Answer to Book by Romish Priests, Doctrine 38
XXXVIII. That the Sacrament of Confirmation is not to be uſed.
Anſwer.
HE knew very well, that tho we deny Confirmation to be a Sacrament, yet we uſe it; not as a Sacrament, nor as abſolutely neceſſary to Salvation (for we have declared that children baptized, dying before they commit actual ſin, are undoubtedly ſaved), but ſo neceſſary unto compleat Communion, that we require the Godfathers and Godmothers to bring children baptized, to the Biſhop to be confirmed by him, when they come to years of diſcretion; and we admit none to the Holy Communion of Chriſt's Body and Blood, till they be confirmed, or be ready and deſirous ſo to be.
Now where doth the Scripture ſay it is a Sacrament? There is not a word of it in VIII. Acts 14.VIII. Acts 14. much leſs is it there expreſsly declared, and declared to be neceſſary, or ſo much as to be uſed by others; but only that the Apoſtles laid their hands on thoſe who were baptized, and they received the Holy Ghoſt; which I am ſure no body can now communicate in ſuch Gifts as were then beſtowed. But above all, it is to be noted, that there is nothing ſaid here of the Chryſm, or anointing with holy Oyl; in which they make this Sacrament conſiſt; but only of laying on of hands, unto which they have no regard. For thus Confirmation is performed in the Roman Church; the Biſhop takes ſanctified Chryſm, as they call it, made of Oyl and Balſom, and therewith anoints a perſon baptized, with the thumb of his right hand, in the form of a Croſs, upon the forehead, which is bound with a fillet on the anointing, till it be dry; and it is alſo accompanied with a box on the ear; all which is plainly ordered to be done in their publick Office of Confirmation. But nothing of laying on of Hands is there mentioned, which they deny to be either the matter, or the form of this Sacrament; tho we read of nothing elſe but this laying on of hands, either here, or in what follows. A clear Demonſtration, that this place is expreſly againſt their pretended Sacrament of Confirmation.
VI. Hebrew 1. is ſo far from being contrary to our Doctrine, that ſome of their own Authors*Salmero & Juſtinianus. think it doth not ſpeak of Confirmation at all, but of the Benediction of Catechumens, and others; and ſome of our Authors think it doth, even Mr. Calvin himſelf. But then, it is expreſly ſaid to conſiſt in laying on of hands; and ought not to be turned into a Sacrament; but look'd upon as a ſolemn Form of Prayer (as St. Auſtin calls it) for Youth, who being grown beyond Childhood, made a Profeſſion of their Faith, and thereupon were thus bleſſed. Which pure Inſtitution (as Mr. Calvin's words are) is to be retained at this day, and the Superſtition corrected. Behold, how vilely the Proteſtant Doctrine is calumniated by ſuch wretched Writers as this, who ſeem not to underſtand Common Senſe. For he ſaith, Confirmation is here called, not only one of the Principles of the Doctrine of Chriſt, but a Foundation of Repentance; when all, but ſuch as himſelf, clearly ſee, that the Apoſtle here makes the Foundation of Repentance from dead Works, to be one of the Principles of Chriſt's Doctrine, as laying on of hands, is another.
He betrays alſo notorious ignorance, or falſhood, in the Citations of his Fathers, to which he ſends us. For Tertullian plainly ſpeaks of the Ʋnction which accompanied Baptiſm in his Country; not of a diſtinct Sacrament from Baptiſm. And Pacianus alſo mentions it, as a ſolemn Right in the Sacrament of Baptiſm, wherein Children are regenerated. So doth St. Cyprian likewiſe, even in that place which he mentions; where is no ſuch ſenſe as he dreams. For he diſputes for the Re-baptizing of Hereticks, becauſe it is not enough if hands be laid upon them, unleſs they receive the Baptiſm of the Church; for then they are fully ſanctified, and made the Children of God, if they be born by both Sacraments; for it is written, Ʋnleſs a Man be born again of Water, and of the Spirit, &c. This latter part this Man conceals, which ſhows St. Cyprian ſpeaks altogether of Baptiſm, in which there were then Two Rites, Waſhing with Water, and Laying on of Hands. Which were not Two Sacraments properly, but Two parts of the ſame Sacrament; which he calls both the Sacraments of Baptiſm. Juſt as Hulbertus Carnotenſis, calls the Body and Blood of Chriſt in the Communion, Two Sacraments, which in truth are but one. For ſpeaking of three things neceſſary to Salvation, he ſaith of the Third, that in it Two Sacraments of Life, that is, the Lords Body, and his Blood, are contained. St. Hierom likewiſe ſpeaks of Laying on of Hands, but not as a diſtinct Sacrament: For he earneſtly contends (in that Book) that the Spirit is conferred in Baptiſm, and that there can be no Baptiſm of the Church, without the Spirit. I have not taken any notice of St. Ambroſe, for thoſe Books of the Sacrament, which gounder his Name, are none of his.