The English Nonconformity Under King Charles II and James II, Chapter 19 – Chapter 20
Chap. XIX. Point XVI. Of Consenting to reject all from Communion, who desire not our Episcopal Confirmation.
L.
ME thinks you that have written a Book for Confirmation should not scruple consenting to this.
M.
I told you that I am so far from scrupling the true use of Confirmation, that I think it is the want of it that is the greatest corruption of the Church of any outward thing that I remember. But you must note, 1. That it is the English way of Confirmation that we speak of. 2. And that it is not the thing it self, but the denying men Church-Communion that neither have it, nor desire it, which we here dissent from.
L.
What mislike you in the English way of Confirmation?
M.
I must first tell you how the case stands in matter of fact: 1. When Christ sent forth Preachers, he endued them, not all, with equal Gifts and Power: Tho' most had some extraordinary Gifts and Inspiration, it was made, tho' not proper to the Apostles, yet for the most part their priviledged above all others, that the Holy Ghost was given to those on whom they laid hands, for miraculous acts; especially sudden speaking of Tongues not learnt, and Prophesying; tho' the gift of Sanctification necessary to Salvation was given to all true Believers, by whomsoever converted.
2. When the Apostles were dead, and these miraculous Insprirations grew rare first, and then ceased (unless in some very rare instance) yet the ordinary Pastors continued the Custom after Baptism, to lay on their hands as for the giving of the Holy Ghost. As they did also the Ceremony of Anointing the Sick, which had been used for miraculous Cures.
3. The dead Ceremonies of laying on of hands for the Holy Ghost, and of Anointing, being used without the Power and former Effects, somewhat else must be though on to keep up their reputation. And as to that now in question, first they added more to the Ceremony of it, and Anointed the Person with Oyl, and made the sign of the Cross on him, thereby to signifie his being Anointed with the Holy Ghost, and fortified thereby to follow a Crucified Christ thro' Sufferings. And when it was seen that the Holy Ghost was not thereby given for Miracles, they thought that he was given in a double degree for Corroboration: And some thought that he was not given at all in Baptism, (that did but wash away guilt) but by Confirmation after.
4. Hereby Confirmation got the name of a Sacrament (as Anointing the Sick also did) and was used presently after Baptism for the most part; and the Ceremonies of it were made more pompous, and it was appropriated to the Bishop, for the most part; or if Presbyters did it, they must use no Ointment to Anoint and Cross them with, but what the Bishop made by mixture, and blest, to make it holy: And because he could not go himself to the Sick, the Presbyters must fetch all their Ointment for this also, ready made and hallowed from the Bishop.
5. When Infants were Baptized, they thus presently Anointed them also, and called it their Chrysm and Confirmation, till then he was taken but for a half or imperfect Christian, that was only Baptized and not Confirmed.
6. Popery having turned most of Christ Ordinances into a dead Image, used these called Sacraments, to keep up a Ceremonious shew of Religion, and to keep up the power of Bishops in that formal way.
7. When Reformation prevailed, the Papists seven Sacraments were examined; and only Baptism and the Lords Supper found to be Christs Sacraments of the Covenant of Grace: Ordination to be the Ministerial Sacrament of Orders, or Consecration to that Office. Matrimony to be a common Domestick Sacrament of Marriage: Confirmation and Extream Vnction, to be abusive imitations of Antient Miraculous Acts: And Pennance to be some expressions of Repentance made more necessary than indeed they were, and Arbitrarily imposed by mans invention to keep up the Dominion of Ambitious Priests over the Souls of deluded men: Tho' at first only introduced by meer Direction of Ministers to men of troubled Conscience, shewing what restitution and reparations of the hurt they had done by sin were necessary, and what expression of their Repentance was most fit.
8. Hereupon the Reformers cast away the Sacraments of Pennance and Extream Vnction, and reduced the four first to their Primitive State and Use: and the abused way of Confirmation they cast off, but some desired to make an advantage of the name, for another end and duty of great moment, which had been neglected to the great corruption of the Church. And the Church of England attempted to do this, reserving as much of the Antient Form as possibly they could.
The Adult were of old Baptized before Infants, and never without a most solemn personal Profession of Faith and Repentance, and absolute dedication to Christ. And that this might be done with the greatest weight and resolution they were usually taught as Catechumens till they came to understanding and resolution, before they were admitted to Baptism. Their Infants some brought to Baptism, and some delayed till they came to Age, all being left at liberty, and neither Adult nor Infant driven to Baptism, nor accepted till it was desired. But as Prelacy grew up to Dominion, all were forced to be Baptized in Infancy; and at last such growing up in ignorance, were all taken for Christians, while few knew what Christianity was, or what it was to be Baptized, or what was there promised on their part, or on Christs. And when these came to have Children they were Baptized and bred up as their Parents were, and Christianty for the most part turned into meer Name and Ceremony, the Persons being mostly ignorant of its Essentials.
This corruption of the Church seemed to many to come only from Infant Baptism; whereupon they turned Anabaptists, and taught that men should not be Baptized till they seriously and solemnly professed their own Faith and Repentance.
But wiser men saw that we must not deny Infants their Church state and right because of mens abuse, and their neglect of other Duties: Baptism is one thing, and Personal Confession and Covenanting is another. It is the Omission of these at Age, that hath corrupted the Church, and not Infant Baptism, which entreth them but into a Church state suitable to their infancy. They need not repeat Baptism which they had; but to manifest actual Faith and Repentance which in Infancy they had not. That which should be done, is to make their Transition into the Communion of Adult Christians to be a serious, solemn work, and not a delusory Ceremony. That those Baptized in Infancy may learn what they did, and what Christianity is, as to our Faith, Duty & Hopes: And when they come to true resolution, to own the Baptismal Vow, and as solemnly renew it themselves, as others made it for them.
The English Reformers therefore did retain the Ceremony of Imposition of Hands, and the appropriation of it to the Bishop, and the name of Confirmation, and stretcht the use of the Sign (Imposition of Hands) to the utmost that they durst, but instead of applying it to Infants they made it the owning of the Baptismal Covenant, and appointed Catechizing to go before it, and call for a solemn performance of it. And were it used as a rational sober owning of the Baptismal Covenant indeed in an understanding, serious manner, for transition into the State of Adult Communicants, it would be the greatest means of a true Reformation, and of Union with the parties that now differ about Church order, that can be used.
Divers of the highest Episcopal Divines write as earnestly for this as any of us: Especially Mr. Elderfield and Dr. Hammond, and yet were it to prevent our continued division, and our ruin, there is no hope of obtaining it.
L.
Why, what hinders if all sides desire it?
M.
It is desired as Holiness is desired; seriously by the serious; reservedly, and by halves by the half Christian, and only the Name, Image and Ceremony by the gross Hypocrite, who hateth it at the Heart, because it is above him, and against his carnal mind and interest.
And indeed it is here made impossible to be done any otherwise ordinarily than as a Ceremony. For 1. The Diocesses are so vast that the Bishop cannot do this and other his Offices for the hundredth part of his undertaken Flock. Suppose this Diocess have but five or six hundred thousand Souls (for when an hundred thousand died the last Plague, I hope it was not above the …ixth part:) Do you think that the Bishop is able (did he work as hard as any Nonconformist) to confirm six hundred thousand Persons, or the twentieth part of them, or the hundredth, in that serious manner as belongs to the binding of a Soul to Christ in so solemn a Covenant.
It becometh me not to inquire whether Bishops be men that are for so much seriousness in Christianity themselves, and so much labour to attain it: Some are far better than others: You know them as well as I. But I must say 1. That as far as I can learn there is not one of an hundred confirmed at all.
2. All the thousands that are unconfirmed live in the Parishes as reputed Christians, and may come to the Sacrament when they will.
3. I never knew one Minister of all that Covenanted it, to keep one man from the Sacrament for not being Confirmed, or not being desirous of it; nor one Neighbour that ever was examined on this Point, whether he were Confirmed, or were ready and desired it.
4. Some few elder Votaries to the Bishops perhaps may be serious in it; but what a mere running Ceremony it is usually made, I need not tell you. I have formerly said, that I was at 15 years of Age Confirmed my self, by Bishop Morton (one of the Learned'st and best Bishops that ever I knew) and we ran thither from School, without the Minister's knowledge, or one word from our Master, to tell us what Confirmation is; and in a Church yard in the Path-Way, as the Bishop past by, we kneeled down, and laying his Hands on every Boys Head, he said a few words, I knew not what; nor did any one of my School-fellows, as far as I could perceive, know what he said; nor know what Confirmation is, any more than to have the Bishop's Blessing: nor were we ask'd by him, or any, whether we stood to our Baptismal Covenant, save only by saying by rote the Catechism to our Master: nor did I see any one make any more than a Ceremony of it.
When the Bishops were down, I saw it made a serious Work by divers Ministers, who instructed Young Men till they found them seriously resolved for Christ, and then taking the best of Confirmation and Penitence, caused them publickly before the Congregation to profess their Faith and Repentance, and to renew the Covenant they made in Baptism to Christ. And were it made the work of Godly Ministers to do it, or to prepare Men personally for it, and not make it a Game for Boys, much good might be done by it.
L.
Well, What have you against it besides Abuse, which no body desireth you to subscribe to.
M.
Were I a publick Minister, I should be glad of that Rubrick to enable me to keep away the grosly Ignorant, which I know no other Clause that enableth me to do: But I durst not use it, to turn from Communion all Godly Persons whom it excludeth; nor can I consent so to do.
L.
What can make Godly Persons scruple it as sinful?
M.
Many things: 1. The words make it seem to some to be yet made a Sacrament, which are [VponUpon whom after the example of thy holy Apostles, we have now laid our hands to certifie them by this sign of thy favour and gracious goodness toward them.] Here is an outward visible sign of an inward and spiritual Grace given to them, said to be done in imitation of Christ's Apostles, as a means whereby they receive the same, and a … ledge to assure them thereof; (as the Collects with it shew) which is the Catechisms Definition of a Sacrament.
2. They that are against our Diocesan sort of Prelacy, dare not seem to own it, by coming to them for Confirmation, appropriated to them.
3. Those that think that a great and holy Duty is made a mere Mockery to delude Souls, and corrupt the Church (while every one in England that will but take this Ceremony, is pronounced to God in Prayer to be [Regenerate by the Holy Ghost, and all their Sins forgiven them;] these dare not joyn themselves with the Prophaners in their delusory way.
Be these Scruples just or unjust, while the same Persons are willing to own their own Baptismal Covenant, understandingly and seriously before the Church and their own Pastors, and to know those that labour among them, and are over them in the Lord, and esteem them in Love for their Works sake, and to be at Peace among themselves, I dare not for scrupling this Diocesan Ceremony, cast them from the Communion of the Church of Christ. And therefore I dare not Approve of the Order that requireth it, nor Assent and Consent to it, nor Subscribe that it is not contrary to the Word of God.
Chap. XX. Point XVII. Of Consenting to all the Ornaments of Church and Ministers that were in use in the Second year of King Edw. 6.
L.
VVHat have you against this?
M.
The words are, [That such Ornaments of the Church, and of the Ministers thereof at all times of their Ministration, shall be retained in use as were in this Church of England by the Authority of Parliament in the Second year of King Edw. 6.]
Against this we have these Exceptions.
1. We know not what was then in use, and therefore cannot consent to we know not what.
2. We are told that the Albe, and many other Ornaments were then in use that are since put down, and we must not consent to restore them, without more reason than we hear. And the Canon enumerating the Ornaments now, we suppose the addition of all those will Contradict it.
3. We meet with few Conformists that know what was then in use. And we see that all those that Subscribe or Consent to this, yet use them not. And we will not run for Company into a solemn Covenant-Consent, to the use of those things that we see no body use. The second year of King Edw. 6. was the minority of the Reformation, and before we consent to make it our pattern, we must know what it was, and whether no Act of Parliament have since reversed that which then was used?