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ftanding their Duty, this is to be done after, when they come to Years of Discretion, to know and understand what others have undertaken and engag'd for their benefit, and in their behalf. And being taught and arriv'd to fome competent Knowledg of thefe things, they are to renew and ratify thofe Promifes in their own Perfons, and take that upon themselves in their riper Years, which was by Sureties engag'd for them in their Infancy. And this is done at the time of Confirmation, fo call'd from confirming the Baptifmal Vow, and binding the Obligation of it more ftrongly upon them; whereby baptiz'd Perfons are confirm'd in their Duty, and more clofely ty'd to the Obfervance of it.

This is no new, needlefs, or upftart Invention, as fome have vainly objected; but an antient, pious, and excellent Inftitution, tending much to the good Education and Salvation of Children receiv'd into the Church. It began in the Jewish Church, where, as Buxtorf and other Jewish Wri ters inform us, Children after they were circumcis'd the eighth Day, as foon as they were capable of Inftruction, were to be taught the Letter of the Law, then the Tal mud; and when they arriv'd to fome competent measure of Understanding in both, were to be publickly prefented in the Congregation, where they folemnly oblig'd themfelves to be Filii Precepti, fubject to the Law, and to keep the Sabbath, the Paffover, and other Ceremonies of the Church and thenceforward they were to answer for them. felves, and their own Faults.

This pious and laudable Practice is from the Jewish de riv'd down and continu'd in the Chriftian Church to this day. We find it approv'd by our Saviour, who comman ded the little Children to be brought to him, laying his Hands on them, and bleffing them; Mark 10. 'Twas practis'd by the Apostles in the feveral places where they went, and is come down to us thro the feveral Ages and Centuries of the Church,

Now this Rite of Confirmation was ever accompany'd with Prayer and the Impofition of Hands; both which are here mention'd.

(1.) I fay, it was attended with Prayer: fo did Peter and John for thefe Difciples of Samaria, who when they came down, pray'd for them that they might receive the Holy Ghoft. This is the ordinary means of conveying Divine

Grace,

Grace, and is appointed by God for his conferring of the Holy Ghoft, and by it of fpiritual Strength fufficient to perform the Baptifmal Vow. By this we call in the Aid and Affiftance of God's Holy Spirit, to fupply the Defects of our Weakness, and to enable us to do that by the help of his Grace, which we cannot do for our felves. To which end, Prayer was ever attended in this Ordinance,

(2.) With laying on of Hands, and bleffing thofe upon whom they were laid. This did Peter and John, here with good effect, for they laid their Hands on them, and they receiv'd the Holy Ghoft. So did Paul to the Difciples at Ephe fus, He laid his Hands upon them, and the Holy Ghoft came on them, and they spake with Tongues and prophefy'd; Acts 19. 6. Indeed, laying on of Hands is one of the moft antient Ceremonies ufed in Bleffing the People.. 'Twas used by Jacob in bleffing his Sons, Gen. 48. 14,'15. where we find him laying his Hands on Ephraim, Manaffeh, and Jofeph; and with that imploring a bleffing upon them. From his Example it was after follow'd and obferv'd by the Jews in all their folemn Benedictions. Thus we find it used in confecrating the Levites, whom Aaron, after laying on of Hands, offer'd unto the Lord; Numb. 8. 10,11. Moreover, God directed Mofes in blefling Joshua, to lay his Hands upon him, and thereby make him his Succeffor; Numb. 27. 18. From hence this Cuftom defcended to the Chriftian Church; for our Saviour, in compliance with this antient Ulage, laid on his Hands in bleffing the Children that were brought to him. And his Apoftles and their Succeffors have, by the Impofition of Hands and Prayer, confirm'd Converts, and ordain'd Elders ever fince. And this will lead me to confider,

Thirdly, The Perfons who are to adminifter this facred Rite, and likewise those to whom it is to be adminifter'd.

For the first, the Perfons by whom Confirmation is to be adminifter'd; they from the beginning have been the prime Paftors and Governours of the Church. Among the Jews (as Buxtorf tells us) they who in their younger Years had learnt the Law, were brought into the holy Affembly, where Prayers were made over them, with the Impofition of the Hands of the High-Prieft: which Office was perform'd by the higheft Order of Priefts under that Difpenfation.

In the New Teftament we find Confirmation confin'd to the Apostles, who were an Order by Chrift's Appointment Vol. IV. Part 2.

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fuperiour to and diftinct from the Seventy Difciples, and could do fome things with Authority in the Church, which the others could not.

Hence we find in this Gofpel for the Day, that when Sa maria had receiv'd the Word of God, and were baptiz'd by Philip; Peter and John, two of the Apoftles, were fent to adminifter Confirmation to them which was an A&t peculiar to the chief Rulers of the Church, and not allow'd to inferiour Officers. For tho Philip could baptize, yet he could not confirm; yea, tho he had many miraculous Gifts of the Holy Ghoft, yet that did not qualify him for this Office, which belong'd only to the Apostles. In compliance with this Apoftolick Practice and Pattern, the Chriftian. Church hath ever referv'd the Honour of difpenfing this holy Rite to their Succeffors the Bishops. This we find attefted by the Fathers with one confent.

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St. Ambrofe tells us, that to preferve the Unity and Authority of the Church, Confirmatio a folis Epifcopis fieri fo let, Confirmation is wont to be perform'd only by the Bishops.

To the fame purpofe fpeaks St. Jerom, Non nifi per manus Epifcopi, &c. By the Hands of the Bifhops only was Confirmation adminifter'd. Which was a Matter of Fact fo well known and attefted through all the Ages of the Church, that Calvin himself plainly declares it to be the antient Practice, that Children of Chriftian Parents being firft taught, coram Epifcopa fifterentur, fhould be brought to the Bishop to be confirm'd. And other of the wifeft Pref byterians, overcome by the Evidence of this Truth, have frankly acknowledg'd the fame. By all which it manifeftly appears that this Office of Confirmation hath been ever aflign'd to the Bishops or prime Rulers of the Church, even as it continues with us to this day; and with good reason too, their Bleffing being apt to be receiv'd with greater Veneration, and to beget a higher Authority and Efteem for this Sacred Rite, as alfo to make the People expect better Effects from that Office, which none but the higheft Minifters of Religion are impower'd to perform, Thus we fee the Perfons authoriz'd to adminifter this Or dinance.

Let us next confider the Perfons to whom it is to be ad. minifter'd; and they are, all baptiz'd Perfons competently inftructed in the Principles of Religion. So that the Qualifications of Perfons to be confirm'd, are Baptifin and competent Inftruction,

For

For the first, none are capable of the Benefit of Confir mation, but fuch as have been before baptiz'd, for Perfons must be firft receiv'd into the Church, before they can receive the Bleffings promis'd and beftow'd after it. And therefore thefe Samaritans were firft baptiz'd by Philip the Deacon, before they were confirm'd by Peter and John the Apoftles. And the Difciples at Ephefus were baptiz'd in the Name of the Lord Jefus, before Paul laid his Hands on them to blefs and confirm them. And our Church, by the Warrant of thefe Examples, acts accordingly.

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But because the Charity of the Church hath ever ex-) tended to Infants, upon the Promifes of Sureties undertaking for them, and Children both under the Law and the Golpel have been receiv'd into the Covenant before they understand the Nature, End, or Obligations of it; therefore, fecondly, Inftruction must always go before Confirmation: that Children may be taught, as foon as they are able to learn, what a folemn Vow, Promife, and Profeffion hath been made by others in their Name, to fit them to renew and ratify in their own Perfons the Engagement of Sureties in their behalf; and to enable them to know and take upon themselves the Obligation of what, when they come to Age, they stand bound to perform. Which fhews us the Usefulness and Neceffity of Catechizing, to prepare Children for Confirmation, and to receive the Benefits convey'd by it: which is

The laft thing propounded to be fpoken to, viz. the Graces and Bleffings confer'd in and convey'd by this Rite of Confirmation: And they are held forth here by receiving the Holy Ghoft, Then laid they their Hands upon them, and they receiv'd the Holy Ghoft. Where by receiving the Holy Ghoft, is meant the Participation of the Gifts and Graces of God's Holy Spirit, which are the greatest Bleflings that ever were or can be imparted to the Sons of Men.

As for the Gifts of the Holy Ghoft, they are either extraordinary and miraculous, as the Gift of Tongues, of Miracles and Prophecy, and the like; which were given to the Apofties and others in the beginning of Christianity, for the planting and propagating of the Gofpel, as we read, Acts 2. 1, 2, &c. and Chap. 19. 6. & 1 Cor. 12. Or common and ordinary, as the acquir'd Knowledg of the Tongues, the Improvements in Learning, Skill in the Arts and Sciences, and the like; which come from the fame Spirit,

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tho not in the fame extraordinary way: the former by fudden Infusion, the latter by the Methods of Study and Diligence. And tho the former ceas'd with the Reason of them, yet the latter being of standing Ufe in the Church, will be continu'd to the world's end.

But befides the Gifts, the Graces of the Spirit are by Prayer and Impofition of Hands confer'd in Confirmation. This the Fathers generally affirm: By Prayer and laying on of Hands (faith St. Cyprian) they that are baptiz'd receive the Holy Ghost. The Flesh is feal'd by Impofition of Hands (faith Tertullian) that the Soul may be illuminated by the Spirit. We read in Scripture of a Spirit of Wisdom and Understanding, a Spirit of Counsel and Might, a Spirit of Knowledg and of the Fear of the Lord. All which, in the Office of Confirmation, we are directed to pray for; and by a due and devout Ufe of this Ordinance will be granted and beftow'd upon us. By this we fhall be enabled to perform our Baptifinal Vow, to have fpiritual Strength enough to refift and conquer our ghoftly Enemies: for his Grace will be fufficient for us, to vanquish Satan, overcome the World, and fubdue the Flefh, the Enemies we renounc'd in Baptifm; which, without the Help of Divine Grace, will be too hard for the best of us.

Wherefore let all good Chriftians have a high Efteem and Value for this Sacred Rite of Confirmation, by which we receive the Holy Ghoft to all the Ends and Purposes of Religion. Let none run to it merely for Company, or for Fashion's fake, but reverently obferve it as a Means of Grace, and a Step to Glory. Let it not be neglected either by thofe that are to give, or those that are to receive it. But let the former be ready duly to adminifter it, and the other to be carefully brought to it, confidering how much it tends to the advancing of Knowledg, and increafing of Piety in the World. Let all Parents, who tender the Welfare of their Children, take care by catechizing and inftructing of them to fit and prepare them for this Office, and be as mindful of the Good of their Souls, as they are wont to be of their Bodies. Let all Sureties and Undertakers for Children, who ftand bound to fee them taught in the Principles of Religion, and brought to Confirmation, take care that this be effectually done, to release themselves of the Obligation; which elfe will lie heavy upon them, and fwell their Accounts by the Violation of fuch folemn Engagements.

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