after a plenteous manner Infunditur super in and vpon vs inside and outside both soule and body are made partakers of this admirable blessing Ric de Sto Vic. ser de spirit sancto Yet lest the holy Ghost may seeme to be giuen in Confirmation infusiue onely according to the schoole distinction in some small measure Tertul. tels vs that he is giuen effusiue abundantly in Confirmation his words are these Signari populos effuso pignore sancto Tertul aduerâ— Marc. l. 1. Cat. c. 3. Mirandae virtutis opus The people being signed or confirmed the holy Ghost is powred out abundantly vpon them which is a worke of maruellous vertue And fitly doth Tertullian terme it a worke of vertue or power since Christ promiseth his Apostles that they shall receiue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 18. the power of the Spirit as we reade and and Leo professeth that by Episcopall Imposition of hands virtus spiritus confertur Leo Epist 37. c. 2. the vertue and power of the Spirit is bestowed Saint Austine therefore saith that the Apostles had the holy Ghost before Confirmation Aug tract 74. in Euan. Ioh. but they had him minus in a lesse manner where as in Confirmation he that is his gifts was giuen them amplius in a larger measure because Confirmation added to the former grace by strengthning and perfiting it 112 This doctrine the very letter of the text affords vs for if it please you to conferre the places where Christ giues and where he promiseth the holy Ghost you will acknowledge I am perswaded a great difference in the manner and measure of bestowing the holy spirit Behold Iohn 20. Christ sayd to his Apostles Accipite 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ioh. 20.22 there he giues them the holy ghost and yet after this he makes promise Act. 1. that they shall receiue the holy ghost Act 1.8 There 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 receiue here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ye shall receiue there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 receiue the holy Spirit here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he makes promise that they shall receiue not only the Spirit which they had receiued before but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the power of the Spirit and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 virtutem spitus superuenientis the power of the Spirit not onely coming 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vpon you the Apostles but superuenientis coming vpon as it were to bee an addition to those gifts and graces which they had before which is excelleÌ„tly expressed by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 First the power of the Spirit is giuen theÌ„ who had the Spirit before and secondly the spirit doth superuenire come vpon and make an addition to his former gifts and thereby giues an encrease of grace and a greater power then they had before for as it is obserued the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sometimes violentiae significationem inclusam habet hath violence or power included in it Scapula and the word is seldom vsed in the New Testament but where it denotate a greater power a more especiall gift then was giuen before or rather an additon to a former gift As namely when that great promise is made to the blessed Virgin it is sayd Luc. 1.35 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the holy Ghost shall come down vpon thee and yet without doubt shee had the holy ghost before for by the Angels report she was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ful of grace before and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luc. 1.28 the Lord was with her but now the holy Ghost was to come downe vpon her and vpon the former gifts in a greater measure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 superueniet and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 super te Luc. 1.35 Act. 1. 8. two 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 two super's in both places and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 power comes along with both in both to shew that the holy Ghost was to come downe in greater power and for a more powerfull effect then hee came before not onely to come downe super eos vpon them but superuenire to come vpon his former graces with a new supply 113 And therefore Luc. 11. wee finde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vsed where it is manifest that a greater power came vpon the former with a kinde of violence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luc 11.22 though a strong man holds possession yet when a stronger then he comes vpon him hee will conquer him and take his possession from him Thus the case stands between opposites but where the same spirit bestowes his gifts and does 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 superuenire come vpon the former and so come vpon them vt accipiant virtutem spiritus that they who had the spirit should now haue the power of the Spirit hee doth not only settle and confirme his former gifts in them but he bestowes vpon them more powerfull gifts then they had before Which may not be vnderstood as though this power and powerfull gifts of the spirit consisted onely in speaking of tongues working of miracles c. as some would haue it but the spirit was giuen them chiefly to bee Paracletus their Comforter to confirme them in the true faith so to strengthen them that they might stoutly resist temptations vndantedly passe thorough persecutions and constantly beare witnesse of Christ and his blessed actions as may be seene 〈…〉 26. 〈◊〉 â—b 1.2.3 Io. 14 16. Iohn 15. and for this ende and purpose is he promised to continue with vs to the end of the world Iohn 14 Saint Cyril therefore speaking of these two seuerall giuings of the holy Ghost affordes vs this good obseruation Cyril Hieros Caâ—â—hes 17. Nunc accipite ex parte tunc accipietis perfecte Christ fayth Iohn the twentieth Receiue now the holy Ghost in part but Acts 1 he promiseth that they shall receiue him perfectly and hence it may be from this perfect manner of receiuing the holy Ghost is Confirmation called perfection and they that haue receiued Confirmation are styled perfit Christians 114 Will you know then the benefits which we daily receiue by Confirmation by this effusion of the holy Ghost and his vertue 1. Animae spiritu illuminatur Tertul. de Resur carnis c. 8. saith Tertullian The soule is enlightned by the holy Spirit 2. as before you heard Sancto spiritu vestitur the soule is cloathed with the holy Spirit Tertul. de Praescript c. 36. which is the same with induebantur Luk. 24.49 when the Apostles were confirmed at the Pentecost 3. The soule receiues augmentum ad gratiam encrease to grace Melchiad Can. 2. de Consecr Dist 5. Emissen Homil. in Pentecost 4. Confirmatur ad pugnam so Melchiad Ib. Emiss Ib. it is confirmed for battell that is as the Bohem. Confes Bohem. Confess p. 94. expresseth it ad militiam fidei for the battell or warfare of faith Not to liue at variance amongst our brethren
the baptised Samaritans and lay their hands vpon them that so they might receiue the Holy Ghost 18. Neither was this done at that time onely and there an end of it but the same order which was here taken by Saint Peter and Saint Iohn Saint Paul obserued Act. 19.5 6. Act. 19. First he baptised the Ephesians ver 5. and then he confirmed them ver 6. Hee layd his hands vpon them and the Holy Ghost came downe vpon them From their example the Church learned this practise and hath continued it to these dayes as may be seene by the whole course of Ecclesiasticall writers Bucolceri Chronol 19 Saint Clement Bishop of Rome the ninetie fourth yeare after Christ in the third of those Epistles which are vsually ascribed vnto him though perhaps not his Clem. Epist 3. Iuâ—to Iuliano Episcop yet very ancient wisheth euery man sine mora renasci Deo demum consignari ab Episcopo to be baptised out of hand and then to â—â—â— confirmed by the Bishop and he giues his reasons for it Because sayth he we are vncertaine of life and addeth This phrase is explained â— 28.29 89. that vnlesse each of vs bee Confirmed by the Bishop with the seuen-fold grace of the holy Spirit perfectus esse Christianus nequaquampoterit he cannot become a perfect Christian This was the opinion and phrase of that author who passeth vnder the name of Clement but the phrase you shall haue explained hereafter Tertull de Baptismo cap 3 20 Tertullian showes the continuance of it in his time Egressi delauacro etc. sayth he When we haue ascended out of the bath of regeneration that is when we haue beene baptised and those Ceremonies performed which are vsed in baptisme Dehinc shortly after manus imponitur per benedictionem aduocans et inuitans spiritum sanctum hands holy hands as hee calleth them in the same place are layed vpon vs calling and inuiting the holy Ghost by blessing vs to come downe vpon vs. 21 In Saint Cyprians age this custome of Confirmation was continued in the Catholicke Church The Samaritans sayth hee were baptised by Saint Philip therfore were they not to be rebaptised hauig receiu'd full lawfullâ— and Ecclesiasticall Baptisme but quod desuerat that which wanted was performed by Saint Peter and Saint Iohn Cypr. Epist 73. as Iubaianum The meaning of this phrase Quod defuerat is manifested § 29. And what was that Vtoratione pro eis habita manu imposita inuocaretur infunderetur super eos spiritus sanctus that by prayer and Imposition of hands the holy spirit might bee inuoked for for them and infused into them It seemes then that imposition of hands was required after Baptisme 22 Neither was this a prerogatiue peculiar to the Apostles onely or proper to their times no sayth that worthy Father Nunc quoque apud nos geritur Ibid. you may see the same practise obserued amongst vs they that are baptised in the Church are brought againe Vt per Praepositos Ecclesie offerantur that they may be offered or presented to God by the Gouernors of the Church he meanes the Bishops whereof he was one et per nostram orationem ac manus impositionem spiritum sanctum consequantur that by our prayer and imposition of hands they may receiue the Holy Ghost signaculo dominico consummentur and be made perfit by the Lords signe for so they called the signe of the Crosse 23 Here you may see all the circumstances confirmed that I deriued from this my text number them and you shall finde them here First the Samaritans were confirmed by Saint Peter and Saint Iohn saith Saint Cyprian there is the Antiquitie of Confirmation in his judgement Secondly The Ministers of Confirmation in his time were Praepositi Ecclesiae the Gouernors or Bishops of the Church Thirdly The persons capable of Confirmation qui in Ecclesia baptizantur such as are baptised in the Church of Christ Fourthly The forme of Confirmation vsed in Saint Cyprians age was oratto ac manus Impositio prayer and imposition of hands Fifthly By prayer and Imposition of hands Spiritum sanctum consequuntur they receiue the Holy Ghost there is the effect And here is one Ceremony more added as it seemes by the Church before Saint Cyprians time namely to conclude Confirmation with the signe of the Crosse 24 A signe so generally receiued in Saint Austins time that hee makes it a wonder if any man should be ignorant of it Quid est Aug. tract 118 in Io Euan. quod omnes nouerunt saith he signuÌ„ Christi nisi crux Christi What is that which all the world takes notice of That signe of Christ what is it but the Crosse of Christ And so highly was it esteemed by him and the holy men of that age Ibid. that he professeth vnlesse it be added siue frontibus credentium siue ipsi aquae quare generantur siue olco quo Chrismate vnguntur vnlesse sayth hee the signe of the Crosse be vsed in Baptisme and in Confirmation nihil eorum rite perficitur none of them are rightly performed that is according to the orders and rites of the Church 25 So Saint Austine The Crosse therefore vpon this or the like consideration is enioyned to be vsed in Confirmation in the booke of Common Prayer set forth and allowed in Edward the sixts raigne and I finde it not at any time reuoked but it is left as it seemes to the Bishops discretion to vse or not vse the Crosse in Confirmation 26. Neither doe we deduce the antiquitie of this ceremonie of the Crosse from S. Austins or S. Cyprians age onely but we goe higher to the times wherein Tertul. and Clemen Alexand. flourished Tertullian saies Tertul. de Resur carnis Caro signatur Vt anima muniatur the body is signed with the Crosse in confirmation that the soule may bee fenced against all temptations and Clem. Alexand. as Eusebius notes obserues not onely the practise of Confirmation in S. Iohn time but withall this Ceremonie of the Crosse whereby this Signe seemes also to be Apostolike for S. Iohn the Apostle hauing newly constituted a Bishop in Asia Euseb hist Eccles l. 3. c. 20. deliuered him a goodly proper young man whom hee had a great liking to to be trained vp by him in Christian religion The Bishop tooke him and brought him vp with great care and diligence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and at last hee enlightened him that is baptised him Dionys Eccles literar c. 2. For the ancient Fathers and Dionysius call Baptisme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 illumination because in Baptisme a man is enlightned in the faith of Christ And this phrase they seeme to borrow from Saint Paul Hebr. 6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. It is impossible that they Heb. 6.4 who haue once beene enlightened that is baptâ—zed Ver. 6. Rursus renouari ad poenitentiam should be renewed vnto
or quarrell about religion 5. therefore Saint Ambrose saith that one branch of this strengthning is confirmatio vnitatis in Ecclesia Christi to strengthen vs against the enemie Ambros in Heb. 6. and to confirme vs in the vnitie of the Church of Christ 6 By this meanes saith Saint Austine cordibus diuina charitas inspiratur Aug de Bapt. cont Donat. l. 3. c. 16. diuine charitie is inspired into our hearts and soules And finally as that ancient Authour bearing the name of Clement Clem Epist 3 saith Septemplici Spiritus gratia confirmamur we are comforted and confirmed with the seuen-fold grace with the seuen gifts of the holy Spirit which are the gifts the Bishop entreates God to encrease in vs before he layes his hands vpon vs as you may see in the Common Prayer Booke 115 So then it seemes by Confirmation we receiue the especiall gifts Leo Epist 37. c. 2. Leoni Episcopo Rauen. and as Leo saith the vertue of the holy Ghost and if it be so that we receiue so many blessings such vertue by Confirmation wee may cease wondering why Saint Cyprian saith Cypr Epist 73 Concil Eleb can 38. Clem. Epist 3. that wee are consummated and the Councell of Eliberis that we are perfited by Confirmation no maruell then if S. Clement vpon this consideration affirm that without Cōfirmation we cannot become perfit Christians For if by Confirmatiō our soules are enlightned clothed with the H. spirit if by Confirmation we receiue grace and are strengthened against the tēptations of the enemy if by Confirmation wee are setled and confirmed in the vnitie of the Church and heauenly charitie is inspired into our soules if we receiue the seuenfold grace of the holy Spirit in Confirmation if this be the publike and ordinarie meanes for ought we know to procure these blessings from God then must we needs acknowledge that we reape much perfection by in Confirmation we haue great cause to desire and seek after Confirmation that so we may be clothed with these perfections 116 And that we may not doubt but that this effect doth follow Imposition of hands marke what euidence Caluin affords vs. Preces sequitur manuum impositio After prayer followes Imposition of hands whereby saith he the Apostles testifie that the grace of the Spirit is not included in the externall Ceremonie and yet they neglect not this Ceremonie which was giuen them diuinitus from God aboue for this end and purpose viz. for the bestowing this effect Caluin in Act. Apost 8.17 quia non temere vsurpant saith he simul annexus est effectus and because they vse it aduisedly the effect is annexed to the Ceremonie And then he concludes the point thus Haec signorum est vtilitas efficacia quod in illis Deus operatur tamen vnus manet gratiae autor this is the benefit and effect of signes or Ceremonies that God workes in them and yet there is but one Author of grace God himselfe 117 Thus you see th◠I haue proued what I vndertooke by the Catholicke the generall consent of graue Antiquitie If any man reprehend me as if I erred in this point patiatur me quaeso errare cum talibus I must entreate him in S. Ieromes wordes Hieron that he would giue me leaue to erre with such men as these cum me error is mei multos socios habere perspexerit ipse veritatis suae saltem vnum antiquum astipulatorem proferre debebit and since he seeth me to haue so many companions of my error fit it is that he bring forth at least one ancient maintainer of his truth But surely he who euer he be is so farre from it that if you will stand to the iudgement of Antiquitie veritas nobis adiucabitur the truth must needs be adiudged to vs to be on our sides qui in ea regula incedimus quam Ecclesia ab Apostolis Tertul de Praescript c. 37. Apostoli a Christo Christus a Deo tradidit who proceed constantly according to that rule which the Church deliuered from the Apostles the Apostles from Christ and Christ from God 118 Constat itaque ratio propositi nostri the reason therfore of our proposed discourse stands firme wherein we proue that Confirmation and the Ministers of Confirmation ought euer to be reteined in the Church of God from whose hands mediatly we receiue so great gifts and blessings of the holy Ghost without which blessed gifts saith Saint Austine wee can neither loue Christ nor keep his commandements both which we are able to do tanto minus Aug. tract 74. in Euang. Ioh. quanto illum percipimus minus tanto amplius quanto illum percipimus amplius so much the lesse by how much lesse wee receiue the holy Ghost and so much the more by how much we receiue him the more by the meanes of our Baptisme Confirmation Eucharist and other sacred mysteries whereby the gifts and graces of the holy Spirit are daily giuen encreased in vs whereof God grant that we may all labour to become worthy partakers to our Comfort and his glorie through Iesus Christ our Lord to whom with the Father and the holy Ghost be ascribed all honour c. Amen FINIS