Cheirothesia, or, A confirmation of the apostolicall confirmation of children setting forth the divine ground, end, and use of that too much neglected institvtion, and now published as an excellent expedient to truth and peace / by Jos. Hall ...

Sect. 13

The second motive shall be the great benefit which accrues to the Church of God by the use of this Ordinance; which I had rather to expresse in the e∣legant and solid termes of lear∣ned Hooker, then in my own. By this meanes (saith he) it came to passe, that children in expectation thereof were sea∣soned with the principles of true Religion, before malice and corrupt examples depra∣ved their minds, a good foun∣dation was laid betimes for di∣rection of the course of their whole lives, the seed of the Church of God was preserved sincere and sound, the Prelates, and Fathers of Gods family, to

whom the care of their souls belonged, saw by triall and ex∣amination of them, a part of their own heavy burden dis∣charged, reaped comfort by beholding the first beginnings of true Godlinesse in tender yeers, glorified him whose praise they found in the mouths of Infants, and negle∣cted not so fit an opportunity of giving every one fatherly en∣couragement and exhortation; whereunto imposition of hands and prayer being added, our warrant for the great good ef∣fect thereof is the same which Patriarchs, Prophets, Priests, A∣postles, Fathers, and men of God have had for such their particular invocations and Be∣nedictions, as no man I suppose professing truth of Religion will easily think to have been without fruit; thus he. And

surely these are so excellent fruits of this work of Confir∣mation that we shall not need to seek out for more; yet I may not passe over a serious and im∣portant passage of a late writer, who in a profitable and well-laboured discourse of the Do∣ctrine and practice of Pedo∣baptisme, taking an hint from Calvin (as he well might) to prove the high antiquity of Ba∣ptizing of Infants, by the Pri∣mitive practice of their Confir∣mation, which is under the name of imposition of hands, coupled together therewith; and having well made out his Argument by the received di∣stinction of Catechumeni, takes occasion to set forth that Ordi∣nance in the Primitive instituti∣on of it; recommending it with those grave Authors foremen∣tioned to be of singular use, if

it were restored to the Original purity; and recounting the be∣nefits that might arise there∣from instanceth in these fol∣lowing; by this meanes the neg∣lected exercise of Catechizing would be brought in life and credit; Secondly, the unity of Faith would be maintained; Thirdly, Parents would be quickned up to a further care of the Religious ▪ education of their children; Fourthly, Chil∣dren thenselves would be put on to seek after knowledge; whereto he addeth two others not hinted formerly by any Au∣thor; Fiftly, that by this means, persons ignorant or scandalous might be kept out from com∣munion with the Church in the sacred Ordinance of the Lords Supper; and so the stumbling block of mixt communion re∣moved; Sixtly, that by this

meanes, the difference of the times about the formality of a Church-covenant, in receiving in of members (as they call them) might be compremised and taken up; there being here the substance of what is there contended for, and that better bottom'd (as he conceives) then the former: All which as they are exceeding weighty and worthy of sad considera∣tion, so, me thinks, this last should be held fit to be listned unto by our brethren of the Church-way; who may easily see how by but the admissiō of a truly Apostolicall institution they may effect that which (not without greater difficulty to be atchieved) they project and de∣sire.

Notes

• Hooker Eccles. pol. lib. 5. 66.
• Mr. Iohn Brinsley Preacher at Yar∣mouth, Doctr. and pra∣ctis. of Pedobap∣tisme. p. 76. 77. 78. &c.
• So Deodat. on the place.