same nature we find, where St. Paul, being at Ephesus, and Acts 19. 6. finding some disciples there baptized only with the baptism

of John; he laid his hands upon them, and so they received the Holy Ghost.

Hence the Catholic Church, in all ages, hath not only retained this Apostolical rite, which we now call Confirmation, but hath always esteemed it an essential part of the Apostolical office, and therefore to be performed by none but the Apostles themselves and their successors to the end of the world. And therefore it was the ancient and constant custom of the primitive Church, as it is ours, for the Bishop of every diocese to go into the lesser cities and villages belonging to him, and there lay his hands upon those who were baptized by Priests or Deacons, that they might receive the Holy Ghost, as we learn from St. Hierom himself, whose words are, Non abnuo hanc esse Ecclesiarum consuetudinem, ut [Hieron. ad eos, qui [longè in] minoribus urbibus per Presbyteros et adv. Lucife. Diaconos baptizati sunt, Episcopus ad invocationem Sancti iv. par. 2. Spiritûs manum impositurus excurrat.

And therefore, how any Bishops in our days dare neglect so considerable a part of their office, I know not; but fear they will have no good account to give of it when they come to stand before our Lord's tribunal. And as for others, who, contrary to the practice of the primitive Christians, either refuse or neglect confirmation, when they may have it administered to them, they have just cause to suspect that they have no good sense of religion, nor regard for the gifts and graces of the Holy Spirit: for if they had, they would use all means for the attainment thereof; especially this, which hath been found effectual for that end by the Catholic and Apostolic Church, in all ages, where persons have been duly prepared for it our Lord being, according to His promise in my text, always present at the performance of this, as well as of any other part of the Apostolical office.

There is one thing still behind, which we must by no means omit, especially upon this occasion; and that is, the power of governing the Church, which our Lord left with His Apostles and their successors, to the end of the world; but so that He, according to His promise, is always present with them at the execution of it. For this power is granted

rian. tom.

p. 295.]

I.

SERM. to them in the very charter to which this promise is annexed: For here our Lord gives them commission not only to baptize, but likewise to teach those who are His disciples, to observe whatsoever He had commanded. Whereby they are impowered both to declare what are those commands of Christ which men ought to observe, and also to use all means to prevail upon men to observe them: Such as are, correcting and punishing those who violate, rewarding and encouraging those who keep them. But our Saviour's kingdom being, as Himself saith, not of this world, but purely spiritual, He hath authorised His substitutes in the government of it, to use rewards and punishments of the same nature; even to admonish delinquents in His Name to forsake their sins, and if they continue obstinate, and neglect such admonitions, to excommunicate or cast them out of His Church; and, upon their repentance, to absolve and receive them in again. This power our Saviour first promised to St. Peter, and in him to the rest of the Apostles. But it was not actually conferred upon them, till after His resurrection, John 20. 23. When, having breathed, He said unto them, "Receive ye the Holy Ghost whosesoever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whosesoever sins ye retain, they are retained." As if he should have said, I, the Son of Man, having power upon earth also to forgive sins, do now commit the same to you; so that whose sins soever are remitted or retained by you, are so by Me also. From whence it is plain, both that the Apostles received power to remit and retain sins, and that Christ himself concurs with them in the exercise of that power; and how He doth it, even by His Holy Spirit now breathed into them.

Matt. 16. 19.

To explain the full extent and latitude of this power, would require more time than can be allowed upon this day, whereon 'tis to be exercised: And, therefore, I shall observe only two things concerning it; whereof the first is, That how great soever the power be, which our Lord committed to His Apostles and their successors, for the government of His Church in all ages, it is but ministerial; they act only under Him as His ministers and stewards, and must one day give an account to Him of all their actions. Yea, whatsoever power they have of this nature, it is still His power in their

hands; they derive it continually from Him, who is always present with them. And therefore, as they themselves need to have a care how they exert this power, or neglect the exerting of it; so others had need to take care too, that they neither resist nor despise it.

Hæres. iii.

The other thing I would observe unto you, is, That for the better execution of this power, it hath been the constant custom of the Apostles and their successors in all ages, to visit the Churches committed to their charge; to inquire into the faith and manners, both of the clergy and laity that are under them; and to use so much of their authority, and give such orders as they found necessary for the due observation of their Lord's commands. Thus we find the Apostles frequently visiting the Churches they had planted; and St. Paul particularly keeping a solemn visitation at Miletus, where he sent for the Elders of Ephesus, and of all Asia (as Irenæus affirms, and the context itself proves), and sum- [Iren. adv. moned them to appear before him there, where he gave c.14.p.235.] them many Apostolical admonitions and directions, how to feed the flock, over which the Holy Ghost had made them Acts 20. 28. overseers. Afterwards, we find it recorded in Ecclesiastical History, that St. John often visited the Asiatic Churches, as his peculiar province. And I do not question, but where we read of Pinytus bishop of Gnossus, and Dionysius of Alexandria, laying their commands upon their clergy, in the first ages of the Church, it was at such a visitation as this. And we cannot doubt of St. Cyprian's care in this particular, so [Cyp. Ep. long as he resided upon his bishopric, seeing that in his very recess, when he was forced to retire, he visited them, Rom. p. 42. as himself saith, by his letters, sending several both to the xliii. ed. Amst.] clergy and laity, still extant in his works; wherein he sometimes reproves, sometimes admonishes and directs them how to carry and behave themselves in that juncture.

20. Presb. et Diac.

Cf. Ep. v.

Indeed, this is so necessary to the discharging of the Episcopal or Apostolical office, that it cannot be imagined that ever any conscientious Bishop durst neglect it. Insomuch, that for several ages after the Apostles, we have no ecclesi- [Concil. astical law or Canon, as I remember, about Episcopal visita- 813. Canon tions; because there was no need of them till about the sixth Hardouin. or seventh century, when there were several canons made 1005.]

Ärelat. A.D.

xvii. ap.

tom. iv. p.

I.

Decret.

Episcop.

174. ed. Lo

Bracarense.

A.D. 572.

Hard. Tom.

Tolet. A.D.

36. ap.

SERM. concerning the time and manner of keeping them; as the sixth council at Arles decreed, that every Bishop should go [Ivo. Lib. about his diocese once every year. Ivo quotes an ancient part. V. de canon of the second council at Seville, that every Bishop Sublimitat. shall once a year go about his diocese, and confirm and cap. 189. p. teach the people. The second council at Braga in Portugal, van. 1561.] decreed, That Bishops, in their visitations, should instruct [2 Concil. their clergy how to administer the Sacrament. The fourth at Toledo, That they shall then inquire into the fabric of Canon i. ap. their several Churches, and examine what repairs they iii. p. 386.] wanted. Another at Augusta Vindelicorum, or Augsburg, [4 Concil. as some think, as others at Ratisbon in Germany, decreed, 633. v. cap. That when the Bishop goes about his diocese to confirm the Hard. Tom. people, the Presbyters shall be always ready to attend him. iii. p. 587.] There are several other canons, enjoining Bishops to visit at [Cf. Caroli Magni Se- least once a year, and directing them what to do at their tul. Eccles. Visitations; but none, that I know of, that they shall visit in general: the Church taking it for granted all along, that no Bishop would totally omit so necessary a part of his duty, but would some time, and after some manner or other, visit the diocese that belonged to him: which certainly none can choose but do, who considers either the account he must one day give of his stewardship, or the encouragement our Lord Himself has given him to do it, in that He hath promised to be always with him in the discharge of his office; saying to His Apostles and their successors for ever, "Lo! I am with you alway, even to the end of the world.”

lect. Capi

in Concil.

Ratispon. cap. 32.]

Now the promises being duly weighed, even that our Lord Himself is always present by His Holy Spirit with His Apostles and their successors in the execution of the Apostolical office; many useful inferences might be thence deduced. I shall instance in some few, which, I hope, will not be altogether unworthy of your consideration at this time.

Hence therefore, in the first place, I observe, how much we are all bound to acknowledge the goodness, to praise, magnify, and adore the Name of the Most High God, in that we were born and bred, and still live in a Church, wherein the Apostolical line hath through all ages been preserved entire, there having been a constant succession of such Bishops in it, as were truly and properly successors to the

Apostles, by virtue of that Apostolical imposition of hands; which being begun by the Apostles, hath been continued from one to another, ever since their time, down to ours. By which means, the same Spirit which was breathed by our Lord into His Apostles, is, together with their office, transmitted to their lawful successors, the Pastors and Governors of our Church at this time; and acts, moves, and assists at the administration of the several parts of the Apostolical office in our days, as much as ever. From whence it follows, now enjoy, are in them

that the means of grace, which we selves as powerful and effectual as they were in the Apostles' days. And if they prove not always so successful now as they were then, that cannot be imputed to any want of efficacy in them, but to some defect or other in those who use them. For they who are duly prepared cannot but always find the same effect from them, because there is always the same cause, even the Spirit of God moving upon His Word and Sacraments, when administered by our Church, as well as when administered by the Apostles, to whom it was first given.

And here it may not be amiss to observe, what I have often thought of, not without admiration, how strangely the spirit of the Apostles hath run through our Church, all along, ever since the Reformation, diffusing itself from the head, which first received it, into all her real members; as may easily be seen, not only in the discipline of our Church, but likewise in its doctrine, manner of worship, patience under sufferings, universal charity, and particularly in its loyalty and submission to the civil magistrate; which the Apostles, assisted by the Spirit of God, did not only press upon others, but practised themselves. And the same Spirit hath enabled our Church constantly to do the same: insomuch, that malice itself could never fasten any thing of rebellion upon our Church, as now constituted, nor upon any of her members that lived faithfully in her communion. Many of them have suffered imprisonment, sequestration-yea, martyrdom itself, as the Apostles did; and yet all have been as free from rebellion and treason as they were: which to me is a great instance of the same Spirit still working in our Church which wrought so effectually upon them.