ΧΡΙΣΙΣ ΤΕΛΕΙâ—ΤΙΚΗ A DISCOURSE OF Confirmation For the use of the Clergy and Instruction of the People of Ireland By Jeremy Lord Bishop of Down Publish'd by Order of Convocation AND Dedicated to His Grace James Duke Marquess and Earl of Ormonde c. Lord Lieutenant General and General Governour of His Majesties Kingdom of Ireland DUBLIN Printed by John Crooke Printer to the Kings Most Excellent Majesty and are to be sold by Samuel Dancer next door to the Beare and Ragged-staffe in Castle-street 1663. To His Grace James Duke Marquess and Earl of Ormonde Earl of Ossory and Brecknock Viscount Thurles Lord Baron of Arclo and Lanthony Lord of the Regalities and Liberties of the County of Tipperary Chancellor of the University of Dublin Lord Lieutenant General and General Governour of His Majesties Kingdom of Ireland Lord Lieutenant of the County of Sommerset one of the Lords of His Majesties most Honourable Privy-Councils of His Majesties Kingdoms of England Scotland and Ireland Lord Steward of His Majesties Houshold Gentleman of His Majesties Bed-Chamber and Knight of the most Noble Order of the Garter May it please Your Grace IT is not any Confidence that I have Dexterously performed this charge that gives me the boldness to present it to Your Grace I have done it as well as 〈◊〉 For I took not this task upon my self but was entreated to it by them who have power to Command me But yet it is very necessary that it should be addressed to Your Grace who are as Sozomen said of Theodosius Certaminum Magister orationum Judex constitutus You are appointed the great Master of our arguings and are most fit to be the Judge of our Discourses especially when they do relate and pretend to publick Influence and Advantages to the Church We all are Witnesses of Your Zeal to promote true Religion and every day find You to be a Great Patron to this very poor Church which groans under the Calamities and permanent effects of a War acted by Intervals for above 400. years such which the Intermedial Sun-shines of Peace could but very weakly repair our Churches are still demolished much of the Revenues irrecoverably swallowed by Sacriledge and digested by an unavoidable impunity Religion infinitely divided and parted into formidable Sects the People extreamly ignorant and wilful by inheritance superstitiously irreligious and uncapable of reproof and amidst these and very many more inconveniences it was greatly necessary that God should send us such a KING and he send us such a Viceroy who wedds the Interests of Religion and joynes them to his heart For we do not look upon your Grace only as a favourer of the Churches Temporal interest though even for that the Souls of the relieved Clergy do daily bless you neither are You our Patron only as the Cretans were to Homer or the Alenadae to Simonides Philip to Theopompus or Severus to Oppianus but as Constantine and Theodosius were to Christians that is desirous that true Religion should be promoted that the interest of Souls should be advanced that Truth should flourish and wise Principles 〈…〉 In order to which excellent purposes it is hoped that the reduction of the Holy Rite of Confirmation into use and Holy practice may contribute some very great moments For besides that the great usefulness of this Ministry will greatly endear the Episcopal order to which that I may use S. Hierom's words if there be not attributed a more than common Power and Authority there will be as many Schisms as Priests it will also be a means of endearing the Persons of the Prelates to their Flocks when the People shall be convinced that there is or may be if they please a perpetual entercourse of Blessings and Love between them when God by their Holy hands refuses not to give to the People the earnest of an eternal inheritance when by them he blesses and that the grace of our Lord Jesus and the Love of God and the Communication of his Spirit is conveyed to all Persons capable of the grace by the Conduct and on the hands and prayers of their Bishops And indeed not only very many single Persons but even the whole Church of Ireland hath need of Confirmation We have most of us contended for false Religions and un-Christian propositions and now that by Gods mercy and the prosperity and piety of his Sacred Majesty the Church is broken from her cloud and many are reduc'd to the true Religion and righteous worship of God we cannot but call to mind how the Holy Fathers of the Primitive Church often have declar'd themselves in Councils and by a perpetual Discipline that such Persons who are return'd from Sects and Heresies into the Bosom of the Church should not be rebaptiz'd but that the Bishops should impose hands on them in Confirmation It is true that this was design'd to supply the defect of those Schismatical Conventicles who did not use this Holy rite For this Rite of Confirmation hath had the fate to be oppos'd only by the Schismatical and Puritan Parties of old the Novatians or Cathari and the Donatists and of late by the Jesuits and new Cathari the Puritans and Presbyterians the same evil spirit of contradictions keeping its course in the same channel and descending regularly amongst Men of the same principles But therefore in the restitution of a Man or company of Men or a Church the Holy Primitives in the Council of C. P. Laodicea and Orange thought that to confirm such persons was the most agreeable Discipline not only because such persons did not in their little and dark assemblies use this rite but because they alwayes greatly wanted it For it is a sure Rule in our Religion and is of an eternal truth that they who keep not the Unity of the Church have not the Spirit of God and therefore it is most fit should receive the ministery of the spirit when they return to the bosom of the Church that so indeed they may keep the Unity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace And therefore Asterius Bishop of Amasia compares Confirmation to the ring with which the Father of the Prodigal adorn'd his returning Son Datur nempe prodigo post stolam annulus nempe Symbolum intelligibilis signaculi spiritus And as the Spirit of God the Holy Dove extended his mighty wings over the Creation and hatch'd the new-born World from its seminal powers to Light and Operation and Life and Motion so in the Regeneration of the souls of Men he gives a new being and heat and life Procedure and Perfection Wisdom and Strength and because that this was ministred by the Bishops hands in Confirmation was so firmly believ'd by all the Primitive Church therefore it became a Law and an Vniversal practice in all those ages in which Men desir'd to be sav'd by all means The Latin Church and the Greek alwayes did use it and the Blessings of it which they believ'd consequent to it they expressed
in a holy prayer which in the Greek Euchologion they have very anciently and constantly used Thou O Lord the most compassionate and Great King of all graciously impart to this Person the seal of the gift of thy Holy Almighty and adorable spirit For as an Ancient Greek said truly and wisely The Father is reconcil'd and the Son is the Reconciler but to them who are by Baptism and Repentance made friends of God the Holy Spirit is collated as a gift They well knew what they received in this ministration and therefore wisely laid hold of it and would not let it go This was anciently ministred by Apostles and ever after by the Bishops and Religiously receiv'd by Kings and greatest Princes and I have read that St. Sylvester confirm'd Constantine the Emperour and when they made their children servants of the Holy Jesus and Souldiers under his banner and bonds-men of his Institution then they sent them to the Bishop to be confirm'd who did it sometimes by such Ceremonies that the solemnity of the ministry might with greatest Religion addict them to the service of their Great Lord. We read in Adrovaldus that Charles Martel entring into a League with Bishop Luitprandus sent his Son Pipin to him ut more Christianorum fidelium capillum ejus primus attonderet ac Pater illi Spiritualis existeret that he might after the manner of Christians first cut his hair in token of service to Christ and in confirming him he should be his spiritual Father And something like this we find concerning William Earl of Warren and Surrey who when he had Dedicated the Church of St. Pancratius and the Priorie of Lewes receiv'd Confirmation and gave seizure per capillos capitis mei sayes he in the Charter fratris mei Radulphi de Warrena quas abscidit cum cultello de capitibus nostris Henricus Episcopus Wintoniensis by the hairs of my head and of my Brothers which Henry Bishop of Winchester cut off before the Altar meaning according to the Ancient custome in confirmation when they by that solemnity addicted themselves to the free servitude of the Lord Jesus The ceremony is obsolete and chang'd but the mystery can never and indeed that is one of the advantages in which we can rejoyce concerning the ministration of this Rite in the Church of England and Ireland that whereas it was sometimes clouded sometimes hindred and sometimes hurt by the appendage of needless and useless ceremonies it is now reduc'd to the Primitive and first simplicity amongst us and the excrescencies us'd in the Church of Rome are wholly par'd away and by holy Prayers and the Apostolical Ceremonie of imposition of the Bishops hands it is worthily and zealously administred The Latins us'd to send Chrism to the Greeks when they had usurped some jurisdiction over them and the Popes Chaplains went with a quantity of it to C. P. where the Russians usually met them for it for that was then the ceremony of this ministration But when the Latins demanded fourscore pounds of Gold besides other gifts they went away and chang'd their custom rather than pay an unlawful and ungodly Tribute Non quaerimus vestra sed vos we require nothing but leave to impart Gods blessings with pure Intentions and a spiritual ministery And as the Bishops of our Churches receive nothing from the People for the Ministration of this Rite so they desire nothing but Love and just Obedience in spiritual and Ecclesiastical duties and we offer our Flocks spiritual things without mixture of Temporal advantages from them we minister the rituals of the Gospel without the inventions of Men Riligion without superstition and only desire to be believ'd in such things which we prove from Scripture expounded by the Catholick practice of the Church of God Concerning the Subject of this Discourse the Rite of Confirmation It were easie to recount many great and glorious expressions which we find in the Sermons of the Holy Fathers of the Primitive Ages so certain it is that in this thing we ought to be zealous as being desirous to perswade our People to give us leave to do them great good But the following Pages will do it I hope competently only we shall remark that when they had gotten a custom anciently that in cases of necessity they did permit Deacons and Lay-men sometimes to baptize yet they never did confide in it much but with much caution and curiosity commanded that such Persons should when that necessity was over be carried to the Bishop to be confirm'd so to supply all precedent defects relating to the past imperfect ministry and future necessity and danger as appears in the Council of Eliberis And the Ancients had so great estimate and veneration to this Holy rite that as in Heraldry they distinguish the same thing by several names when they relate to Persons of greater Eminency and they blazon the Armes of the Gentry by Metals of the Nobtlity by pretious stones but of Kings and Princes by Planets so when they would signifie the Vnction which was us'd in confirmation they gave it a special word and of more distinction remark and therefore the oyl us'd in baptism they call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but that of confirmation was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and they who spake properly kept this difference of words untill by incaution and ignorant carelessness the names fell into confusion and the thing into disuse and dis-respect But it is no small addition to the Honour of this ministration that some wise and good men have piously believed that when baptiz'd Christians are confirm'd and solemnly bless'd by the Bishop that then it is that a special Angel Guardian is appointed to keep their souls from the assaults of the spirits of darkness Concerning which though I shall not interpose mine own opinion yet this I say that the Prety of that supposition is not disagreeable to the intention of this Rite for since by this the Holy Spirit of God the Father of Spirits is given it is not unreasonably thought by them that the other good Spirits of God the Angels who are ministring spirits sent forth to minister to the good of them that shall be Heirs of Salvation should pay their kind offices in subordination to their Prince and fountain that the first in every kind might be the measure of all the rest But there are greater and stranger things than this that God does for the souls of his Servants and for the honour of the ministeries which himself hath appointed We shall only add that this was ancient and long before Popery entred into the World and that this rite hath been more abus'd by Popery than by any thing and to this Day the Bigots of the Roman Church are the greatest Enemies to it and from them the Presbyterians but besides that the Church of England and Ireland does religiously retain it and hath appointed a solemn officer for the Ministery the Lutheran and
Baptisma est nativitas unguentum vero est nobis actionis instar motus said Cabasilas In Baptism we are intitled to the inheritance but because we are in our infancy and minority the Father gives unto his Sons a Tutor a Guardian and a Teacher in Confirmation said Rupertus that as we are baptized into the death and resurrection of Christ So in Confirmation we may be renewed in the inner man and strengthned in all our Holy vows and purposes by the Holy Ghost ministred according to Gods ordinance The Holy Rite of Confirmation is a Divine ordinance and it produces Divine effects and is ministred by Divine persons that is by those whom God hath sanctified and separated to this ministration At first all that were baptiz'd were also confirm'd and ever since all good people that have understood it have been very zealous for it and time was in England even since the first beginnings of the reformation when Confirmation had been less carefully ministred for about six years when the people had their first opportunities of it restor'd they ran to it in so great numbers that Churches and Church-yards would not hold them insomuch that I have read that the Bishop of Chester was forc'd to impose hands on the people in the Fields and was so oppressed with multitudes that he had almost been trod to death by the people and had dyed with the throng if he had not been rescued by the Civil power But Men have too much neglected all the ministeries of grace and this most especially and have not given themselves to a right understanding of it and so neglected it yet more But because the prejudice which these parts of the Christian Church have suffered for want of it is very great as will appear by enumeration of the many and great blessings consequent to it I am not without hope that it may be a service acceptable to God and an useful ministery to the souls of my charges if by instructing them that know not and exhorting them that know I set forward the practise of this Holy rite and give reasons why the people ought to love it and to desire it and how they are to understand and practise it and consequently with what duteous affections they are to relate to those persons whom God hath in so special and signal manner made to be for their good and eternal benefit the Ministers of the Spirit and salvation S. Bernard in the life S. Malachias my Predecessor in the See of Downe and Connor reports that it was the care of that good Prelate to renew the rite of Confirmation in his Diocess where it had been long neglected and gone into desuetude It being too much our case in Ireland I find the same necessity and am oblig'd to the same procedure for the same reason and in pursuance of so excellent an example Hoc enim est Evangelizare Christum said S. Austin non tantùm docere quae suut dicenda de Christo sed etiam quae observanda ei qui accedit ad compagem corporis Christi For this is to preach the Gospel not only to teach those things which are to be said of Christ but those also which are to be observed by every one who desires to be confederated into the Society of the body of Christ which is his Church that is not only the doctrines of good life but the mysteries of godliness and the Rituals of Religion which issue from a Divine fountain are to be declar'd by him who would fully preach the Gospel In order to which performance I shall declare 1. The Divine Original Warranty and Institution of the Holy Rite of Confirmation 2. That this Rite was to be perpetual and never ceasing ministration 3. That it was actually continued and practis'd by all the succeeding Ages of the purest and Primitive Churches 4. That this Rite was appropriate to the Ministry of Bishops 5. That prayer and imposition of the Bishops hands did make the whole Ritual and though other things were added yet they were not necessary or any thing of the institution 6. That many great Graces and blessings were consequent to the worthy reception and due ministration of it 7. I shall add something of the manner of praeparation to it and reception of it SECT I. Of the Divine Original warranty and institution of the Holy Rite of Confirmation IN the Church of Rome they have determin'd Confirmation to be a Sacrament proprii nominis properly and really and yet their Doctors have some of them at least been paulò iniquiores a little unequal and unjust to their proposition in so much that from themselves we have had the greatest opposition in this article Bonacina and Henriquez allow the proposition but make the Sacrament to be so unnecessary that a little excuse may justifie the omission and almost neglect of it And Loemelius and Daniel à Jesu and generally the English Jesuits have to serve some ends of their own family and order disputed it almost into contempt that by representing it as unnecessary they might do all the ministeries Ecclesiastical in England without the assistance of Bishops their Superiours whom they therefore love not because they are so But the Theological faculty of Paris have condemn'd their doctrine as temerarious and savouring of Heresie and in the later Schools have approov'd rather the Doctrine of Gamachaeus Estius Kellison and Bellarmine who indeed doe follow the Doctrine of the most eminent persons in the Ancient School Richard of Armagh Scotus Hugo Cavalli and Gerson the Learned Chancellor of Paris who following the Old Roman order Amalarius and Albinus doe all teach Confirmation to be of great and pious use of Divine original and to many purposes necessary according to the Doctrine of the Scriptures and the primitive Church Whether Confirmation be a Sacrament or no is of no use to dispute and if it be disputed it can never be proov'd to be so as Baptism and the Lords Supper that is as generally necessary to Salvation but though it be no Sacrament it cannot follow that it is not of very great use and holiness and as a Man is never the less tyed to Repentance though it be no Sacrament so neither is he ever the less oblig'd to receive Confirmation though it be as it ought acknowledg'd to be of an use and Nature inferiour to the two Sacraments of Divine direct and immediate institution It is certain that the Fathers in a large Symbolical and general sense call it a Sacrament but mean not the same thing by that word when they apply it to Confirmation as they doe when they apply it to Baptism and the Lords Supper That it is an Excellent and Divine ordinance to purposes spiritual that it comes from God and ministers in our way to God that is all we are concern'd to inquire after and this I shall endeavour to prove not only against the Jesuits but against all opponents
of what side soever My first argument from Scripture is what I learn from Optatus and S. Cyril Optatus writing against the Donatists hath these words Christ descended into the water not that in him who is God was any thing that could be made cleaner but that the water was to precede the future Vnction for the initiating and ordaining and fulfilling the mysteries of Baptism He was wash'd when he was in the hands of John then followed the order of the mystery and the Father finish'd what the Son did ask and what the Holy Ghost declar'd The Heavens were open'd God the Father anointed him the spiritual Vnction presently descended in the likeness of a Dove and sate upon his head and was spread all over him and he was called the Christ when he was the anointed of the Father To whom also least imposition of hands should seem to be wanting the voice of God was heard from the could saying This is my Son in whom I am well pleased hear ye him That which Optatus sayes is this that upon and in Christs person Baptism Confirmation and Ordination were consecrated and first appointed He was baptized by S. John he was confirm'd by the Holy Spirit and anointed with spiritual Unction in order to that great work of obedience to his Fathers will and he was Consecrated by the voice of God from Heaven In all things Christ is the head and the first fruits and in these things was the Fountain of the Sacraments and spiritual grace and the great exemplar of the Oeconomy of the Church For Christ was nullius poenitentiae debitor Baptism of Repentance was not necessary to him who never sinn'd but so it became him to fulfil all righteousness and to be a pattern to us all But we have need of these things though he had not and in the same way in which Salvation was wrought by him for himself and for us all in the same way he intended we should walk He was baptized because his Father appointed it so we must be baptized because Christ hath appointed it and we have need of it too He was Consecrated to be the great Prophet and the great Priest because no man takes on him this honour but he that was called of God as was Aaron and all they who are to minister in his prophetical office under him must be consecrated and solemnly set apart for that ministration and after his glorious example He was anointed with a spiritual Unction from above after his baptisme for after Jesus was baptized he ascended up from the waters and then the Holy Ghost descended upon him it is true he receiv'd the fulness of the spirit but we receive him by measure but of his fulness we all receive grace for grace that is all that he receiv'd in order to his great work all that in kind one for another grace for grace we are to receive according to our measures and our necessities And as all these he receiv'd by external ministrations so must we God the Father appointed his way and he by his example first hath appointed the same to us that we also may follow him in the regeneration and work out our salvation by the same graces in the like solemnities For if he needed them for himself then we need them much more If he did not need them for himself he needed them for us and for our example that we might follow his steps who by receiving these exteriour solemnities and inward graces became the Author and finisher of our Salvation and the great example of his Church I shall not need to make use of the fancy of the Murcosians and Colabarsians who turning all mysteries into numbers reckoned the numeral letters of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and made them co-incident to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but they intended to say that Christ receiving the Holy Dove after his Baptism became all in all to us the beginning and the perfection of our Salvation here he was confirm'd and receiv'd the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the consummation to his initiation the completion of his baptism and of his headship in the Gospel But that which I shall rather and is what S. Cyril from hence argues When he truly was baptized in the River of Jordan he ascended out of the waters and the Holy Ghost substantially descended upon him like resting upon like And to you also in like manner after ye have ascended from the waters of baptisme the Vnction is given which bears the image or similitude of him by whom Christ was anointed that as Christ after baptism and the coming of the Holy Spirit upon him went forth to battle in the Wilderness and overcame the adversary so ye also after holy baptism and the mystical Vnction or confirmation being vested with the Armour of the holy Spirit are enabled to stand against the opposite powers Here then is the first great ground of our solemne receiving the Holy spirit or the Unction from above after Baptism which we understand and represent by the word Confirmation denoting the principle effect of this Unction spiritual strength Christ who is the head of the Church entred this way upon his duty and work and he who was the first of all the Church the head and great example is the measure of all the rest for we can go to Heaven no way but in that way in which he went before us There are some who from this story would infer the descent of the Holy Ghost after Christs Baptism not to signifie that Confirmation was to be a distinct rite from baptism but a part of it yet such a part as gives fulness and consummation to it S. Hierom Chrysostom Euthymius and Theophylact go not so far but would have us by this to understand that the Holy Ghost is given to them that are baptized But reason and the context are both against it 1. Because the Holy Ghost was not given by Johns baptism that was reserv'd to be one of Christ's glories who also when by his Disciples he baptiz'd many did not give them the Holy Ghost and when he commanded his Apostles to baptize all Nations did not at that time so much as promise the Holy Ghost he was promis'd distinctly and given by another ministration 2. The descent of the Holy Spirit was a distinct ministery from the baptism it was not only after Jesus ascended from the waters of baptism but there was something intervening and by a new office or ministration For there was prayer joyn'd in the ministery So S. Iuke observes while Jesus was praying the Heavens were open'd and the Holy spirit descended for so Jesus was pleas'd to consign the whole office and ritual of Confirmation prayer for invocating the Holy Spirit and giving him by personal application which as the Father did immediately so the Bishops doe by imposition of hands 3. S. Austin observes that the apparition
of the Holy Spirit like a Dove was the visible or ritual part and the voice of God was the word to make it to be Sacramental accedit verbum ad elementum fit Sacramentum for so the ministration was not only perform'd on Christ but consign'd to the Church by similitude and exemplar institution I shall only add that the force of this argument is established to us by more of the Fathers S. Hilary upon this place hath these words The Fathers voice was heard that from those things which were consummated in Christ we might know that after the baptism of water the Holy Spirit from the gates of Heaven flies unto us and that we are to be anointed with the Vnction of a coelestial glory and be made the Sons of God by the adoption of the voice of God the Truth by the very effects of things prefigur'd unto us the similitude of a Sacrament So S. Chrysostom In the beginnings alwayes appears the sensible visions of spiritual things for their sakes who cannot receive the understanding of an incorporeal nature that if afterwards they be not so done that is after the same visible manner they may be believ'd by those things which were already done But more plain is that of Theophylact The Lord had not need of the descent of the Holy Spirit but he did all things for our sakes and himself is become the first fruits of all things which we afterwards were to receive that he might become the first fruits among many Brethren The consequent is this which I express in the words of S. Austin affirming Christi in baptismucolombam unctionem nostram praefigurâsse The Dove in Christ's Baptism did represent and prefigure our Unction from above that is the descent of the Holy Ghost upon us in the rite of Confirmation Christ was baptized and so must we But after Baptism he had a new ministration for the reception of the Holy Ghost and because this was done for our sakes we also must follow that example and this being done immediately before his entrance into the Wilderness to be tempted of the Devil it plainly describes to us the order of this ministry and the blessing design'd to us after we are baptiz'd we need to be strengthned and confirm'd propter pugnam spiritualem we are to fight against the flesh the World and the Devil and therefore must receive the ministration of the Holy spirit of God which is the design and proper work of Confirmation For they are the words of the Excellent Author of the imperfect work upon S. Matthew imputed to S. Chrysostom The Baptism of Water profits us because it washes away the sins we have formerly committed if we repent of them But it does not sanctifie the soul nor precedes the concupiscences of the heart and our evil thoughts nor drives them back nor represses our carnal desires But he therefore who is only so baptized that he does not also receive the Holy Spirit is baptized in his body and his sins are pardon'd but in his mind he is yet but a Catechumen for so it is written he that hath not the Spirit of Christ is none of his and therefore afterward out of his flesh will germinate worse sins because he hath not receiv'd the Holy Spirit conserving him in his baptismal grace but the house of his body is empty wherefore that wicked spirit finding it swept with the Doctrines of Faith as with besomes enters in and in a seaven fold manner dwells there Which words besides that they will explicate this mystery do also declare the necessity of Confirmation or receiving the Holy Ghost after baptism in imitation of the Divine precedent of our Blessed Saviour 2. After the example of Christ my next Argument is from his words spoken to Nicodemus in explication of the prime mysteries Evangelical Vnless a man be born of Water and of the Holy Spirit he shall not enter into the Kingdom of God These words are the great Argument which the Church uses for the indispensable necessity of Baptism and having in them so great effort and not being rightly understood have suffered many Convulsions shall I call them or Interpretations Some serve their own Hypothesis by saying that Water is the Symbol and the Spirit is the Baptismal Grace Others that it is a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one is onely meant though here be two Signatures But others conclude that water is onely necessary but the Spirit is super-added as being afterwards to supervene and move upon these Waters And others yet affirm that by Water is onely meant a Spiritual ablution or the effect produced by the Spirit and still they have intangled the words so that they have been made useless to the Christian Church and the meaning too many things makes nothing to be understood But truth is easie intelligible and clear and without objection and is plainly this Unless a man be Baptized into Christ and confirmed by the Spirit of Christ he cannot enter into the Kingdom of Christ that is he is not perfectly adopted into the Christian Religion or fitted for the Christian Warfare and if this plain and natural sense be admitted the place is not onely easie and intelligible but consonant to the whole Design of Christ and Analogy of the New Testament For first Our blessed Saviour was Catechising of Nicodemus and teaching him the first Rudiments of the Gospel and like a wise Master-builder first layes the foundation The Doctrine of Baptism and laying on of Hands which afterwards St. Paul put into the Christian Catechism as I shall shew in the sequel Now these also are the first principles of the Christian Religion taught by Christ himself and things which at least to the Doctors might have been so well known that our blessed Saviour upbraids the not knowing them as a shame to Nicodemus St. Chrysostom and Theophylact Euthymius and Rupertus affirm that this Generation by Water and the Holy Spirit might have been understood by the Old Testament in which Nicodemus was so well skilled Certain it is the Doctrine of Baptismes was well enough known to the Jews and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the illumination and irradiations of the Spirit of God was not new to them who believed the Visions and Dreams the Daughter of a Voice and the influences from Heaven upon the Sons of the Prophets and therefore although Christ intended to teach him more than what he had distinct notice of yet the things themselves had foundation in the Law and the Prophets but although they were high mysteries and scarce discerned by them who either were ignorant or incurious of such things yet to the Christians they were the very Rudiments of their Religion and are best expounded by observation of what St. Paul placed in the very foundation But 2. Baptism is the first mystery that is certain but that this of being born of the Spirit is also the next is plain in the very
of God viz. He then is to be confirmed S. Dionys commonly called the Areopagite in his excellent book of Ecclesiastical Hierarchy speaks most fully of the Holy rite of Confirmation or Chrism Having describ'd at large the office and manner of baptizing the Catechumens the trine immersion the vesting them in white Garments adds Then they bring them again to the Bishop and he consignes him who had been so baptiz'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the most Divinely operating Unction and then gives him the most Holy Eucharist And afterwards he sayes But even to him who is consecrated in the most holy mystery of regeneration 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the perfective Unction of Chrism gives to him the advent of the Holy Spirit And this rite of Confirmation then called Chrism from the spiritual Unction then effected and consign'd also and signified by the Ceremony of anointing externally which was then the ceremony of the Church he calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the holy consummation of our baptismal regeneration meaning that without this there is something wanting to the baptized persons And this appears fully in that famous censure of Novatus by Cornelius Bishop of Rome reported by Eusebius Novatus had been baptized in his bed being very sick and like to dye but when he recover'd he did not receive those other things which by the rule of the Church he ought to have receiv'd neque Domini sigillo ab Episcopo consignatus est he was not consign'd with the Lords signature by the hands of the Bishop he was not confirmed Quo non impetrato quomodo spiritum sanctum obtinuisse putandus est Which having not obtain'd how can he be suppos'd to have receiv'd the Holy Spirit The same also is something more fully related by Nicephorus but wholly to the same purpose Melchiades in his Epistle to the Bishops of Spain argues excellently about the necessity and usefulness of the Holy Rite of Confirmation What does the mystery of Confirmation profit me after the mystery of Baptism Certainly we did not receive all in our Baptism if after that lavatory we want something of another kind Let your charity attend As the Military order requires that when the General enters a Souldier into his list he does not only mark him but furnishes him with armes for the Battle So in him that is baptiz'd this blessing is his Ammunition You have given Christ a Souldier give him also Weapons And what will it profit him if a Father gives a great Estate to his Son if he does not take care to provide a Tutor for him Therefore the Holy Spirit is the Guardian of our regeneration in Christ he is the Comforter and he is the Defender I have already alleaged the plain Testimonies of Optatus and S. Cyril in the first Section I adde to them the words of S. Gregory Nazianzen speaking of Confirmation or the Christian signature Hoc viventi tibi maximum est tutamentum Ovis enim quae sigillo insignita est non facilè patet insidiis quae verò signata non est facilè à furibus capitur This signature is your greatest guard while you live For a sheep when it is mark'd with the Masters sign is not so soon stollen by Thieves but easily if she be not The same manner of speaking is also us'd by S. Basil who was himself together with Eubulus confirm'd by Bishop Maximinus Quomodo curam geret tanquam ad se pertinentis Angelus Quomodo eripiat ex hostibus si non agnoverit signaculum How shall the Angel know what sheep belong unto his charge How shall he snatch them from the Enemy if he does not see their mark and signature Theodoret also and Theophylact speak the like words and so far as I can perceive these and the like sayings are most made use of by the Schoolmen to be their warranty for an indelible Character imprinted in Confirmation I do not interest my self in the question but only recite the Doctrine of these Fathers in behalf of the practice and usefulness of Confirmation I shall not need to transcribe hither those clear testimonies which are cited from the Epistles of S. Clement Vrban the first Fabianus and Cornelius the summe of them is in those plainest words of Vrban the First Omnes fideles per manus impositionem Episcopórum Spiritum Sanctum post baptismum accipere debent All faithfull People ought to receive the Holy spirit by imposition of the Bishops hands after Baptism Much more to the same purpose is to be read collected by Gratian de consecrat dist 4. Presbyt de consecrat dist 5. Omnes fideles ibid. Spiritus Sanctus S. Hierom brings in a Luciferian asking why he that is baptiz'd in the Church does not receive the Holy Ghost but by imposition of the Bishops hands The answer is hanc observationem ex Scripturae authoritate ad Sacordotii honorem descendere This observation for the honour of the Priesthood did descend from the authority of the Scriptures adding withal it was for the prevention of Schismes and that the safety of the Church did depend upon it Exigis ubi scriptum est If you ask where it is written it is answered in Actibus Apostolorum It is written in the Acts of the Apostles But if there were no authority of Scripture for it totius orbis in hanc partem consensus instar praecepti obtineret the consent of the whole Christian World in this article ought to prevail as a commandment But here is a twofold Chord Scripture and Universal Tradition or rather Scripture expounded by an Universal traditive interpretation The same observation is made from Scripture by S. Chrysostom The words are very like those now recited from S. Hierom's Dialogue and therefore need not be repeated S. Ambrose calls Confirmation Spiritale signaculum quod post fontem superest ut perfectio fiat A spiritual seal remaining after Baptism that perfection be had Oecumenius calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 perfection Lavacro peccata purgantur Chrismate Spiritus sanctus superfunditur Vtraque verò ista manu ore Antistitis impetramus said Pacianus Bishop of Barcinona In Baptism our sins are cleans'd in Confirmation the holy Spirit is pour'd upon us and both these we obtain by the hands and mouth of the Bishop and again vestrae plebi unde spiritus quam non consignat unctus Sacerdos The same with that of Cornelius in the case of Novatus before cited I shall add no more least I overset the article and make it suspicious by too laborious a defence only after these numerous testimonies of the Fathers I think it may be useful to represent that this Holy rite of Confirmation hath been decreed by many Councils The Council of Eliberis celebrated in the time of P. Sylvester the first decreed that whosoever is baptiz'd in his sickness if he recover ad Episcopum eum
perducat ut per manus impositionem perfici possit let him be brought to the Bishop that he may be perfected by the imposition of hands To the same purpose is the 77th Can. Episcopus eos per bendictionem perficere debebit The Bishop must perfect those whom the Minister baptiz'd by his benediction The Council of Laodicea decreed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All that are baptized must be anointed with the coelestial Unction and so be partakers of the Kingdom of Christ. All that are so that is are confirm'd for this coelestial Unction is done by holy prayers and the invocation of the Holy Spirit so Zonarus upon this Canon all such who have this Unction shall reign with Christ unless by their wickedness they praeclude their own possessions This Canon was put into the Code of the Catholick Church and makes the 152. Canon The Council of Orleans affirms expresly that he who is baptiz'd cannot be a Christian meaning according to the usual stile of the Church a full and perfect Christian nisi confirmatione Episcopali fuerit Chrismatus unless he have the Unction of Episcopal confirmation But when the Church had long disputed concerning the re-baptizing of Hereticks and made Canons for and against it according as the Heresies were and all agreed that if the first baptism had been once good it could never be repeated yet they thought it sit that such persons should be confirm'd by the Bishop all supposing Confirmation to be the perfection and consummation of the less perfect baptism Thus the first Council of Arles decreed concerning the Arrians that if they had been baptized in the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost they should not be re-baptized Manus tantùm eis imponatur ut accipiant Spiritum Sanctum That is let them be confirm'd let there be imposition of hands that they may receive the Holy Ghost The same is decreed by the second Council of Arles in the case of the Bonasiaci But I also find it in a greater record in the General Council of Constantinople where Hereticks are commanded upon their conversion to be received secundùm constitutum Officium there was an Office appointed for it and it is in the Greeks Euchologion sigillatos primò scil Vnctos Vnguento Chrismatis c. signantes eos dicimus Sigillum doni spiritus sancti It is the form of Confirmation used to this day in the Greek Church So many Fathers testifying the practise of the Church and teaching this Doctrine and so many more Fathers as were assembled in six Councils all giving witness to this holy Rite and that in pursuance also of Scripture are too great a Cloud of Witnesses to be despised by any Man that calls himself a Christian. SECT IV. The BISHOPS were alwayes and the onely Ministers of Confirmation SAint Chrysostome asking the reason why the Samaritans who were Baptized by Philip could not from him and by his ministry receive the Holy Ghost answers Perhaps this was done for the honour of the Apostles to distinguish the supereminent dignity which they bore in the Church from all inferiour Ministrations but this answer not satisfying he adds hoc donum non habebat erat enim ex septem illis id quod magis videtur dicendum Vnde meâ sententiâ hic Philippus unus ex septem erat secundus à Stephano Ideo Baptizans spiritum sanctum non dabat neque enim facultatem habebat hoc enim donum solorum Apostolorum erat This gift they had not who Baptized the Samaritans which thing is rather to be said than the other for Philip was one of the seven and in my opinion next to St. Stephen therefore though he baptized yet he gave not the Holy Ghost for he had no power so to do for this gift was proper onely to the Apostles Nam virtutem quidem acceperant Diaconi faciendi signa non autem dandi aliis spiritum sanctum igitur hoc erat in Apostolis singulare unde praecipuos non alios videmus hoc facere The Ministers that Baptized had a power of doing Signs and working Miracles but not of giving the holy spirit therefore this gift was peculiar to the Apostles whence it comes to pass that we see the cheifs in the Church and no other to do this St. Dionys sayes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There is need of a Bishop to confirm the baptized 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for this was the ancient custome of the Church and this was wont to be done by the Bishops for conservation of Unity in the Church of Christ said St. Ambrose A solis Episcopis By Bishops onely said St. Austin For the Bishops succeeded in the place and ordinary Office of the Apostles said St. Hierom And therefore in his Dialogue against the Luciferians it is said That this observation for the honour of the Priesthood did descend that the Bishops onely might by Imposition of Hands confer the Holy Ghost that it comes from Scripture that it is written in the Acts of the Apostles that it is done for the prevention of Schismes that the safety of the Church depends upon it But the words of P. Innocentius I. in his first Epistle and third Chapter and published in the first Tome of the Councils are very full to this particular De consignandis infantibus manifestum est non ab alio quà m ab Episcopo fieri licere Nam Presbyteri licèt sint sacerdotes pontificatus tamen apicem non habent haec autem pontificibus solis deberi ut vel consignent vel paracletum spiritum tradant non solùm consuetudo Ecclesiastica demonstrat verùm illa lectio Actuum Apostolorum quae asserit Petrum Johannem esse directos qui jam Baptizatis traderent spiritum sanctum Concerning Confirmation of Infants it is manifest it is not Lawful to be done by any other than by the Bishop for although the Presbyters be Priests yet they have not the Summity of Episcopacy But that these things are onely due to Bishops is not onely demonstrated by the custom of the Church but by that of the Acts of the Apostles where Peter and John were sent to minister the Holy Ghost to them that were Baptized Optatus proves Macharius to be no Bishop because he was not conversant in the Episcopal Office and imposed hands on none that were Baptized Hoc unum à majoribus fit id est à summis Pontificibus quod à minoribus perfici non potest said P. Melchiades This of Confirmation is onely done by the greater Ministers that is by the Bishops and cannot be done by the lesser This was the constant practise and Doctrine of the Primitive Church and derived from the practice and tradition of the Apostles and recorded in their Acts written by St. Luke For this is our great Rule in this case what they did in Rituals and consigned to Posterity is our example and
need of much power from on high to give the holy spirit for it is not all one to obtain remission of sins and to have received this virtue or power from above Quamvis enim continuò transituris sufficiant regenerationis beneficia victuris tamen necessaria sunt confirmationis auxilia said Melchiades Although to them that die presently the benefits of regeneration baptismal are sufficient yet to them that live the Auxiliaries of confirmation are necessary for according to the saying of St. Leo in his Epistle to Nicetas the Bishop of Aquileja commanding that Hereticks returning to the Church should be confirmed with invocation of the holy spirit and imposition of hands they have onely received the form of baptism sine sanctificationis virtute without the virtue of sanctification meaning that this is the proper effect of Confirmation For in short Although the newly listed Souldiers in humane warfare are enrolled in the number of them that are to sight yet they are not brought to battle till they be more trained and exercised So although by baptism every one is ascribed into the catalogue of believers yet he receives more strength and grace for the sustaining and overcoming the temptations of the Flesh the World and the Devil onely by imposition of the Bishops hands They are words which I borrowed from a late Synod at Rhemes that 's the first remark of blessing in confirmation we receive strength to do all that which was for us undertaken in baptism For the Apostles themselves as the H. Fathers observe were timorous in the Faith until they were confirmed in Pentecost but after the reception of the Holy Ghost they waxed valiant in the Faith and in all their spiritual combats 2. In Confirmation we receive the Holy Ghost as the earnest of our inheritance as the seal of our salvation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Gregory Nazianzen we therefore call it a seal or signature as being a guard and custody to us and a signe of the Lords dominion over us The confirmed person is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a sheep that is mark'd which Thieves do not so easily steal and carry away To the same purpose are those words of Theodoret 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Remember that holy mystogogy in which they who were initiated after the renouncing that Tyrant the Devil and all his works and the confession of the true King Jesus Christ have received the Chrism of spiritual Vnction like a Royal signature by that Vnction as in shadow perceiving the invisible grace of the most holy Spirit That is in Confirmation we are sealed for the service of God and unto the day of Redemption then it is that the seal of God is had by us The Lord knoweth who are his Quomodo verò dices Dei sum si notas non produxeris said S. Basil. How can any man say I am Gods sheep unless he produce the marks Signati estis Spiritu promissionis per Sanctissimum Divinum Spiritum Domini grex effecti sumus said Theophylact. When we are thus seal'd by the most Holy and Divine spirit of promise then we are truly of the Lords Flock and mark'd with his seal that is when we are ritely confirm'd then he descends into our souls and though he does not operate it may be presently but as the reasonable soul works in its due time and by the order of Nature by opportunities and new fermentations and actualities so does the spirit of God when he is brought into use when he is prayed for with love and assiduity when he is caressed tenderly when he is us'd lovingly when we obey his motions readily when we delight in his words greatly then we find it true that the soul had a new life put into her a principle of perpetual actions but the tree planted by the waters side does not presently bear fruit but in its due season By this spirit we are then seal'd that whereas God hath laid up an inheritance for us in the Kingdom of Heaven and in the faith of that we must live and labour to confirm this faith God hath given us this pledge the spirit of God is a witness to us and tells us by his holy comforts by the peace of God and the quietness and refreshments of a good Conscience that God is our Father that we are his Sons and Daughters and shall be co-heirs with Jesus in his eternal Kingdom In baptism we are made the Sons of God but we receive the witness and testimony of it in Confirmation This is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Holy Ghost the Comforter this is he whom Christ promis'd and did send in Pentecost and was afterwards ministred and conveyed by prayer and imposition of hands and by this Spirit he makes the Confessors bold and the Martyrs valiant and the tempted strong and the Virgins to perfevere and Widows to sing his praises and his glories And this is that excellency which the Church of God called the Lords seal and teaches to be imprinted in Confirmation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a perfect Phylactery or Guard even the Lords seal so Eusebius calls it I will not be so curious as to enter into a discourse of the Philosophy of this But I shall say that they who are Curious in the secrets of Nature and observe external signatures in Stones Plants Fruits and Shells of which Naturalists make many observations and observe strange effects and the more internal signatures in minerals and living bodies of which Chymists discourse strange secrets may easily if they please consider that is infinitely credible that in higher essences even in Spirits there may be signatures proportionable wrought more immediately and to greater purposes by a Divine hand I only point at this and so pass it over as it may be not fit for every mans consideration And now if any Man shall say we see no such things as you talk of and find the confirm'd people the same after as before no better and no wiser not richer in gifts not more adorned with graces nothing more zealous for Christs Kingdom not more comforted with hope or established by faith or built up with charity they neither speak better nor live better And what then Does it therefore follow that the Holy Ghost is not given in Confirmation Nothing less For is not Christ given us in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper Do not we receive his body and his blood Are we not made all one with Christ and he with us And and yet it is too true that when we arise from that holy feast thousands there are that find no change But there are in this two things to be considered One is that the changes which are wrought upon our souls are not after the manner of Nature visible and sensible and with observation The Kingdom of God cometh not with Observation for it is within you and is only discerned spiritually and produces its effects by the method of Heaven and is