of those without the Church at the appointed days of Baptism but from the Children of all the Faithful baptized in their Infancy when hands were laid upon them Among which Articles two here are expresly reckoned up namely the Resurrection of the Flesh and Eternal Judgment Thus Beza This Doctrine Schol. Observ in loc saith Piscator viz. of Repentance from dead works and Faith towards God was wont to be delivered to the Catechumens before they were baptized or confirmed in the Christian Faith by the Imposition of hands When Children have been taught the Doctrine of Repentance and Faith they are to make profession thereof before the Church and to be confirmed by the Imposition of hands Although we think saith he th s Imposition of hands to be matter of free observance as having indeed Apostolical example but not a Precept from Christ Where we see he grants the Example roundly enough to be Apostolical however he would have it left free to conform unto or to neglect it Again saith he At the first sight there seem to be six Heads of Doctrine distinctly reckon'd up but if one shall more accurately weigh them they may be referr'd to four or to three For the third and fourth viz. of Baptism and Imposition of Hands seem not here to be propounded as peculiar Heads of Doctrine but put among the rest to declare the Circumstance of Time wherein these Fundamentals were wont to be propounded unto Beginners namely at that time when the Adult were admitted unto Baptism and also when those who were Baptized in their Infancy and afterwards instructed in their Childhood were wont by the Church to be confirmed in the Christian Faith by the Imposition of Hands Thus Piscator Then the Leiden Divines in their Synopsis purioris Theologiae Dis 47. tell us to the same purpose that It is probable this Doctrine of Imposition of Hands is referr'd to that care of the Ancient Church whereby Children instructed in Catechetical Doctrine before they were admitted to partake of the Lord's Supper were presented to the Church to answer concerning the Faith and commended by Prayers unto God the Rite of Imposition of Hands being added thereunto which was a Gesture of those that pray and bless even from the time of the Patriarchs Next For the Lutheran Churches none can speak better than their famous Chemnitius whom Bellarmine so far honors as to acknowledge that he doth of all others most accurately describe the Order of Lutheran Confirmation Our Divines saith he have often shewn Exam. Concil Trident. part 2 de Confirm that the Rite of Confirmation unprofitable superstitious and Anti-scriptural Traditions being once remov'd from it might be used piously Id. Loc. Theolog. part 3. de num Saâ—rament and to the Edification of the Church according to the consent of Scripture after this manner viz. That those who have been baptized in their Infancy for such now is the State of the Church when come to years of Discretion should be diligently instructed in a certain and plain Catechism of the Doctrine of the Church and when they seem competently to have understood the Principles of it should afterwards be presented to the Bishop and Church and there the Child that was baptized in his Infancy should 1. Be admonished in a short and plain manner concerning his Baptism viz. with what how why and into what he was Baptized What the whole Trinity in that Baptism conferr'd upon him and Sealed to him namely the Covenant of Peace and Grace and how there was then made an Abrenunciatiation of Satan a Profession of Faith and Promise of Obedience 2. The Child himself should before the Church make a proper or personal and publick Confession of this Doctrine and Faith 3. He should be question'd about the chief Heads of Christian Religion and where he less understands any thing be more rightly inform'd 4. He should be put in mind and declare by this Profession how he differs from all Heathen Heretical Fanatick and profane Opinions 5. There should be added a grave and serious Exhortation out of the Word of God that he would persevere and by going forwards be farther confirmed in the Covenant of Baptism and that Doctrine and Faith And then 6. Publick Prayer should be made for those Children that God by his Holy Spirit would vouchsafe to govern preserve and confirm them in this Profession Whereunto without Superstition may be added Imposition of Hands Nor would that Prayer be vain ☞ For it leans upon the Promises concerning the Gift of Perseverance and Grace of Confirmation Such a Rite of Confirmation saith he would contribute very much Profit to the Education of Youth and of the whole Church For it would be agreable both unto Scripture and purer Antiquity Thus Chemnitius But before either Calvin or Luther there was one famous Waldo of whom the Waldenses are named who did more early dissent from the Corruption of the Roman Church And they in their Confession exhibited to Vladislaus King of Hungary 1504. speak thus remarkably of this Rite of Confirmation We do profess with a Faith taken out of the Divine Scriptures Confess Waldens de Confirm that in the Times of the Apostles this was observed whoever being come to the Ripeness of Years had not received the promised Gifts of the Holy Ghost received them afterwards by Prayer and Imposition of Hands for the Confirmation of Faith The same we think also of Infants Whosoever being baptized hath come over to the true Faith which he resolves to imitate indeed amidst Adversities and Contumelies in that manner that a new Birth and Life of Graces may seem discovered in his Spirit or Temper Such an one ought to to be brought and set before the Bishop or Priest where being questioned of the Truth of Faith and the Divine Commands and also his own good Will Setled Intention and Works of Truth if he shall witness by his Confession that all these things are so He is to be confirmed in the Hope of Truth already attained and farthermore to be holpen by the Churches Prayers that an Increase of the Gifts of the Holy Ghost may accrue unto him for the Establishment and Warfare of Faith Lastly by Imposition of Hands to confirm the Promises of God and the Truth in the Power of the Name of the Father and of his Word and of the Holy Spirit let him be joyn'd to the Churches Communion And again Apolog. part 4. de Baptism puerorum in their Apology to the Marquess of Brandenburgh 1532. speaking of Children that have been Baptized they add When they shall have come to Years of Discretion and now understand the Account of their Faith and begin to love Christ in good earnest we bring them to the Profession of these things even whatsoever they have attained to by the help of their Parents or Godfathers or by the Ministry of the Church that they may themselves of their own accord and most freely
Ep. 72. quae est ad Stephunum Tunc enim plenè sanctificari esse Dei filii possunt si Sacramento utroque nascantur cùm scriptum sit Nisi quis natus fuerit ex aqua spiritu non potest intrare in regnum Dei. But I shall wave the urging of this also We have an undoubted and remarkable instance of Apostolical practice for it Acts 8. where Philip the Deacon having preached the Gospel at Samaria and thereby won many Converts and baptized them the Apostles at Jerusalem hearing of it send forth two of their own number Peter and John Who saith the sacred Text ver 15. c. when they were come down prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Ghost and then laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Ghost It pleased God that those admirable Gifts called there the Holy Ghost should not ordinarily be conferred on the Baptized but by the Apostles hands thereby to strengthen the Authority of those his Witnesses and by the same means promote the unity of the Church through the reverend esteem of those chief Ministers as Grotius well notes In locum In this story now we have 1. The persons confirmed the baptized Samaritans who had believed and been instructed aforehand in Philip's doctrine 2. The Ministers of Confirmation Peter and John the Apostles sent from Jerusalem on that very purpose 3. What they did in Confirmation Having heard of their faith in receiving the Word of God and their baptism in profession of that faith they prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Ghost and laid their hands upon them 4. The consequent effect thereof they received the Holy Ghost that is the more plentiful effusions of the Holy Ghost in his gifts and graces which in that beginning of the Christian Church were miraculous and extraordinary whereas the promise of the same Spirit holds good still in some due proportion unto the Christians of all Ages to the worlds end Those saith S. Ep. 73. quae est ad Jubaianum Cyprian who believed in Samaria had believed with a true faith and were baptized in the Church which is but one and to which alone it is permitted to give the grace of Baptism and to lose sins And therefore having obteined a legitimate and Ecclesiastical Baptism ought not again to be baptized but that onely which was yet wanting to be done unto them by Peter and John that by prayer and imposition of hands the Holy Ghost might be invoked and poured forth upon them Circa A.D. 250. which now also saith he is the custom observed among us that they who are baptized in the Church be offered to the Governors of the Church and by our prayer and imposition of hands obtain the Holy Ghost and be consummated or perfected with the Lord's Seal or Signature Where we see he applies the Apostolical patern to the custom retained still by the Church in Confirmation the practice whereof in his days he doth well describe and intimates also the requisiteness of it after Baptism though never so legitimate when he calls it Id quod deerat That which was yet wanting Again anoher instance we have Acts 19. where we find S. Paul confirming those who were taught and baptized before at Ephesus ver 6. When Paul laid his hands upon them saith the Text the Holy Ghost came upon them and they spoke with Tongues and prophesied They were baptized saith Grotius on the place by some other Christian but God to commend the Apostolical office would not communicate those gifts of the Holy Ghost untill the hand of some Apostle had touched them And though he be not bound to this or any other observance yet such was the method of his ordinary dispensation then among them Here now we have 12 persons first taught and then baptized in the name of Jesus Christ and then afterwards by the imposition of the Apostles hands receiving the Holy Ghost manifested according to the special way and exigency of those first times in his visible and extraordinary gifts And to this S. Paul himself seems to refer touching these Ephesians confirmed by him as upon occasion I before in part suggested Ephes 1.13 In whom also after that ye believed ye were sealed with the Holy Spirit of Promise Nor ought any to be offended or prejudiced because we find not the like gifts of the Spirit continued now in the Church The Holy Ghost saith S. De Baptismo l. 3. c. 16. Augustine is not now given by Imposition of hands with temporal and sensible miracles as it was at the first for the commendation of the Faith and the enlargment of the beginnings of the Church who now expects it c. But we are now to understand that after an invisible and hidden manner Divine Charity is inspired into their hearts by the bond of peace And thus as the Apostle hath it to the Corinthians 1 Epist ch 12. There are diversities of gifts but the same Spirit Not the same gifts now as then yet the same spirit still To these instances of Apostolical practice therefore S. Augustine and S. Jerom Circa A.D. 203. do both freely appeal for the justifying of this sacred custom as S. Cyprian you heard before did and that without any colour for the imputation of Montanism in the case as some have fondly pleased themselves to imagine The Disciples prayed saith S. De Trinit l. 15. c. 26. Augustine that the Holy Ghost might come upon those on whom they laid their hands Which same custom the Church doth also now observe in her Governors or Bishops And then for S. Dialog advers Luciferian Jerom Dost thou not know saith he that this is the custom of the Churches to lay hands afterwards on the baptized and so to invocate the Holy Ghost Dost thou demand of me Where is it written I answer In the Acts of the Apostles and were there no Scripture Authority at all to support it the consent of the whole world might in this supply the room of a Precept for there are also many other things observed by Tradition in the Churches which have taken to themselves the Authority of a written Law as the threefold immersion in Baptism c. This 't is true he speaks in the person of Luciferianus but then he brings in Orthodoxus making a Reply by way of Acknowledgment to the same I do not indeed deny this saith he to be the custom of the CHurches that the Bishop go forth to those who were baptized afar off in lesser Cities by Priests and Deacons to lay hands upon them for the invocating of the Holy Ghost Deservedly therefore doth our Church refer us to the same Apostolical warrant Upon whom after the the example of the holy Apostles we have now laid our hands So in the Prayer at Confirmation the Fathers of the Primitive Church taking occasion and founding themselves upon the said acts and deeds of the
take it in evil part saith he the thing is true Their small regard hereunto hath done harm to the Church of God ☞ That which Error rashly uttereth in disgrace of good things may peradventure be spunged out when the Print of those Evils which are grown through Neglect will remain behind There is no default or defect saith profound Dr. L. 10. c. 50 Jackson in the Church of England's Doctrine or Laws concerning Baptism or Confirmation of such as have been Baptized in their Infancy But I dare not avouch so much for justifying the men unto whom the Execution of those Laws is especially commended whether they be of Lower or Higher or of the Highest Rank c. In this point who can deny saith the Pious and Reverend Dr. De Confir p. 81. Hammond but there is fit place for Reformation And his Worthy and Learned Friend Dr. Henchman the Late Lord Bishop of London but when he wrote of Salisbury in his praeliminary Discourse to that excellent Treatise of his de Confirmatione urgeth the matter home upon us If these things saith he at last Praelim Diatrib H. S. take not hold of our minds where is the Discipline for so many Years designed and thought on ☜ and during the Oppression and Rage of the late Tyranny promised if ever good day should shine upon us Behold our Most Gracious and Merciful God hath commanded his Sun to shine bright again upon our Island and calmed the Tempest which toss'd our Ship and now calls for the performance of our Vow unto him the Vow which we made when we were in Trouble Let us offer unto him this Holy and sincere Worship whilst we every one readily discharge our respective Duties in this particular Which that we may all do God of his Infinite Mercy grant for Christ his Sake to whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost that Blessed Trinity in whose name we were baptized and whose Disciples at our Confirmation we own and profess our selves to be be ascribed by us as is most due all Honor Glory Praise and Adoration now and for evermore Amen THE END APPENDIX ALthough I have said enough to obviate most of the Common Objections against this Sacred Rite of Confirmation in the fore-going Pages yet because I find them all epitomized in the stoutest Champion of the Old Nonconformists whose Eructations have been lick'd up by the New as Homer's were by the Succeeding Poets and as full an Answer to them though compendious and Ironical in our Excellent Hooker I will take the pains here for the Reader 's Benefit to transcribe both in Order T. C. Reply to Answer to the Admonit p. 160. In his Reply to the most Reverend Arch-Bishop Whitgift speaketh thus Tell me why there should be any such Confirmation in the Church being brought in by the feigned Decretal Epistles of Popes But this is retracted by him L. 3. p. 232. That it is Ancienter than the feigned Decretal Epistles I yield unto and no one Title thereof being once found in Scripture and seeing it hath been so horribly abused and not necessary why ought it not to be utterly abolished And Thirdly This Confirmation hath many dangerous points in it The First step of Popery in this Confirmation is the laying on of Hands upon the Head of the Child whereby the Opinion of it that it is a Sacrament is confirmed especially whenas the Prayer doth say that it is done according to the Example of the Apostles which is a manifest untruth and taken indeed from the Popish Confirmation The Second is for that the Bishop as he is call'd must be the only Minister of it whereby the Popish Opinion which esteemeth it above Baptism is confirmed For while Baptism may be ministred of the Minister and not Confirmation but only of the Bishop there is great Cause of Suspicion given to think that Baptism is not so serious a thing as Confirmation seeing this was one of the principal Reasons whereby that wicked Opinion was established in Popery I do not here speak of the Inconvenience that men are constrained with Charges to bring their Children oftentimes half a score miles for that which if it were needful might be as well done at Home in their own Parishes The Third is for that the Book saith a Cause of using Confirmation is That by Imposition of Hands and Prayer the Children may receive Strength and Defence against all Temptations whereas there is no Promise that by the laying on of Hands upon Children any such Gift shall be given And it maintaineth the Popish Distinction that the Spirit of God is given at Baptism unto Remission of Sins and in Confirmation unto Strength Hear we now Mr. Hooker in few but weighty words closing up his Nervous Discourse about Confirmation with a particular Retort to all these Objections Thus much generally spoken Eccles Poâ—ic l. 5. p. 263. may serve for Answer to their Demands that require us to tell them why there should be any such Confirmation in the Church seeing we are not ignorant how earnestly they have protested against it and how directly although untruly for so they are content to acknowledge it hath by some of them been said to be first brought in by the feigned Decretal Epistles of the Popes Or why it should not utterly be abolished seeing that no one Title thereof can be once found in the whole Scriptures except the Epistle to the Hebrews be Scripture ch 6.2 c. And again seeing that how free soever it be now from abuse if we look back to times past which wise men do always more respect than the present it hath been abused as what good thing hath not and is found at length no such profitable Ceremony as the whole silly Church of Christ for the space of these sixteen Hundred Years hath through want of Experience imagined Last of all seeing also besides the Cruelty which is shew'd towards poor Country People who are fain sometimes to let the Plow stand still and with incredible wearisome Toyl of their feeble Bodies to wander over Mountains and through Woods it may be now and then little less than a whole half-score miles for a Bishop's Blessing which if it were needful might as well be done at home in their own Parishes rather than they to purchase it with so great Loss and intollerable pain There are they say in Confirmation besides this three terrible Points The First is laying on of Hands with pretence that the same is done to the Example of the Apostles which is not only as they suppose a manifest untruth For all the World doth know that the Apostles did never after Baptism lay Hands on any And therefore S. Luke who saith they did Acts 8. and 19. was much deceived but farther also we thereby teach men to think Imposition of Hands a Sacrament belike because it is a Principle ingrafted by common Light of Nature in the minds of men that all things done by