cause. It is as if the apostle had said, 'You are long ago taught the necessity of repenting, and forsaking the works of death, and of believing in the true God, and of being dedicated, and engaged to Father, Son and Holy Ghost in the baptismal covenant, in which you yourselves have been consecrated unto God, and received the remission of sin; and you have seen the power that is given to the ministers of Christ, that by their prayers and imposition of hands, miracles have been wrought to confirm their doctrine, and grace is given to confirm the soul, and absolution and peace is given to the penitent, and ministerial power delivered to others, &c.' But however you understand this imposition of hands, without apparent violence, you must confess either imposition in the case that we are speaking of, or that which will warrant it, and stands on the same ground, to be here

meant.

So, 1 Tim. v. 22, "Lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be partaker of other men's sins." Some think that here is meant imposition of hands in ordination, and some that it is meant only of confirmation, and some of absolution; but however, it will help us in the following argument.

4. Scripture fully proveth that laying on of hands, is a thing to be continued to other uses, where the reason of continuance is the same: therefore we are not to judge it ceased as to this use. This text last named shews that it is a standing, or continued thing; and if for absolution, then for confirmation; and if for ordination, then for both the other. So, 1 Tim. iv. 14, sheweth, that the Presbytery did lay hands on Timothy in ordination: and if it ceasc not to this, it ceaseth not to other continuing uses.

Thus much from Scripture, for imposition of hands, is more than nothing; though it may not be so full as you expected: but on the contrary, nothing is brought to prove it unlawful, that is worth the mentioning.

The last thing that I have to do, is to argue from the practice of the church, as the exposition of these texts of Scripture. If the Universal Church of Christ have used confirmation by prayer, and laying on of hands, as a practice received from the apostles, and no other beginning of it can be found; then have we no reason to think the ceremony to be ceased, or to interpret the forementioned Scripture, contrary

to this practice of the Universal Church. But the antecedent is true, as I now come briefly to prove, supposing what Mr. Hanmer hath said. It is commonly known, that the most ancient canons of the church do speak of this as the unquestioned practice and duty of the church so that to recite canons were loss of time in so known a case. And if any

say, that anointing and crossing were ancient; I answer, 1. That they were as ancient in the Popish use, as the matter of a sacrament, or as necessary signs,' is not true, nor proved, but disproved by our writers, against the Popish confirmation frequently. 2. Nor can it be proved that they were as ancient as indifferent things. 3. We prove the contrary, because they were never used in Scripture-times, there being no mention of them. 4. So that we bring antiquity but to prove the continuance of Scripture practice, and so to clear the sense of it; but the Papists plead the Fathers, for that which Scripture is a stranger to.

If Ignatius ad Heronem Diaconum be genuine, there is this testimony, "Nihil sine Episcopis operare. Sacerdotes enim sunt: tu autem Diaconus Sacerdotum: Illi baptizant, sacrificant, manus imponunt, tu autem ipsis ministra." I recite it out of Usher's Latin copy, as supposed the most pure.

Tertullian, lib. de Prescript. cap. 36, appealing to the practice of the Apostle John, in the African churches, mentioneth, as his faith that he taught; one God the Creator, and Jesus Christ the Son of God, and the resurrection of the body; and that he joined the law and prophets, with the evangelical and apostolic writings, and thence drunk this faith. And of his practice he saith, "Aquâ signat, Sancto Spiritu vestit, Eucharistia pascit;" as three distinct ordinances, Lib. de Baptismo cap. 8, Having mentioned baptism, and the unction joined to that, and not then to confirmation, he addeth, "Dehinc manus imponitur, per benedictionem advocans, et invitans Spiritum Sanctum."

Idem de Resur. Carn. cap. 8. "Sed et caro abluitur, ut anima immaculetur: Caro unguitur, ut anima consecretur:

* Greg. M. in Epist, ad Quirin. (Leg. inter Usserii Hybernic. Epist. 2. p. 6.) Et quidem ab antiqua Patrum institutione didicimus, ut qui apud hæresin in Trinitatis Nomine Baptizantur, cum ad Sanctam Ecclesiam redeunt, aut unctione Chrismatis, aut Impositione manuum, aut sola professione fidei, ad sinum matris Ecclesiæ

revocentur.

Caro signatur, ut et anima muniatur. Caro manus Impositione adumbratur, ut et anima Spiritu illuminetur."

Cyprian ad Stephan. Epist. 72. Et ad Jubaian, is too much for it. I will not trouble you in citing any writers, since General Councils were in use, because their testimony is enough. He that would see such, may read Baronius ad An. 35. at large. So much for the proof of the fitness of imposition of hands in confirmation.

I come now to the second part of my proposition, viz. 'That this ceremony is not of such necessity, as that such as scruple it, should be denied liberty of forbearing the reception of it, if they submit to the ministerial trial and approbation of their profession, and admission, and reception to church-privileges.'

1 For proof of this, consider, 1. That we do not find that God any where instituted this sign, as a matter of necessity still without interruption, to be used; but only that by holy men it was applied as a convenient sign, or gesture to the works, in which they used it. Even as lifting up of hands in prayer was ordinarily used as a fit gesture, not wilfully to be neglected without cause, and yet not of flat necessity; or as kneeling in prayer, is ordinarily meet, but not always necessary. We find no more Scripture for the one than for the other: which indeed sheweth on one side, how causeless it is to question the lawfulness of it, any more than of lifting up the hands, or kneeling; and yet how little reason there is on the other side, to make it a matter of flat necessity.

2. As we find that kneeling in prayer, and lifting up the hands, were often omitted, so we find that sometimes the Holy Ghost is given before baptism, or imposition of hands. (Acts x.) And we find not that the apostles used it to all,

1 The ancient church also used it so variously, as that it is plain, they fixed it to no one case alone. Of the divers cases, in which they imposed hands (on the catechumens, and four times on the penitents, and divers other,) you may see in Albaspinæus Observationes, Obs. 31, 32. et passim. Grotius Epist. 154. p. 379. 'Manusimpositas baptizatis, nisi ab iis, qui jus haberent conferendi cælestia illo dona, primis temporibus non apparet, Serius id introductum est in Episcoporum honorem, quo magis in Apostolicum jus successisse crederentur. Nec causa aberat, quam ceremonia illi, velut naturalem diximus, precandi, scilicet, Deum, ut ei qui baptizatus jam fidem erat professus, ea largiri vellet, quæ ad præstandum in fide, maxime in periculis gravibus, sunt necessaria.'

though I confess, the negative arguing is infirm, yet it seems not probable, that this was always done.

3. It is somewhat suspicious to find in Justin Martyr's description of the Christian Churches' practices, no mention of this, nor any sacrament, but baptism, and the Lord's-supper; nor any of the Roman ceremonies. And Irenæus, and some others are silent in it.

4. God maketh no ceremonies under the Gospel so necessary, except the two sacraments; nor layeth so great a stress on them, as under the law; and therefore we are not to interpret the Gospel as laying men's salvation, or the peace of the church on any ceremonies; unless we find it clearly expressed.

5. For all that I have said from Scripture for imposition of hands in confirmation, though the lawfulness of it is proved past doubt, yet the proof of the duty of using it, is liable to so many objections, as that I must needs conclude, that the Gospel tenderness, and the sense of our mutual infirmities, and our care of tender consciences, and of the church's peace, should restrain all the sons of piety and peace, from making it a matter of flat necessity, and forcing them that scruple it, to submit to it.

And now having said thus much of imposition of hands, and confirmation, as grounded on the apostles' example; I must again and again remember you, that this is in a manner but ex abundanti,' and that the cause I am pleading, doth not at all need it; but that I did before most clearly manifest the truth of my position upon other grounds, upon which I shall proceed; and having shewed the necessity of ministerial judging of men's profession, and the personal covenanting of the adult, and the lawfulness of imposing hands therein, I go on as to the manner.

PROP. 14. Though in receiving Adult Persons out of Infidelity by Baptism into the Church, a sudden Profession without any stay to see their Reformation, may serve turn; yet in the receiving those that were Baptized heretofore, into the Number of Adult-members, or to the Privileges of such, their lives must be inquired after, which must be such as do not confute their Profession.

WE find in Scripture, that the converted were suddenly baptized, and they stayed not for any reformation of life to

go before. Indeed, the ancient churches afterwards kept their catechumens long in expectation; but that was not to see their lives first reformed, but that they might have time to teach them the doctrine of Christ, which they must know before they could be converts indeed. The apostles did suddenly baptize converted Jews and proselytes, because they had so much preparatory knowledge, as that a shorter teaching might acquaint them with the Christian doctrine. But the heathens must be long in learning so much as the Jews knew before conversion'.

Yet if the catechumens did fall into gross sin, in time of their expectation and learning, they were so much the longer delayed, because it signified, that their first professed desires of entering into the church, upon Christ's terms, were not right.

.

But the baptized stand upon other terms: For 1. They are already in covenant with God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; and have renounced the flesh, the world, and the devil, and promised obedience to God, and to live according to their covenant. And this the church hath still required of them, as I shewed out of Justin Martyr, and others beforem, Dionysius, (or whoever else) in lib. de Hierarch. Eccles. saith, Ipse autem se omnino ea quæ tradentur, sequuturum esse pollicetur;' and 'Ex eo præterea quærit, num ita instituat vivere, cum promisit asseverationibus,' &c. upon which saith Albaspinæus, 'Quia scilicet, fidem Christianam, Christianumque vivendi genus, et mores, sese complexos persequuturosque jurabant, antequam baptizarentur. (in Tertul. de Pœnit. p. 289.) et postea. Non accedebant ad Baptismum nisi de rebus fidei plane instructi, id est, de Dei magnitudine, et potestate, rebusque quæ in Evangeliis continentur, uno excepto, Eucharistiæ mysterio; neque baptizabantur, nisi postquam ea omnia se credere jurassent, quorum fides a fide pœnitentiæ incipiebat, &c. Et in sequ. Jurabant in Baptismo solennibus verbis, se nunquam" peccaturos; deinde renunciabant diabolo et pompis ejus. Denique cen

1 Lege quæ habet Grotius, Disccus. Apol. Rivet, p. 235. cum antecedentibus ex Antiq. et de suis.

m Read the whole order of Baptism in Dionysius, ibid. c, 4.

n That is, not to turn to an ungodly life, but to endeavour and perform sincere obedience. Albaspin. in Tertul. de Pœnitent. cap. 7. Sexcentis locis, non dicam hoc capite; unam ait tantum a lavacro veniam superesse, neque ullum primis illis temporibus inter privatum aut publicam graviorum criminum discrimem invenient. Vide cætera.