To the extent possible under law, the Text Creation Partnership has waived all copyright and related or neighboring rights to this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above, according to the terms of the CC0 1.0 Public Domain Dedication (http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/). This waiver does not extend to any page images or other supplementary files associated with this work, which may be protected by copyright or other license restrictions. Please go to http://www.textcreationpartnership.org/ for more information.
WE have seen the Original [of laying on of hands] from Christ the practice and exercise of it in the Apostles, and the first converts
in Christianity, that which I shall now remark is, that this is established and passed into a Christian Doctrine. The Waranty for what I say is the words of St. Paul where the holy Rite of con∣firmation, so called from the effect of this Ministration, and expressed by the Ritual part of it, imposition of hands is reckoned a Foundamental point 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 not laying again the foundation of Repentance from Deas works, and of faith towards God, of the Doctrine of baptism, and of lay∣ing on of hands, of Resurrection from the dead and of Eternal Judgement; Here are six foundamental points of St. Pauls Catechism which he said as t••e foundation or beginning of the insti∣tution of the Christian Church, and amongst these imposition of hands is reckoned as a p••rt of the foundation and therefore they who deny it, dig up foundations. Now that this impo∣sition of hands is that which the A∣postles used in confirming the baptized and invocating the Holy G••ost upon
them rem••ins to be pro••••••.—Abso¦lution of penitents cannot be meant here, not only b••cause we never read that the Apostles did use that Ceremo∣ny in their absolutions, but because the Apost••e speaking of the foundation in which baptism is.—There need••d no absolution but bap••ismal; for they and we believi••g gone baptism for the re∣m••ssion of sins, this is al the absolution that can be at the first and in the foundation. The * 1.1 other was se∣cunda post 〈◊〉〈◊〉 frag••••m tabula. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 me in af∣ter when men had m••de Shipwrack of their good Conscien∣science and were as St. Peter saith—unmindful of the former cleansing.
2. It cannot be meant of Ordina∣tion and this is also evident. 1. Because the Apostle saves he would thence forth leave to speak of the foundation and go on to perfection, that is to higher misteries. Now in Ri••uals of which he speaks, there is none higher
then Ordination. 2. The Apostle saying he would speak no more of lay∣ing on of hands goes presentl•• to dis∣course, of the misteriousness of the E∣vangelical Priest-hood, and the honor of that vocation, by which it is evi∣dent he spake nothing of Ordination in the Catechism, or Narrative of Foun∣damentals. 3. This also appears from t••e context, not only because laying on of hands is Immediately set after bap∣tism but also because in the very next words of this discourse, he does enu∣merate and apportion to baptism, and [imp••sition of hands] their proper and proportioned effects. To b••p∣tism il••umira••ion,—And to Confir∣ma••ion he reckons tasting the Heaven∣ly gift and being made par••akers of the Holy Ghost▪ By the thing sig••ifi∣ed declaring the sign, and by ••he miste∣••y the 〈◊〉〈◊〉▪
Upon these words ••t Chrisostom•• dis∣coursing sayes, That all these are founda∣mental Articles: that it that ••e ought to repent from dead works; to be baptized ••••∣to
the Faith of Christ, and be made wor∣thy of the gift of the spirit, who is given by imposition of hands and we are to be taught the misteries of the Resurrection and Eternal Judgement. This Catechism (sayes he) is perfect, so that if any Man have Faith in God, and being baptized is also confirmed and so tasts the Heavenly gift, and partakes of the Holy Ghost, by hope of the resurrection tasts of the good things of the World to come, if he falls away from this state—digging down and turn∣ing up these foundations he shall never be built again, he can never be baptized a∣gain—Confirmed again. God will not be∣gin again, &c. He cannot be made a Christian twice.—This is the full ex∣plication of this excellent place, and any other ways it cannot be reasonably ex∣p••icated.—I shall observe one thing more out of this Testimony of St. Paul He cal••s it the Doctrine of baptism and laying on of hands, by which it does not only appear to be a lasting Mini∣stry, because no part of the Christian Doctrine could change or be abolished
but hence also it appears to be divine Institution. For it were not St. Paul had been guilty of that which our bles∣sed Savior reproves in the Scribes and Pharises, and should have taught for doc∣trines the Commandements of Men. Which because it cannot be supposed, it must follow that this doctrine of confirmation, or imposition of hands is Apostolicall and divine. The ar∣gument is clear, and not easily to be reproved.
Yea but what is this to us? it be∣long'd to the days of wonder and ex∣traordinary. The Holy Ghost breath∣ed upon the Apostle•• and Apostolicall men, but then he breath'd his last; vecendente gratiae recessit disiplina; when the grace departed we had no further need of the cerimony.
In Answer to this I shall 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 by divers particulars evince plainly, that this Ministry—was not temporary and relative only to the Acts of the Apostles, but was to de∣scend to the Church for ever. This
indeed is done already in the proceed∣ing Sect in which it is clearly manifest∣ed, that Christ himself made the bap∣tism of the spirit necessary to the Church▪ He declar'd the fruits of this baptism, and did particularly relate it to the descent of the holy spirit upon the Church at and after that glorious Pe••tie••st. He sa••ctified it and com∣mended it b•• hi•• example; just as he sanctified the flood Jordan, and all other waters to the misticall washing away of sin, viz. by his great exam∣ple, and fulfi••ling this righteousness also. This doctrine the Apostles first found in their own persons, and expe∣rience, and practised to all their Con∣verts, by a solemn, and externall rite; And all this p••ssed into an Evangelicall, doct••ine the whole mistery being sig∣nified by the externall rite in the words of the Apostle, as before it was by Christ expressing only the internall. So that there needs n•• more strength to this argument. But that there may be wanting no moments to this t••uth
which the holy scripture affords, I shall add more weight to it; And,
1. The perpetuity of this rite ap∣pears, because this great gift of the Holy Ghost was promised to abide with the Chu••ches for ever. And when the Je••s hea••d the Apostles speak with tongues at the first and miracu∣lous d••s••ent of the spirit in Pen••••c••st, to take of the stra••ge••ess of the won∣d••r, and the envy of the power. St. Pe••er at that very time tells them plain∣ly. Re••••nt and be baptiz••d eve••y one of you—and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 shall rece••••e the gift of the Holy Ghost 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 not the meanest person among you all, but shall receive this great thing, which ye observe us to have received and not only you, but your Children too, not of this ••eneration only, sed nati natorum et q••i n••centur ab illis, but your Children for ever. For the pro∣mise is to you and to your Children and to all that are affar off, even to as many as the
Lord your God shall call▪ now then let it be considered.
1. This gift is by promise, by a promise not made to the Apostles a∣lone, but to all; to all for ever.
2. Consider here at the very first as there is a verbum, a word of promise, so there is a sacramentum too I use the word——in a large sence only, and according to the stile of the primitive Church) It is a rite partly morall; and partly cerimoniall, the first is prayer, the other is laying on of the hands: and to an effect that is but transient and extraordinary, and of a little abode, it is not easily to be sup∣posed that such a solemnity should be appointed. I say such a solemnity; that is, it not imaginable that a solemn rite, annexed to a perpetuall promise should be transient and temporary for by the nature of relatives they may be of equall abode, the cerimony or rite was anexed to the promise, and
therefore also must be for ever. * 1.2
3: This is attested by St. Paul who reduces this argument to this mistery saying, In home after that you believed—ye were sealed with the holy spirit of promise. He spake it to the Ephesians who well understood his meaning, by remembring what was done to them∣selves by the Apostle, Act. 19. 6. But a while before, who after he had baptised them did lay his hands upon them, and so they received the holy spirit of promise; for here the very matter of fact is the clearest comenta∣ry on St. Pauls words——But fourthly.
What hinders any man from a quick consent at the first representation of these plain reasonings and authorityes? is it because there were extraordinary
effects accompanying this ministration, and because now there are not, that we will suppose the whole oeconomy must cease? if this be it, and indeed this is all that can be pretended in op∣position to it, it is infinitely vain.
1. Because these ex••raordinary effect, did continue even after the death of all the Apostles. St. Frenoeus saies they did continue even to his time, even the greatest instance of miraculous power. et infraternitate, sap••ssimc propter aliquid necessarium, &c. When God saw it ne∣cessary, and the Church prayed and fasted much, they did miraculous things, even of reducing the Spirit to a dead Man.
2. In the days of the Ap••stles the spirit did produce miraculous effects, but neither always, nor at all in all men, are all workers of miracles, &c. No, the spirit bloweth where it listeth, and as he listeth he gives gifts to all, but to some after this manner, and some after that.
3. These gifts were not necessary at,
all times any more then to all persons, but the promise did belong to all and was made to all, and was perform∣ed to all.—And therefore if the grace be given to all, there is no rea∣son that the ritual ministration of that grace should cease upon pretence that the spirit is not given extraordina∣rily.
Other arguments he hath (many) to the same purpose, and a•• I conceive well wor∣thy the consideration of all Christians * 1.3 speci∣ally those that are doubt∣full in this principle of religion but I shall sh••t up all with a few of his citations out of the works of antient wri∣ters, in behalf of this point of faith. And first noteing How that originally it came from the Apostles.
In the second Cen∣tury he brings Th∣ophilus,
Antiochenus and ••ertullian, the latter saith thus, D•• hinc manus impo∣nitur, &c. After baptism the hand is im∣posed by blessing, calling, and inviting the holy spirit.—Being cleansed by baptis∣mal water, we are dispos'd for the holy spirit under the hand of the Angel of the Church, and to this effect the rest, &c. For the third Century he brings Ori∣gen, Cyprian, Dionis, and Eusebius, The first Testimony set down is out of Cy∣prian who Writing upon the passage in Acts 8. 14. saith, which custome is also descended to us, that they who are baptized might be brought by the ru∣lers of the Church and by prayer and imposition of hands receive the Lords signature, &c.
For the Fourth hundred he brings Melchiades, Optatus, Civil, and others speaking very highly of the use of this ministration and then brings Urba•• the first, as more plainly setting down what the rest delivered more sigura∣tively, in these words Omnes Fideles, &c. All faithful people ought to receive the holy
spirit by imposition of the Bishops hands after baptism. And having added yet more witnesses of this kind, he al∣leadges six Counsells, to evince the same thing, * 1.4 viz. That this Ordi∣nance of prayer, lay∣ing on of hands were received toge∣ther with the other principles by Christians generally. The decree of one of these Counsels (concerning such as had received baptism in a re∣gular form) is in these words manus ••antum eiis imponatur ut accipiant spiritum sanctum. Let there be imposition of hands that they may receive the Holy Ghost. Afterwards the Dr. concludes thus.
So many Fathers testifying the practice of the Church and teaching this Doctrine, and so many more Fa∣thers as it were assembled in six Coun∣cells, all giving witness to this holy Rite AND THAT IN PUR∣SUANCE OF SCRIPTURE
are too great a blood of witnesses to be despised by any man that calls him∣self a Christian.
Me••ning that laying on of hands used by some at the ab∣solving pene∣tents.
[I think this wi••l abide try∣all, sith we may not expect a change of the dispensation we are under; otherwise the promise might continue under some o∣ther rite or elce without it]
Who know how to read men without being scandi i∣zed if they meet with phraises, and some nothing which are doubtful as its the case of most that write.
•• Con. Arles. c. 8.