legitimum Ecclesiasticum Baptismum consequuti fuerunt saith S. m Cyprian Iubaianum Cyprian they had received lawfull Church-baptisme and yet the Apostles which best understood the Orders and wants of the Church lay hands on them quod deerat a Petro Johanne factum est saith the same Father what was wanting was supplyed by Peter and John wanting to what not to their Baptisme sure that was granted before but to the Baptized being capable of this Ordinance something was And if any shall ask the Question we meet with in n Euseb Emissenus sive Eucherius Lugdunens Homil. in Pentecost Eusebius Emissenus or Eucherius Lugdunensis as some will have it in his Homily upon Pentecost Quid mihi prodest post mysterium Baptismatis ministerium Confirmantis what profit shall I receive by the ministry of Confirmation having received the mystery of Baptisme St. Cyprian will tell him the id quod deerat what was wanting to these namely ut oratione pro iis habitâ manu imposita c. That by prayer made for them and laying on of hands upon them the Apostles might invoke and poure on them the Holy Ghost and from thence we may gather That Baptized persons may have yet further need of Confirmation for the ministry of the Holy Ghost unto them In the former verse we read that the Holy Ghost had not fallen on any of them there was need of a further Ordinance for that which being performed we presently find in the Text that they received him which brings me to the Fift and last Particular the Effect or Consequent of this laying on of the Apostles hands in those words And they received the Holy Ghost True say some we believe and acknowledge that the Ceremony was then very allowable while the Holy Ghost was to be communicated as here to these Samaritans which was in a miraculous manner to enable them to speak with Tongues to Prophesie and the like but alas