Discourse Concerning Baptism, Appendix
APPENDIX.
THE late King Charls was confirmed on EASTER munday,In the Chappel at White-Hall. 1613. (which was the thirteenth year of his age,) after a long and ſtrict Examination by the A.B. of Canterbury, and the B. of Bath and Wells, as Dr. George Hackwell, ear-witneſs of the ſatisfaction he gave, aſſures us; who in a little Tractate, be upon that occaſion wrote on this Subject, to juſtifie the antient and good practiſe of this ſacramental Rite, (as Bucer calls it,) thus ſpeaks.
Cap. 1.Confirmation is an antient Eccleſiaſtical cuſtom of the Church, uſed after Baptiſm, conſiſting in Examination and Impoſition of hands, with effectual prayer for the Ilumination of Gods moſt holy Spirit, to confirm and perfect that which the Grace of the ſame Spirit hath already begun in Baptiſm.
The benefits of this Confirmation are divers; whereof the firſt is, That men expecting Examination and tryal from their ſpiritual Fathers, they might more willingly acquaint, and carefully ſeaſon themſelves with the grounds of Chriſtian Religion, before malice and corrupt examples depraved their minds, &c.
Secondly, It ſerves, that when they come to years of Diſcretion, they ſhould publiquely make confeſſion of that faith themſelves which others had promiſed for them in Baptiſm, to the diſcharge of their ſureties, and the good examples of others.
Thirdly, That by ſuch confeſſion they might make profeſſion of difference from all Jews, Turks and Infidels out of the Church; Hereticks, Schiſmaticks, and prophane perſons in the Church.
Fourthly, That then eſpecially when they firſt come to the uſe of Reaſon, beginning to fall into ſundry kinds of ſin, and being leaſt able to reſiſt, for want of experience, by Impoſition of hands and prayer they might receive ſtrength and defence againſt the temptations of the World, the Fleſh, and the Devil.
Fifthly, That the Prelates and chief Guides of Gods family to whom the cure of ſouls belongeth, finding upon due Examination ſome part of their own heavy burden diſcharged, might from thence reap Comfort in beholding thoſe fair Foundations already laid, and glorifie God, Whoſe praiſe they found in the mouths of Infants.
This kind of Confirmation (were there no Authority to countenance it,) is in my Judgement ſo uſefull in the Church of God, that upon good reaſon it might be entertained among Chriſtians: But for further confirmation of it, we are incompaſſed with a cloud of witneſſes, and that ſo plentifully out of all Antiquity, as it might ſeem a kind of Ambition, or loſt labour to quote their names. Wherefore I will only alledge the ſoundeſt of thoſe, who ſince the Reformation of Religion and clearer Light of the Goſpel, in their ſeveral Writings have approved, and highly commended this antient cuſtom. And bringing in Bucer, Melancton, Zuinglius, Chemnitius, and others to ſpeak to this Truth, he cites Mr. Calvin among the reſt in theſe words. John Calvin in his fourth Book of Inſtitut…on in the Ʋpſhot of the chapter of Confirmation,Cap 19. Para. 13. not only commendeth the antient uſe of it, but the abuſe being removed, heartily wiſheth it reſtored. And becauſe his Authority is (not without deſert) of great weight, I will ſet down his words as I find them.
Would to God (ſaith he) we retained that cuſtom which I have already declared to have been in uſe among the Antients, before that abortive Vizard of a Sacrament was put upon it. And a little after. If this part of Diſcipline were now a dayes in force, the ſlackneſs of many Parents would be much quickened, who paſs over the Inſtitution (or Inſtruction) of their Children, as a buſineſs nothing pertaining to them; which then without ſome publique diſgrace they could not omit: Beſides, There would be leſs Ignorance, and more concord in Articles of Faith among Chriſtian people, neither would they ſo eaſily be carried away with new and ſtrange Opinions.
FINIS.
End of the text · Simon Patrick, Discourse Concerning Baptism (1659)